Florida Statute 1002.01 defines home education as "the sequentially progressive instruction of a student directed by his or her parent or guardian in order to satisfy Florida's compulsory education requirements." The responsible parent does not need to have a Florida teaching license to educate his or her child at home.
Parents who want to begin home schooling their child must send a written notice of intent to the school district superintendent within 30 days of beginning the home school program. The notice of intent must include the name of the student, birth date, address and the parent's signature.
Florida home-educated students are required to maintain a portfolio of educational records that is subject to review by the school district superintendent and Florida certified teachers. A portfolio is defined by Section 1002.41 of Florida statues as "A log of educational activities which is made contemporaneously with the instruction and which designates by title any reading materials used and samples of any writings, worksheets, workbooks, or creative materials used or developed by the student." A student's portfolio must be preserved for two years.
The parent-educator must provide an educational evaluation to the school district superintendent on an annual basis. The parent-educator can select a Florida-certified teacher to evaluate the student's progress via interview and a review of the portfolio, or the student may take a state student assessment test. Additionally, a validly licensed psychologist can evaluate the student or the parent-educator, and the school district superintendent may employ another agreed-upon evaluation tool.
Section 1006.15 of Florida statutes requires that school districts provide home-schooled students with the opportunity to participate in "interscholastic extracurricular activities" or any activity conducted among different schools. Such activities include music ensembles and sports teams. If a class is required to participate in the extracurricular activity, such as choir or band class, the school district must permit the home-schooled student to enroll.
The parent must submit a letter of termination to the school district superintendent if the student decides to enroll in a public or private school or if the home-school program is ended for another reason.
No curriculum or course of study for home-school education is prescribed by current Florida law. Parents can order the state-adopted instructional materials at their own expense from the Florida State Book Depository. Curriculum vendors also provide such materials. Local and state home-school support networks may also offer recommendations of instructional materials.