As a result of COVID-19, homeschooling is on the rise. For some, this is a short-term arrangement, and others have discovered that homeschooling is perfect for their family. In case you don’t know, homeschooling is simply the practice of educating your kids from home. Some families choose to collaborate through homeschooling cooperatives and extracurricular leagues to enrich the home school experience.

Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, including the District of Columbia. When exploring the homeschooling route, please be aware that the laws and policies that govern homeschooling differ by state. If you wonder if homeschooling is a good fit for your family, you probably have questions about how to begin the process and what resources are available. Because of this, we created a series entitled, How to Start Homeschooling. In each installment, we will discuss homeschooling rules and resources for each state. In today’s installment, we will discuss homeschooling in Indiana.

What you need to know:

• Indiana Homeschool Law does not require you to inform your school district if you decide to homeschool.
• If you need to remove your kid from school, fill out and submit a withdrawal letter and start homeschooling your child on the agreed-upon date.
• There are no particular requirements for homeschool teachers.
• Homeschool learners must be taught for a minimum of 180 days per year.
• Homeschool learners must be taught “comparable instruction” to what is taught in public schools, but the parent is left to determine what “comparable instruction” is.
• You are required to keep attendance records.
• Homeschool learners do not have to let their kids participate in standardized testing.
• If you re-enroll your kid in a public school, schools may make placement decisions based on what grade level the parent feels is best. Other schools will require proof of academic achievement and complete learner assessments to determine the appropriate placement.

Resources

Indiana offers a tax dedication of up to $1,000 per kid for homeschooling. Find out more at the Indiana Department of Education, the Home School Legal Defense Association – Indiana, the Indiana Home Educators’ Network, and the Indiana Association of Home Educators.