Review HSLDA's legal summary of the Alabama homeschooling law. Understand that compulsory attendance ages for education are between 7 and 17 years old. If your child is between those ages, he is considered school-aged and must either attend a traditional school or comply with the homeschooling law.
Choose what option your homeschool will fall under, which will be either "Church School" or "Private Tutor." By selecting the first option, your homeschool must be affiliated with a church school, also called an umbrella school or a cover school. Church schools provide legal coverage and offer a variety of services such as transcripts, diplomas, activities and field trips. A statement of faith is not required by many of the church schools. Select the private tutor option if you have a valid Alabama teaching certificate or if your child will receive instruction from a certified teacher.
Obtain a form from your local school district and file your intent to homeschool. Include your church school enrollment or private tutor information, if applicable. Some church schools take care of this step for you.
Review a variety of different types of homeschooling curriculum and choose the method that works best for your teaching abilities along with your child's learning abilities. Purchase the curriculum as a set or put together your own curriculum using free resources from the library and Internet.
Set aside one day each week to schedule the homeschool lesson plans for the following week. Have structured instruction during the morning hours and allow independent learning in the afternoon. Keep track of lessons and attendance in a journal or on the computer.
Meet with other homeschoolers in your area and plan field trips, luncheons and other activities. Join online groups for additional support.