Thinking about homeschooling in Georgia? Maybe you’re curious about Georgia homeschool laws and want to know more info on homeschool resources.
Well, you’ve come to the right place! This article will be your one-stop shop for all the basics of Homeschooling in GA! Keep reading to get all your questions answered.
Homeschooling in GA
Homeschooling in Georgia is actually fairly easy! While there are a few basic requirements, they are currently pretty easy to stick with. Let’s keep homeschoolers looking great in the State of Georgia by following these simple laws so more families can easily homeschool.
Now continue scrolling to get all your questions answered. And don’t miss out on the great list of field trip ideas below!
How do I legally homeschool in Georgia?
The homeschool laws for Georgia can be found in the Georgia Code at O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690.
Within the Georgia homeschooling laws, there are currently 6 main requirements, outlined here:
- Meet parent education requirements
- Submit a Declaration of Intent (DOI)
- Teach the required subjects
- Record attendance
- Complete standardized testing
- Write an annual report
Keep reading for more information on each of these requirements and more.
You can find more info on the laws for homeschooling in Georgia at the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) website. More detailed explanations and help can also be found on the Georgia Home Education Association (GHEA) website.
Do I need a degree to homeschool my child in Georgia?
Homeschooling parents or legal guardians may teach their own children as long as they hold at least a high school diploma or GED equivalent. Parents are also allowed to “employ a tutor” to teach their children. This tutor must hold at least a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
How do I register my child for homeschooling in Georgia?
Parents must fill out and send in a Declaration of Intent to Homeschool or DOI with the Georgia Department of Education. This must be done annually by September 1 of each year or within 30 days of beginning to homeschool.
There is an online form for this that may be used or you may print and send one in as well. Emailed and faxed forms are also accepted. The form requires only very basic information. Links for both online and print versions can be found on this page.
What subjects are required for homeschool in Georgia?
The state requires homeschool parents to provide a “basic academic educational program” for students at a minimum. Required subjects include the following five subjects:
- Mathematics
- English Language Arts
- Science
- Social Studies
- Reading
Of course, anything above and beyond these subjects is also great!
Even though these subjects are must-haves, there are no curriculum requirements or recommendations made by the state. You can teach these basic academics however you please.
What age should I be homeschooling in Ga?
Every year, homeschooled children between the ages of 6 and 16 must be reported as homeschoolers to the State of Georgia by their parents or guardians. If a student is still completing high school after 16, they should still be reported as homeschooling each year until they graduate or they will be considered a drop-out.
How many days do you have to homeschool in GA?
Required attendance for homeschoolers in Georgia is a total of 180 days per 12 month year. This includes 4.5 hours of instruction each day.
These attendance records should be kept for your records but do not need to be turned in to any authorities unless requested.
How many hours of homeschool are required in Georgia?
The Georgia law states that homeschooled students must complete at least 4.5 hours of instruction for each of the 180 school days per year, unless the child is “physically unable to comply.”
Attendance records should be kept for your personal homeschool records, but do not need to be turned in to any authority unless requested.
Does GA require testing for homeschoolers?
Occasional testing is required of homeschoolers in Georgia. The Department of Education says that every three years beginning at the end of third grade, students must complete an “appropriate nationally standardized testing program administered in consultation with a person trained in the administration and interpretation of norm referenced tests.”
In other words, it has to be an actual standardized test given by a testing company, not just a list of skills checked off by the parent.
Here are some common tests used by homeschoolers in Georgia. This list is not exhaustive:
- California Achievement Test (CAT)
- Iowa Assessments and ITBS
- Stanford Tests
- Terra Nova
Check out this page from the Georgia Home Education Association with info on where to obtain these tests for your child.
Though standardized tests are required to be taken every three years, results are not required to be submitted to any governmental authority. So, like attendance records, just keep the testing results for your own records.
While many do not like giving these tests to their children, understand that these test results can often be really helpful to see what topics you may want to spend more time on in your homeschool. And to help you gain confidence that your student is progressing well.
Do I need to write a report card for my child?
The Georgia homecshool law states that an annual report must be written for each student and each subject. This report must be kept by you for at least 3 years.
This report doesn’t have to be seen by anyone but you, nor does the law suggest what needs to be included in this report. So no need to overthink this. You could use this report as a way to evaluate your year and plan for next year. Or it could be as simple as a typical report card.
Many families will write out basic info about what was done throughout the year, with general progress and a possible grade. This could be a sentence or two for each subject or just the simple grades. Some like to go more in-depth. That is up to you.
I have created annual report templates and have made them available to you as a free download. Get more info through this link.
What homeschool records do I need to keep?
There are some basic records that every homeschooling family in Georgia should keep. These include a copy of your Declaration of Intent, samples of work, attendance, subjects/courses taught, annual reports, and test scores. These basic records should be kept for a minimum of three years, according to Georgia law.
