Every state has its own way of setting up its homeschooling rules and Louisiana is not exempted.
In Louisiana, there are two legal options for homeschooling in the state. They include the home study program and the home-based private school program.
In this article, we will give you a detailed explanation of all you need to know about homeschooling in Louisiana.
Options Of Homeschooling In Louisiana: Everything You Need To Know
There are two options for homeschooling in Louisiana, they include:
1. Home study program
This program allows students to be eligible for the Louisiana Taylor Opportunity Program for Students award based on their ACT scores. Students are only eligible if it is no later than the end of 10th grade for the student.
With this option, you must first apply to the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for approval of the home study program within 15 days after beginning homeschooling.
Under the Home Study option, you will register your individual students on an online form. In the initial year, you will need to send in a copy of your children’s birth certificates.
Also, the teaching curriculum must be equal to what is taught in public schools and the topics taught at the same level
To renew your home study application in future years, you must send in one of the following:
- a curriculum packet – this can include a list of subjects taught, a list of resources used, and samples of students’ work.
- a letter from a teacher certified to teach your child’s grade level saying your child is being taught from a curriculum equal to the public school curriculum.
- test scores from an approved test showing your child is working at or above grade level or has progressed a grade level.
2. Home-Based Private School Program
Homeschooling as a home-based is more like a private school, they do not accept private funds at any point.
Every 30th day of the school term, the home-based private school program reports the total attendance of their school annually to the Louisiana Department of Education.
When it comes to this option of homeschooling, if you want your child to get admitted into the school from a public school, you are to provide a written notification of enrollment within 10 days and it must include your child’s legal name, date of birth, gender, and race.
8 Steps To Homeschool Success
1. Register Your Child Or Your Homeschool With The Louisiana Department Of Education
When you think of starting a homeschool, the first thing is to notify the Louisiana Department of Education that you will be homeschooling your child or student, even if they are under aged, it’s important you register.
You can register your homeschool under the Nonpublic option or your students under the Home Study options
Each year, you will be able to choose how to register. If you have already registered this year, you can switch when you register next year. Many parents choose to register their homeschool under the nonpublic option and register students in grades 11 and 12 under the home study option.
Must Read: 20 Best-Selling Homeschooling Books Of All Time
2. Withdraw Your Child From Their Current School
Firstly, you have to email the Louisiana Letter of enrollment, withdraw your child, and then withdraw your child even if your child attended school last year or is enrolled for this year.
3. Connect With Other Homeschool Families
Sometimes it can be difficult to find other homeschooling families. When you’re new to an area.
Sympathetic local or state school officials are sometimes empowered to connect homeschooling families with each other.
There are several ways to connect with other parents, from local support groups to online Facebook groups, they give you support and connection with the homeschool community.
4. Decide What Style Of Homeschooling Will Work Best For You And Your Family
As homeschoolers, we are not confined to “school at home,” but are able to create a truly customized education for our students.
The advantage of this style is that families know exactly what to teach and when to teach it. That can be a comfort when you are just starting out.
Read Also: Guide To Homeschooling In Illinois
5. Choose Curriculum
A well-planned curriculum can provide the academic foundation for an excellent education
Schools use textbooks because they are teaching large groups and cannot individualize that education per student. Textbooks cover a little bit about a lot of different topics. It is only one way to learn.
There are hundreds of companies selling curricula to homeschoolers. The choices can be overwhelming. Deciding on a style of homeschooling can narrow down your options. (See step #4 above) For example, if you want a hands-on program for science or an online program for Algebra, then you are down to a dozen options instead of hundreds.
In homeschooling, we are not limited to buying a 7th-grade curriculum, we can choose to study biology, famous American authors, and ancient history. We can buy a math program that fits our child’s level (whether it says 6th grade or 8th). Our goal is to have well-educated students, and it really does not matter which year we learn which topic.
Millions of children have been educated at home and tend to outscore children who were educated in schools. This system has worked throughout history, and it can work for your family.
6. Keep Good Records
Keeping good records is vital for homeschooling
Whether you are homeschooling under the nonpublic or home study option, you will need to keep records of attendance, curriculum, and progress in case you need to reference them in the future.
If you have chosen the Home Study option, you may need a list of courses studied and the curriculum used.
Conclusion
This page provides the resources and information you need to determine whether homeschooling in the Pelican State is right for you.
Also, note that there is a curriculum called “Discovery K12”. The curriculum is free for preschool to twelfth grade and includes all major subjects
I hope this article was useful to you, feel free to explore your homeschooling options.