October 2026 · Legal
How to Start Homeschooling in Florida: Notice, Portfolio and Evaluation
To homeschool in Florida under the home education law (Fla. Stat. §1002.41), you do three things. Send a written, signed notice of intent to your county school superintendent within 30 days of starting. Keep a portfolio: a reading and activity log plus work samples. Then file one annual educational evaluation. You don't need a teaching certificate, and the district can't require more than the law lists.
Florida's rules are clear and predictable once you see them laid out. Here's each step in plain language, plus the two other legal routes some families choose.
Three Legal Ways to Homeschool in Florida
1. Home education program
The most common route
Law: Fla. Stat. §1002.41
Notice of intent to the county superintendent, a portfolio you keep for 2 years, and one annual evaluation filed with the district.
2. Enroll in a private school ("umbrella" school)
Teach at home under a private school
Law: Fla. Stat. §1002.42
The private school keeps attendance and records and sets its own requirements. You don't file with the district under §1002.41.
3. Certified private tutor
Least common
Requirement: Tutor holds a valid Florida teaching certificate
Instruction by a Florida-certified teacher acting as a private tutor.
Step by Step: The Home Education Route
1. Send your notice of intent (within 30 days)
Write a short letter, signed by you, with the full legal names, addresses and birthdates of each child. File it with the district school superintendent's office in your county within 30 days of starting. FLDOE keeps a list of county home education contacts; send it to your county office, not the state. The district must accept it and register your program right away, and it can't require extra information unless your child joins a district program. If your child is in public school now, let the school know they're withdrawing to home education once your notice is filed.
2. Keep a portfolio
- A log of educational activities, written as you go, that lists reading materials by title.
- Samples of writing, worksheets, workbooks or creative work your child produced.
Keep the portfolio for 2 years. The superintendent may ask to see it with 15 days' written notice, but isn't required to. Our printable workbook has planning and progress-tracking pages that make keeping it up easier.
3. File an annual evaluation
Once a year, file an evaluation with the superintendent showing educational progress "commensurate with" your child's ability. You choose the method:
- A Florida-certified teacher reviews the portfolio and talks with your child.
- A nationally normed achievement test, given by a certified teacher.
- A state student assessment test, given by a certified teacher at a district-approved location.
- An evaluation by a licensed psychologist.
- Another valid tool you and the superintendent agree on.
If an evaluation doesn't show progress, the district notifies you in writing and you have one year of remedial instruction before a re-evaluation.
4. When you stop, file a notice of termination
When you end your home education program, for example by returning to school or moving, file a written notice of termination with the superintendent within 30 days, along with that year's annual evaluation.
Common Florida Questions, Answered
- What ages are covered? Florida's compulsory attendance generally applies from age 6 to 16 (HSLDA's summary of Fla. Stat. §1003.21).
- Can homeschoolers do sports or dual enrollment? Yes. §1002.41 lets home education students join interscholastic activities (per §1006.15), dual enrollment and the Bright Futures scholarship program under their own rules.
- Do I need to follow a school-day schedule? No. The statute expressly excludes home education programs from school-day requirements.
Start With a Plan, Not Panic
The Homeschool Starter Guide walks you through choosing an approach, planning your year, selecting curriculum, scheduling and record-keeping, and includes a state-by-state legal reference and template letters of intent you can customize.
Sources We Used
- Florida Statutes §1002.41, Home education programs (Online Sunshine)
- Florida Department of Education: Home Education
- Florida Department of Education: Home Education District Contacts (where to send your notice)
- The Florida Senate: §1002.41 Home education programs
- Florida Statutes §1002.42, Private schools
- HSLDA: Florida Homeschool Law
This is general information, not legal advice. We last checked these rules against the sources below in October 2026. Laws change, so confirm with the official sources before you file anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Next steps for your homeschool
Ready to go deeper? Get The Homeschool Starter Guidefor the complete step-by-step roadmap, or book a 1-on-1 consultationand we'll build a plan together for your family.
