Homeschooling

BRIEF SUMMARY

Home educated students are not drop outs. They are transfer students who keep their driver’s licenses upon withdrawal.

While encouraged, Kindergarten is not mandatory in Indiana. Children are to be enrolled and attending school in the fall of the school year during which they turn seven, unless their parents choose to home educate. Home educated children are to begin school no later than their seventh birthday.

Participation in public school extracurricular activities is  at the discretion of the public school.

Under Indiana law, students enrolled in non-accredited, private schools (including, but not limited to, home schools) are not eligible for the Twenty-First Century Scholars Program.

Getting a Diploma

Home schooled children will not receive a diploma from the local public school or from the state. The IDOE suggests families use an accredited correspondence program which grants a diploma upon completion.

Students who are issued a diploma by the administrator (parent or legal guardian) of an Indiana home school possess a legally issued, non-accredited diploma according to the State of Indiana. Home schools, like all other non-accredited, nonpublic schools, may legally issue a diploma to students that complete the graduation requirements of that school, as established by that school.

Indiana law requires home schools to give instruction equivalent to public schools but does not bind any requirements set forth with regard to curriculum or the content of educational programs offered by the school.

Sixteen year-old home educated students may choose to take the general equivalency exam to earn a High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma. The forms required for participation in HSE testing are available at local HSE testing sites, or from http://www.tasctest.com

Testing

State law does not require ISTEP+, or any other testing, for children in home schools. In fact, home educated children may not take ISTEP+ unless they are also enrolled in a public school for at least one period per day. The Department of Education recommends periodic, standardized achievement testing for home schooled children.  Families wanting testing may be able to arrange for private testing at one of the following:

Greater Lafayette Area Special Services
(765) 449-3208

Bob Jones University
Testing Services
(800) 845-5731

KEY POINTS

RESOURCES

• IDOE Student Pathways Frequently Asked Questions Documents: The IDOE Student Pathways & Opportunities Team has FAQ documents for each of our areas of support. Prior to sending an email or calling our team for support, please be sure to utilize these FAQ resources! FAQ documents can be found at the following links:  Homeschool: https://www.in.gov/doe/students/homeschool-information/
• IDOE Home School Help Sheet
• Home School Form 9-2013
• withdrawal to Homeschool 8-2014

SHARED WISDOM

• Q: (CounselorTalk, December 2022): Does anyone know who to contact at the DOE for a homeschool question? 
  • A: Please send any questions regarding homeschool to studentpathways_homeschool@doe.in.gov.  We also have updated information available on the IDOE Homeschool website: https://www.in.gov/doe/students/homeschool-information/
• We require students to be enrolled in 4 classes (any type) to participate in sports. We do not allow them to participate in commencement.  The 4 classes for athletics is so that they will be eligible for IHSAA.

• Here is what we use and the memo from the state. The link is what the parent can use to register with the state after they have withdrawn to homeschool. These are the latest versions we have had.  https://www.doe.in.gov/student-services/home-school

CONTENT FEEDBACK

If you have suggestions, feedback, or resources, please email counselor1stop@inspiresuccess.org and let us know.