While there are many more things families choose to keep in their homeschool records, these are the basic records every family should keep:
- A copy of your annual Declaration of Intent to Homeschool (DOI)
- Basic attendance (days and/or hours)
- Subjects taught
- List of curriculum/resources used, if any
- Samples of work from beginning, middle, and end of year
- Annual reports
- List of books read
- Standardized testing reports
For more information on homeschool record keeping, check my complete guide to have all your record-keeping questions answered.
Do I need to turn in my homeschool records?
Georgia law does not require any of the homeschool records that you keep to be turned in to anyone regularly. They should be used mostly for your reference and kept for at least three years. While it is not likely anyone will ask to see these records, it is smart to keep them. A state official could request them in the rare instance your homeschool is challenged.
How do homeschoolers graduate in Georgia?
Graduation requirements for Georgia homeschoolers are set by the homeschool parents. There are no further requirements listed other than the basic requirements listed above for every homeschool family of any age.
Despite there not being any official requirements, it is generally recommended that homeschooled high schoolers complete classes based on what they plan to do after high school. Many colleges and programs will have specific requirements for acceptance. The University System of Georgia has outlined its minimum requirements for college freshmen with its Required High School Curriculum documents.
Here are the minimum requirements:
- 4 units English/Language Arts
- 4 units Math
- 4 units Science
- 3 units Social Science
- 2 units same foreign language/ASL/computer science
Public school students in Georgia are required to complete a minimum of 23 credits to graduate high school. That’s basically 6 classes a year, so a homeschooler could easily meet or exceed this goal. You can check out the official requirements for public schoolers here.
Here are the bullet points:
- 4 units English/Language Arts
- 4 units Math
- 4 units Science
- 3 units Social Studies
- 3 units CTAE/modern language/Latin/Fine Arts
- 1 unit Health and Physical Education
- 4 units Electives
- 23 total units
As a reminder, though, there are no official graduation requirements for homeschoolers in Georgia. So decide on the course requirements for your children, and when those have been met, you can declare them a high school graduate and issue a diploma.
Are Georgia homeschoolers eligible for dual enrollment?
Georgia homeschoolers are eligible to receive up to 30 credit hours of free dual enrollment classes through Georgia’s dual enrollment program. Students will take classes from local colleges and Universities and gain both high school and college credits upon completion. The program covers tuition, fees, and books.
More info on Georgia’s dual enrollment program can be found on the Georgia Futures website.
Can homeschoolers get the HOPE Scholarship in Georgia?
Homeschoolers can qualify for the Georgia Hope or Zell Miller scholarship programs. If your child is interested in pursuing these college scholarships, there are requirements to qualify. Find out more about these programs on the Georgia Futures website.
How much does it cost to homeschool a child in Georgia?
The cost of homeschooling can vary widely depending mostly on the resources used. The National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) states that homeschool families spend an average of $600 a year per student, while I have seen other estimates being up to $3000 annually per student.
These estimates will include all supplies, curriculum, and extracurricular activities. But don’t let these numbers scare you away. Homeschooling can be accomplished for quite a bit less! While spending nothing would be difficult, spending less than $1-200 per child is doable.
Is homeschooling a tax write-off?
Neither the State of Georgia nor the US Federal Government currently allows any homeschool curriculum or supplies to be written off on your annual taxes. There are no tax credits available for Georgia homeschoolers. In fact, when it comes to taxes, not only are there no tax write-offs, but Georgia homeowners are required to help pay for local school systems through their property taxes despite not using the public schools.
Can homeschoolers play sports in Georgia?
Homeschoolers in grades 6-12 can participate in extracurricular and interscholastic programs from their local public school system through the Dexter Mosely Act. Students must enroll in at least one core class from the public school system to qualify. For more information, check out this document from the GaDOE.
What home school programs are free in Georgia?
Several online programs are free to all homeschoolers, not just those in Georgia. Many homeschoolers also will teach their children using free online printables and other free workbooks. The public library is also an amazing resource for homeschoolers.
Be sure to read my post about free online homeschool programs through this link.
Freedom Homeschooling has also curated a large collection of information on free homeschool curriculum.
A note about some online programs in Georgia: Not all schooling done at home is considered homeschooling. In Georgia, there are a few free-to-you online options paid for by the public school system. These include Georgia Virtual School, Georgia Connections Academy, Georgia K12, and Georgia Cyber Academy.
Because these options are through the local school system, there are some more strict attendance requirements and such that would not be a factor with some other programs that are for homeschoolers.
Does homeschool have to be accredited in Georgia?
No! You do not need to use an accredited homeschool program in Georgia. Now, if you are planning to homeschool for only a short time before going into public school, then accreditation may be something to consider. The transition will be easier. When using an accredited program, there will be more oversight and requirements with less flexibility. And of course, it will cost more than other curriculum options. For most families, the savings and freedom are worth not going the accredited route.
