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
Declaration of Intent to Utilize a Home Study Program - Word format
This is a Georgia Department of Education form. It is in Word format. Provided by HEIR.
Declaration of Intent to Utilize a Home Study Program - pdf format
This is a Georgia Department of Education form. This form is in pdf format. Provided by HEIR.
Past Attempts to Change GA Law
A short list of some of the legal issues homeschooling parents in Georgia have faced in the past.
20-2-150. Compulsory Attendance for Early Entrants into Public Schools
(a) Except as otherwise provided by subsection (b) of this Code section, all children and youth who have attained the age of five years by September 1 shall be eligible for enrollment in the appropriate general education programs authorized in this part unless they attain the age of 20 by September 1 or they have received high school diplomas or the equivalent. This shall specifically include students who have reenrolled after dropping out and who are married, parents, or pregnant. Special educa...
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.
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.
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.
Home Study Program Declaration of Intent
This online form can be filed electronically with the Georgia Department of Education.
Georgia Homeschool Law and Commentary
A summary of the homeschooling laws in Georgia provided by GeorgiaHomeschool.com, along with comments.
Home Education Honored in Georgia
To declare the first week in February of each year as "Home Education Week" in Georgia, HB1450 was passed by the 1997-1998 General Assembly and signed by Governor Zel Miller on 4/20/98.
Georgia Department of Education: Home Schools
A discussion of the homeschooling laws in Georgia provided by the Georgia Department of Education.
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?
20-2-701. Reporting of Failure to Comply.
(a) Local school superintendents as applied to private schools and home study programs or visiting teachers and attendance officers as applied to public schools, after written notice to the parent or guardian of a child, shall report to the juvenile or other court having jurisdiction under Chapter 11 of Title 15 any child who is absent from a public or private school or a home study program in violation of this subpart. If the judge of the court places such child in a home or in a public or priv...
Awarding Units of Credit and Acceptance of Transfer Credit and/or Grades
This is a copy of the law regarding transferring credits furnished by the Georgia Department of Education.
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.
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Featured Resources
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Real Learning: Education in the Heart of the Home
This book is not about "school at home"--it is about something better. It is about Real Learning. Homeschooling pioneer Charlotte Mason wrote with great wisdom about providing young minds with a living books education. She urged teachers to present g...
Montessori Play And Learn : A Parent's Guide to Purposeful Play from Two to Six
We all want the best possible starts in life for our children, and one of the best possible starts in life, educationally, is the "method" pioneered by Maria Montessori and taught successfully today throughout the world.Now, Lesley Britton, the leadi...
Writing Strands & Reading Strands
This program is based on research which shows that there is no useable relationship between the study of grammar as an abstracted skill and the ability to communicate. Writing Strands provides quality reading, writing and speech materials for homesch...
Please Don't Drink the Holy Water
Susie Lloyd faces the trials and joy of raising a happy, active Catholic family.
Discover Your Children's Gifts
This comprehensive work on children's learning styles and creativity expression is a tremendous help to parents as they begin homeschooling. The authors discuss how God gifts children in different ways with different ways of learning and expression. ...