Homeschooling in Florida

Hi, my name is Amanda, and I homeschool in Florida! My husband and I work from home, while homeschooling our three daughters who are between the ages of 9 and 13. Time4Learning has been such an exciting find for us.

If you have more questions or comments about homeschooling in Florida, visit our online Florida support group.

 

Florida Homeschooling Resources

To find out more about the legal requirements for homeschooling in Florida, articles, and state-specific resources you can also visit one of these sites:

 


Legal disclaimer: This section is one family’s story and how they meet the mandatory school attendance laws in Florida. It is not intended and should not be used as definitive legal advice. In most states, parents find a variety of legal methods to pursue the educational approach that they prefer for their child.

Resources to Help You Homeschool in Florida

How Time4Learning Helps Homeschool in Florida

Time4Learning has reduced much of my workload as a homeschooling parents so we can spend more time on the fun aspects of homeschooling. Each week I'll give the girls their assignments and they can complete most all of them independently. For the most part, because of their ages and the Time4Learning curriculum, I'm there for backup and to assist them if they get stuck.

Our favorite aspect of Time4Learning is that it's interactive. This means their minds are more engaged in what they are learning. Learning this way is easier and more natural and much more enjoyable for them.

In addition to Time4Learning, I'll assign activities that correlate to whatever they are learning. I find these activities all over the Internet at places like BrainPop.com, Cosmeo.com, and mrdonn.org. Or, we may rent a video from Netflix related to the topics they are currently studying. The girls are also learning Spanish using Rosetta Stone and their father spends an hour with them on most days discussing business, finances, and life skills.

A Typical Day in Our Homeschool

All in all, the girls spend approximately four to six hours a day in structured learning activities. Here is a typical day in our household:

  • 6am - Hubby is up and about, showering, getting dressed and doing a bit of work
  • 7-8 - Kids and I get up. Kids clean their bedroom and do their daily chores and I shower, get dressed and spruce up our bedroom and bathroom (i.e. - clear off counters, put away laundry). And everyone eats breakfast after chores are completed.
  • 8-9 - Kids read or play on their computers and Hubby and I have our morning meeting to talk about what we are going to do for the day.
  • 9-11 - I work and DH takes one of the kids to a nearby park for a 3 mile walk and tennis. The other two kids start on their independent schoolwork (Thanks to Time4Learning!)
  • 11 - I make lunch and start dinner or at least start thinking about what we're going to have for dinner. We eat lunch together. The kids do dishes and clean up the counters after lunch as is necessary.
  • 12-1 - I'm working while DH is teaching an investing class to the girls
  • 1-2 - I'm still working. DH starts working. Kids are finishing up independent schoolwork
  • 2-4 - DH is still working. I sit down with the girls and go over anything they had problems with, or just hang out, if miraculously no one needed help with anything. And we have snack time around 3. This is when we go to the store if necessary too.
  • 4-6 - Dinner, Afternoon chores, and finishing of any uncompleted schoolwork.
  • 7-9 - We'll either watch tv with the girls if a new episode of one of our shows is on or watch a movie with the girls. Most likely it'll be a movie from Netflix that correlates with something someone is learning.
  • 9-bed - I do a little more pickup, plan for the next day, or relax. If it's Sunday, I'll use this time to prepare the girls' to do lists for the week.

The above is a typical day when we have nothing else planned, such as a trip with a local homeschooling group.

Five Different Options for Home Education in FL

  1. A public school supported by public funds; or
  2. A parochial, religious, or denominational school; or
  3. A private school supported in whole or in part by tuition charges or by endowments or gifts; or
  4. A home education program or
  5. A private tutoring program

It is very easy to begin a home education program for your child in Florida.

First you need to send the district school superintendent of the county where you live a letter of intent like the one found here on FPEA within 30 days of beginning homeschooling. According to Florida Statute 1002.41, once you begin homeschooling, you need to maintain a portfolio of records and materials to be kept for two years consisting of:

1. A log of educational activities that is made contemporaneously with the instruction and that designates by title any reading materials used.

2. Samples of any writings, worksheets, workbooks, or creative materials used or developed by the student."

This is one of the great things about Time4Learning. Time4Learning records all of your child's online activities for you. All you need to do is print what they've done on a regular basis, every week or so, and store it in a folder or binder. You can also print out some of their tests or quizzes and save a few of their worksheets as examples of their work.

The next step is to choose how you will have your child's progress evalutated each year. Florida gives you five options for evaluation:


1. You may choose to have a Florida certified teacher evaluate your child's educational progress upon review of the portfolio and discussion with your child. Then have the teacher write an evalutation letter, like the one found here on FPEA.

2. You may have you child take any nationally normed student achievement test administered by a certified teacher

3. You can have your child take a state student assessment test, such as FCAT

4. You can have your child evaluated by a psychologist

5. You may choose any other way to evaluate your child that is mutually agreed upon by the district school superintendent of the district where you live

Florida homeschoolers are also eligible to participate in interscholastic extracurricular student activities, the Bright Futures Scholarship Program, and dual enrollment programs. In addition, Florida homeschoolers are eligible for admission to community colleges and state universities and may receive testing and evaluation services at diagnostic and resource centers.

For more information about homeschooling in Florida, you may want to read the actual statutes themselves.

Choosing Homeschool Curriculum

For families with more than one child, choosing a homeschool curriculum can even be more problematic. What works for one child, may not work for another. What works for one subject may not work on the next. What works one year, may fall flat the very next year.

Time4Learning's experience shows that there is no single, best homeschool material. Rather than feeling torn between homeschool resources, parents should select a diverse blend of materials and activities.

Some of the features that make Time4Learning so successful include:

  • Time4Learning appeals to a wide range of learning styles. Our online learning materials are especially well-suited to children who are visual or kinesthetic learners. These children can take advantage of Time4Learning's interactive, multimedia materials.
  • Children like using the computer to learn. It's a convenient, interactive homeschool resource that provides a welcome change each day to paper-and-pencil workbooks and textbook-based lessons.
  • Parents like that it tracks progress and helps children advance by clearly presenting and reinforcing each lesson. Quizzes and tests are graded by the computer, saving valuable time and effort for parents who would be happier concentrating on other areas.
  • Time4Learning's self-paced, modularized lesson plans allow you to move forward and back through the materials whenever you want. You can skip lessons that teach concepts your child has already mastered and repeat those he or she has not. The choice is yours. With Time4Learning, you are always in control.

Time4Learning is proven effective with homeschoolers, has a low monthly price, is easy-to-use, and provides a money-back guarantee so you can make sure that it works for your children!

Sign up for Time4Learning as part of your overall homeschool program.

If you have more questions about homeschooling in Florida, or want to discuss your experience homeschooling in the state, head over to the Florida Parents Forum.
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