Georgia

Parents must submit an electronic notice of intent to the Department of Education within 30 days after establishing a home study program, and by September 1 annually thereafter. It must also include the names and ages of the students enrolled, the address where the home study program is located, and a statement of what 12 month period is to be considered the school year. See Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-690(c)(1, 2).

Parents may teach only their own children in a home study program, and must have a high school diploma or GED. Parents may also hire a tutor to teach their children; in this case, the tutor must have a high school diploma or GED. See Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-690(c)(3).

During each 12 month period, home study programs must provide instruction “equivalent to” 180 days of education with each school day consisting of at least 4.5 hours of instruction. See Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-690(c)(5).

Home study programs must offer “a basic academic educational program” that includes, but is not limited to, reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science. See Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-690(c)(4).

Parents must compose annual progress assessment reports for each child. These reports should include an individualized assessment of the student’s academic progress in each required subject area. These progress reports must be retained by the parent in the home study program for at least three years. See Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-690(c)(8).

Students in home study programs must take “appropriate” nationally standardized tests at least every three years beginning with the end of third grade. These tests must be administered “in consultation with a person trained in the administration and interpretation of norm reference tests.” Records of such tests and scores shall be retained but are not  required to be submitted to public educational authorities. See Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-690(c)(7).

Parents are not required to submit either annual progress assessments or the results of the required standardized testing. However, homeschooling parents who are not meeting the requirements of the homeschool statute may be reported to their local school districts, and failure to comply with the requirements of the homeschool statute is a misdemeanor punishable by a small fine. See Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-690(d). 

Failure to provide an education as required by law is included in the state’s definition of neglect. See Ga. Code Ann. § 19-7-5(b)(11)(A)

(1) “Enrollment records and reports shall not be used for any purpose except providing necessary enrollment information, except with the permission of the parent or guardian of a child, or pursuant to the subpoena of a court of competent jurisdiction.” See Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-690(c)(2). (2) “The parent or guardian shall have the authority to execute any document required by law, rule, regulation, or policy to evidence the enrollment of a child in a home study program, the student’s full-time or part-time status, the student’s grades, or any other required educational information.” See Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-690(c)(6). (3) The Attorney General opined that the local superintendent may request but may not require evidence of compliance with the law. See Unofficial Opinion U86-19, 1986 Ga. Op. Att’y Gen. 173 (1986).