The number of homeschooled students in the United States dramatically rose during the COVID-19 pandemic. This growth largely sustained itself through the 2022-2023 academic school year, cementing homeschooling as America's fastest growing form of education. In 2019, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that there were 1.5 million homeschooled children in the United States. The Washington Post recently estimated that number has risen to somewhere between 1.9 million to 2.7 million children, but there has not been an official federal estimate since 2019 [1].

In October 2023, homeschool law in Ohio experienced a major overhaul due to the signing of House Bill (H.B.) 33 which greatly reduced regulatory hurdles for homeschooling families. [2] So, what does this mean for Ohio students?

Under the new law, “home education” is defined as the “education of a child between the ages of six and eighteen years of age, that is directed by the child’s parent.” Under the previous law, parents/guardians were required to send an initial notification within one week from the child’s withdrawal from school, or no later than the first week of the school year. Now, parents/guardians must notify their superintendent within five calendar days after initially withdrawing from school and on the thirteenth day of August each additional year they chose to homeschool.

The notification must include…

The student’s name
The student’s address
A signature from a parent/guardian
An assurance that the home education with include instruction in the following: English language arts, mathematics, science, history, government, and social studies

Once the notification is received, the district superintendent must release the student from compulsory school attendance, and districts cannot request any additional information from the family. In addition, parents/guardians who chose to home educate their students are fully responsible for selecting curriculum and course materials for their children; there is no financial assistance from the state for these families.

Previously, when issuing a notification, parents/guardians were required to also include a syllabus outline as well as course materials. In addition, they were required to assure that their student would be provided with a minimum of 900 hours of home education each school year as well that the home teacher had a high school diploma or other equivalent accreditation. Each year, parents/guardians were also required to submit an assessment or evaluation of an education portfolio to show their students proficiency. These requirements were removed with the passing of H.B. 33.

Parents should also be sure to keep in mind that if they choose to enroll their student in a public school after being homeschooled, they shall be placed in the appropriate grade level, without prejudice and based on the district’s policies [3].

Sources

[1]https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/interactive/2023/homeschooling-growth-data-by-district/

[2]https://www.wfmj.com/story/49600360/new-law-changes-homeschooling-requirements-in-ohio

[3]Am. H. B. No. 33 (135th G.A.)

If you have questions or concerns about homeschooling, please reach out to Abdnour Weiker, LLP at www.Lawyers4Students.com or (614) 475-2001.