How do I withdraw my child from public school in Florida?
In the state of Florida you will see a heavy emphasis on freedom of choice for parents when it comes to deciding where and how your children undertake their education.
As a parent living in Florida you have the right to choose what style of schooling is best for your child, whether that be:
- Public school
- Private school
- Home education
If your child is already in a public school and you’ve decided that you want to switch to homeschooling, the two main steps you will take are:
Physically withdrawing your child from public school.
Submitting a notice of intent to homeschool.
In Florida you will need to notify your Florida Public School Superintendent Office within your public school district by sending a Notice of Intent letter.
You can find your local School Superintendent contact information here.
Your notice of intent must be in writing and include:
- The full legal names, birthdays, and address of each child who you wish to remove from public school and establish home education for.
- You must also sign the letter.
While you can start your child’s home education program before submitting this letter, you must file the notice within 30 days of starting your children’s home learning program. This means you are able to withdraw your child from public school, start homeschooling, and ensure you get that notice of intent filed with your district school superintendent’s office within 30 days maximum.
Is this a legal requirement?
Yes, you are legally required to file this Notice of Intent to your local county Superintendent Office. This is part of the 2021 Florida Statute 1002.41 Home education programs
What happens once your district school superintendent receives your notice of intent of homeschooling?
They will then register your home education program. Only if or when you want your child to take part in any school district program will any form of verification of further information be requested from you as a parent. This makes Florida a very straightforward and simple state to start homeschooling your child in.
It’s important to know that your required notice of intent to homeschool is just that: a notice. You do not need to seek permission of approval to homeschool your children in Florida.
If you homeschool your child in Florida, will he or she be eligible to go to college?
Yes, all home educated students can advance to college or university provided they meet the requirements.