Accreditation is also not required for high school graduation. Parents can easily create transcripts for their own children, and homeschooled students have gotten into every type of amazing college there is without the help of accreditation. While some programs like the Hope scholarship will make it easier to demonstrate qualifications with accreditation, it is also possible to qualify without it.
Which curriculum is best for homeschooling?
The best homeschool curriculum is the one that works best for your family! There is no shortage of options. Here are a few of my resources to help you get started on the road to choosing what is best for you.
- Navigating the Homeschool Curriculum Jungle
- From Chaos to Curriculum Ebook
- Choosing Curriculum Worksheets
- 10 Easy Steps for Choosing Homeschool Curriculum
Is unschooling legal in Georgia?
The Georgia Homeschool law does not set any parameters on how homeschooling is accomplished or the curriculum used. Because of this, some form of unschooling can be done legally in Georgia within the general guidelines. Georgia students will just need to be sure to complete learning in the five basic subjects of Math, Reading, English/Language Arts, Social Studies, and History within their unschooling studies throughout the year to meet the requirements.
Helpful homeschool resources in Georgia
There are quite a bit of helpful homeschool resources in the State of Georgia. The homeschool community is very active.
Facebook Groups
Joining local Facebook groups is one of the best ways I have found to connect with other homeschool families. Georgia has a great large group for homeschoolers in the state, called “Georgia Homeschool Network.”
Many other Facebook groups are more localized. A simple search on Facebook for your “county/city homeschool” or similar may bring up good options. For example, West Georgia Homeschoolers or Cobb County Homeschooling Families.
Southeast Homeschool Expo
Every summer in the Atlanta area, there is a large homeschool convention. It is called the Southeast Homeschool Expo. There is a vendor hall where you can view curriculum, speak with other homeschoolers, and find local resources. There is also a full schedule of workshops you can attend on various subjects related to homeschooling and parenting. It is incredibly affordable and is worth attending.
Group listings
There are also a lot of in-person groups and activities for Georgia homeschoolers. One way to search for local options is to join Facebook groups or go to a convention, but there are also other public forums with listings.
One great site for finding homeschool resources near you is to check out the listings on the GHEA website. The Georgia Home Education Association has collected lists for all types of resources. To find these, go to the GHEA site, then choose “connect with others.” This will bring up a menu of choices. You can search for:
- Support groups listings
- Programs and academies
- Specialty classes
- Tutors
- Extracurricular activities
Important websites for more information
For more info on laws for homeschooling in Georgia, check out Homeschool section of the Georgia Department of Education website (GaDOE).
More detailed explanations of GA’s homeschooling laws can also be found on the Georgia Home Education Association website (GHEA).
Georgia field trip ideas
There are a ton of great ideas for places to check out on a field trip in the State of Georgia! Here is a list with a few to get you started.
- Atlanta Monetary Museum at the Federal Reserve Bank – Atlanta
- Biblical History Center – LaGrange
- Booth Western Art Museum – Cartersville
- Braves Baseball Games – Atlanta
- Callaway Gardens – Pine Mountain
- Center for Puppetry Arts – Atlanta
- Chattahoochee Nature Center – Roswell
- Chick-fil-A Backstage Tour – Atlanta
- Dahlonega Gold Museum – Dahlonega
- Etowah Indian Mounds – Cartersville
- Georgia State Historic Sites
- Georgia State Parks
- Georgia State Railroad Museum – Savannah
- Interactive Neighborhood for Kids (INK) Museum – Gainesville
- Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum – Atlanta
- Jimmy Carter National Historic Park – Plains
- Michael C Carlos Museum – Atlanta
- Museum of Aviation – Warner Robins
- National Center for Civil and Human Rights – Atlanta
- National Historic Sites in Georgia
- National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center – Columbus
- Providence Canyon – Lumpkin
- Savannah History Museum – Savannah
- Southeastern Railway Museum – Duluth
- Southern Museum – Kennesaw
- State Botanical Garden of Georgia – Athens
- Stone Mountain Park – Stone Mountain
- Roosevelt’s Little White House – Warm Springs
- Tallulah Gorge – Tallulah Falls
- Telfair Museums – Savannah
- Tellus Science Museum – Cartersville
- Tubman African American Museum – Macon
- UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium – Savannah
- William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum – Atlanta
- Zoo Atlanta – Atlanta
Homeschooling in GA
Homeschooling in Georgia is fairly straightforward and easy. Simply follow the basic laws for parent education, state notification, attendance, subjects, testing, and annual reports, and you are on your way to a successful homeschool year! Let’s keep homeschoolers looking great in Georgia by following these simple laws. This allows for more families to easily homeschool alongside us in the future!
Were you surprised by any of these laws or resources? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
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