Legal/Homeschool Laws
Laws that regulate home education vary from state to state. It is important to understand the legal requirements in your state and to be aware of legislative and other legal issues that affect homeschoolers in your community. We've compiled resources that will help you become informed. Although homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, and the vast majority of homeschoolers face no problems, you may find that you need legal assistance at some point in your homeschooling career. We've compiled a list of resources to help you find the support you need. And if you'd like to become more involved in working towards homeschooling freedoms, we discuss some of the issues facing homeschoolers that we hope you find compelling.
State Laws
Read the laws regulating home education in Georgia and browse through the case law and legal opinions relating to those laws, along with government publications relating to homeschooling and summaries of the laws.
Forms
Which forms do you need to fill out? Where can you get them? Here is a list of useful forms for homeschooling in Georgia.
Legal Support
If you need legal information or have run into a legal situation regarding your decision to homeschool, these resources will be helpful.
Lobbying Groups
A listing of local and national lobbying groups and information on how you can become involved in the political process to ensure the freedom to homeschool is protected.
Attorneys
When searching for an attorney, it is helpful to know whether he or she has experience working with homeschoolers and is interested in protecting the right to homeschool.
Legal Issues
Is homeschooling legal? Which laws pertain to homeschoolers and which don't? How do homeschoolers protect their rights to freely educate their children and to preserve their privacy?
Government Resources
A listing of local and state government resources, including your state's Department of Education, school districts, and Senate and House of Representative information.
What's Popular
Homeschool Opposition: Who Are They and What Do They Want?
Homeschooling in Georgia has come under concerted attack by those who would reduce the access to homeschooling and control both the content and method of home study instruction. Who are the opponents to homeschooling, and what do they want to accomplish?
Home Studay Programs: FAQ
Provided by the Georgia Department of Education, this is a list of questions and answers that parents usually ask about the homeschooling regulations in Georgia.
Underage Youth Application for GED Program
If you wish to withdraw from home school to obtain your GED, this is one of the required forms.
Home Study Program Monthly Attendance Report - pdf format with reset button
Printable monthly attendance report provided by the Georgia Department of Education. This form has an enabled reset button to clear the form.
Georgia Home School Laws from HSLDA
The Home School Legal Defense Association provides a brief summary of the homeschooling laws in Georgia. Includes a link to a legal analysis of laws relating to homeschooling in Georgia.
Declaration of Intent to Utilize a Home Study Program
Sample Declation of Intent. A Declaration of Intent must be submitted to your local school district within 30 days after the establishment of a home study program and by September 1 annually thereafter.
20-2-690.1. Compulsory Attendance
(a) Every parent, guardian, or other person residing within this state having control or charge of any child or children between their sixth and sixteenth birthdays shall enroll and send such child or children to a public school, a private school, or a home study program that meets the requirements for a public school, a private school, or a home study program ...
Past Attempts to Change GA Law
A short list of some of the legal issues homeschooling parents in Georgia have faced in the past.
Home Study Program Monthly Attendance Report - Word format
This is a Georgia Department of Education form. It is in MS Word format. Provided by HEIR.
Homeschool Attorneys in Georgia
These attorneys have indicated that they are willing to provide legal information, consult with or represent homeschoolers on homeschooling or other legal issues they may have in their states. Most of these attorneys homeschool or have homeschooled their own children.
Georgia Department of Education: Home Schools
A discussion of the homeschooling laws in Georgia provided by the Georgia Department of Education.
20-2-698. Children Found Away From Home
Any peace officer may assume temporary custody, during school hours, of any child subject to compulsory school attendance who is found away from home and who is absent from a public or private school or a home study program without a valid written excuse from school officials or from the parent or guardian in charge of the home study program.
Georgia General Assembly
Official home of the Georgia General Assembly. Look up Georgia Code, find your legislator, and check on current legislation.
Homeschooling in Georgia: Statutes Affecting Homeschoolers
A layman's analysis of the statutes regulating home study programs in Georgia.
Declaration of Intent Letter
Your DOI with the 36 unique characters on the parental signature line is the official document of the Georgia Home Study Program. This document should be used to obtain Driver's license/permits, work permits, post-secondary admission, military enlistment, and for all other entities that require proof of educational enrollment. This letter can be accessed here.
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