Homeschooling Certification State Legal Requirements 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of document do most states require parents to submit before beginning to homeschool?
- A letter or notice of intent to homeschool (Correct answer)
- A federal teaching license
- A property tax exemption form
- A notarized business license
Correct answer: A letter or notice of intent to homeschool
Many states require a letter or notice of intent filed with the local district or state education agency before homeschooling begins.
Question 2: In states with mandatory standardized testing for homeschoolers, how often is testing typically required?
- Once every four years
- Only in high school
- Annually or at specified grade intervals (Correct answer)
- Never, testing is always optional
Correct answer: Annually or at specified grade intervals
States that mandate testing usually require it annually or at particular grade levels such as 3rd, 5th, and 8th.
Question 3: What is a common minimum education requirement for a parent to homeschool in stricter-regulation states?
- A doctoral degree
- A high school diploma or GED (Correct answer)
- A state teaching certificate for all subjects
- No requirement in any state
Correct answer: A high school diploma or GED
Some more-regulated states require the homeschooling parent to hold at least a high school diploma or GED.
Question 4: Which federal law primarily governs homeschooling requirements across all U.S. states?
- The federal Homeschool Act
- A U.S. Department of Education homeschool mandate
- There is no single federal homeschool law; states regulate it (Correct answer)
- The No Child Left Behind homeschool clause
Correct answer: There is no single federal homeschool law; states regulate it
Homeschooling is regulated at the state level, and there is no overarching federal homeschool statute.
Question 5: A family moves from a low-regulation state to a high-regulation state. What should they do first?
- Continue exactly as before, since rules are national
- Review and comply with the new state's homeschool laws (Correct answer)
- Wait until the child graduates
- Assume their old notice of intent still applies
Correct answer: Review and comply with the new state's homeschool laws
Homeschool laws vary by state, so families must review and comply with the new state's requirements after moving.
Question 6: What is a portfolio review in the homeschooling context?
- A financial audit of school expenses
- An evaluation of student work samples by a qualified reviewer (Correct answer)
- A background check on the parent
- A real estate assessment of the home
Correct answer: An evaluation of student work samples by a qualified reviewer
A portfolio review is an assessment of a student's collected work by a certified teacher or evaluator to demonstrate progress.
Question 7: In many states, which subjects are commonly required to be taught in a homeschool program?
- Only music and art
- Reading, math, science, and social studies (Correct answer)
- Foreign language exclusively
- No subjects are ever specified
Correct answer: Reading, math, science, and social studies
States that specify curriculum typically require core subjects like reading, math, science, and social studies.
Homeschooling Certification State Legal Requirements 2
Which type of document do most states require parents to submit before beginning to homeschool?