Contact the Department of Education for your specific state of residence. Visit the department's website or call the local office during regular business hours.
Search for "home schooling regulations" or "home schooling certifications" on the department's website or ask the person on the phone to provide you with written information regarding those terms.
Read through the requirements for a basic home school certification. Depending on your state, you may need to have a college background or a degree in education, such as in California. Other states, such as Mississippi, do not require you to be certified to educate your children at home.
Determine if you have the necessary education to meet the requirements for your state. Decide if you want to further your education, if necessary, to obtain a certification. For example, you may need to take a few specific college courses at night to fulfill the home school certification requirements for your state. Talk to an enrollment counselor or home school expert to be sure any education you acquire can be used to obtain your home school certification.
Research the requirements you will need to follow once you begin to home school your child. This includes any records you will need to keep, any special testing requirements or other rules and regulations you will need to follow. Being knowledgeable about homeschooling will be helpful in obtaining your certification.