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Arkansas is not the most burdensome state for
homeschooling but it is also not the easiest.
Whereas some states take a hands-off approach to
homeschooling, Arkansas uses required annual testing to
maintain some government oversight.
While it is easy to get started homeschooling in
Arkansas, it might not be so easy for some
students to continue. Homeschool students must
achieve satisfactory scores on required
annual standardized tests to avoid losing their right
to continue homeschooling. There are no other
requirements concerning attendance, subjects,
teacher qualifications, or recordkeeping under
the Arkansas homeschool statute.
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Based on Arkansas state law
6-18-201, all children from ages 5 to 17 as of October 1 must enroll
and attend public school, private school, parochial school or
homeschool. The only exceptions are for children who have already
received their high school diploma, children who are still only 5
years old on Oct 1 and their parents want to postpone enrollment in
kindergarten, and children age 16 or above who are enrolled in a
vocational school or college. For everyone else, school enrollment
and attendance are mandatory.
Most of the legal requirements for homeschooling
in Arkansas come from state laws ranging from 6-15-502 to 6-15-507.
These statutes require parents to provide written notice of their
intent to homeschool to their local school district superintendent
by August 15 for the fall semester or by December 15 for the spring
semester. The notice must include the following information:
- The name, date of birth, grade level, and the
name and address of the school last attended, if any, of each
student involved;
- The location of the home school
- The basic core curriculum to be offered
- The proposed schedule of instruction
- The qualifications of the parents or teachers
- Information about any student who might require special
education services
Homeschooling parents must also sign a waiver acknowledging that
the State of Arkansas is not liable for the education of their child
during the time that parent chooses to homeschool.
Beyond that, all homeschool students age 7 or older must be
tested annually by May 1 using a nationally recognized standardized
achievement test. The parents can choose from a list of tests
approved by the Arkansas State Board of Education. In addition,
students age 14 must take the minimum performance test required of
all eighth grade school students. No student can enter the 9th grade
in Arkansas without having passed the minimum performance test.
All tests must be administered either by the Director of the
Department of Education, General Division, or his designee. Such
administration includes purchasing the test materials, giving the
test, scoring, reporting and interpreting the test results. Parents
are required to re-imburse the state for the cost of the tests.
Students who get unsatisfactory test scores must be given
remedial course work and must re-take the test during the same
school year. Unsatisfactory test scores on the standardized tests
are defined as being a composite score on reading, math and language
arts which is more than 8 months behind the students expected grade
level. In addition, scores on science and social studies tests
cannot be more than 8 months below the expected grade level. For the
minimum performance test required for all 14 year old students, the
required score for passing the test is set by the State Board of
Education.
Parents would be wise to test early in the school year in case
the student fails and has to take the test again because the penalty
for failing are severe. Any student age 8 or older who fails to
achieve a satisfactory test score by May 1 loses their right to be
homeschooled and is required to enroll in public, private or
parochial school the following school year. The State Board of
Education has the authority to make exceptions in special cases.
Some might argue that Arkansas
state laws requiring annual testing are excessive
because homeschool students consistently outperform students in
public schools. Perhaps the homeschool students should be tested
only once every 2-3 years. In most cases, annual testing of
homeschool students is over-kill and an unnecessary burden on
homeschoolers. However,
on the positive side it helps protect children from falling behind.
See homeschool groups in Arkansas
Arkansas Department of Education
Note: This
summary of Arkansas homeschool law is
for information purposes only and not as legal advice. |