Section 1002.01, F.S., 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. Florida Statute 1002.41 specifies the responsibilities of parents who establish a home education program.

• Send the school district a written NOTICE OF INTENT to home school. We have created a form to make it easier to declare your intent to homeschool. The Intent form (available on the left column) is a fillable pdf that can be emailed or printed and mailed in. If your child is currently an active student in one of our Putnam County schools, the homeschool coordinator, upon receipt of the form, will notify the former school and have your child withdrawn from the public school system. At that point, the parent takes over responsibility for the education of their child. The district does not provide homeschool curriculum. It is the parent's right to research and select a curriculum that meets their child's needs. The notice must be filed within 30 days of beginning the home education program and must include the following information: 

  • Name of the home education student(s)

  • Birthdate(s)

  • Address 

  • Parent's signature 

• Maintain a PORTFOLIO of educational records. Keep the portfolio for at least 2 years. Statute defines a portfolio as:

  • A log of educational resources & activities which is made contemporaneously with the instruction and which designates by title any resources, sites, online curriculum, or materials used.

  • It's helpful to have dividers separating each subject/course. While grade levels and specific courses aren't required for homeschool, we recommend Language Arts, Math, Social Studies & Science.  We also recommend that within a section, a log of the activities as well as student work samples should be archived.  The student work samples should show the progression of skills across the year.  This is critical for the annual evaluator to see at evaluation time… to be able to deem that the student made growth commensurate with their ability.

• Keep a “Home Education TRANSCRIPT showing courses and grades.”  You should keep a record of the courses you delivered to your child and the grades you awarded for each individual courses.  This can be a handwritten transcript, but it should be kept in the portfolio for safe keeping.  It will be required to be given to a public school should you decided to re-enroll.  The home school transcript is utilized by the school to assist with placement.  At the high school level, home education credits and grades must be validated by successful performance (2.0) in sequential coursework.

• Make the portfolio available for inspection by the superintendent upon 15-day written notice (The statute does not

  require the superintendent to inspect all portfolios). 

• By the due date, submit your ANNUAL HOMESCHOOL EVALUATION of the student's educational progress to

  the School Choice Department. The required annual evaluation is reflected in PCSD Policy 9270 and is aligned

  to F.S. 1002.41. You provide the annual evaluation form to the teacher you hire to evaluate. They complete and

  you submit the form to the home education office/School Choice Department. The evaluation must consist of one

  of the following: 

  • A Florida certified teacher chosen by the parent may evaluate the child's progress based on a review of

    the portfolio and discussion with the student. You provide the form to the teacher, they complete and you

    submit to the home education office/School Choice Department.

  • The student may take any nationally-normed student achievement test administered by a certified

    teacher. 

  • The student may take a state student assessment test at a location and under testing conditions

    approved by the school district. 

  • The student may be evaluated by a psychologist holding a valid, active license pursuant to Section

    490.003 (7) or (8), F.S. 

  • The student may be evaluated with any other valid measurement tool as mutually agreed upon by the

    parent and the superintendent. (the following as accepted by Putnam County School District Home

    Education Program)

    • Acceptance of FLVS credits with grades of C or above as evidenced by a final grade report or

      • K- 8th grade C or above in four or more subjects.

      • 9-12 grades C or above above in five or more subjects.

  • Submission of the FLVS credits in which there is a grade of D or lower shall require the student to

    be placed on probation for one year as mandated by Florida Statutes.  At the end of the

    probationary period, parent may choose one of the annual reporting options as listed in

    1002.41(1)(c) for student to be reevaluated.  Continuation in a home education program shall be

    contingent upon the student demonstrating educational progress commensurate with her or his

    ability at the end of the probationary period.

  • Nationally normed testing by any individual who possesses a Bachelors degree and has been

    granted permission to purchase the acceptable nationally-normed student achievement test from

    a school or testing service.

  • Testing or evaluation by any guidance counselor employed by the Putnam County School District.

• Submit a letter of TERMINATION to the school district upon completion of the home education program, enrollment in a public or private school or moving from the district.