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Homeschooling in Florida: the letter, the portfolio, the yearly evaluation

Three pieces of paper make a Florida home education program: a notice to start, a portfolio you keep, and an evaluation each year.

To homeschool in Florida under section 1002.41 of the Florida Statutes, send the county's district school superintendent a signed notice of intent within 30 days of starting, keep a portfolio for 2 years, and file one educational evaluation each year by a method you choose. There is no set number of days or hours, and a notice of termination ends the program.

Checked October 27, 2026.

By Peabody editors.

This is a plain-words summary, not legal advice. Laws change: check your state's current law and its education department before you act.

What do I file, with whom, and by when?

From the box on the [Florida page](/florida), read against the record checked October 27, 2026.
LineFlorida
FileA written, signed notice of intent, once. A notice of termination when you stop.
ToDistrict school superintendent of your county.
ByWithin 30 days of starting; the termination notice within 30 days of ending.
KeepA portfolio: a log made at the time naming reading materials, plus work samples. Keep it 2 years.
TestAn annual educational evaluation, filed with the superintendent: a teacher's portfolio review, a test, or another listed way.

What goes in the notice of intent?

The statute says it is in writing, signed by the parent, and includes the full legal names, addresses and birthdates of every child in the program. There is no yearly renewal. Peabody's notice maker asks for exactly those details and prints it.

Who has to be in school, and for how long each day?

Children who are 6, or will be 6 by February 1 of the school year, and are not yet 16. The law says a home education program is excluded from meeting the requirements of a school day, so there is no day or hour count, and it names no required subjects. The parent does not need a Florida teaching certificate.

How does the yearly evaluation work?

Each year you choose one: a Florida-certified teacher's portfolio review and talk with the student, a nationally normed test given by a certified teacher, the district's state test given by a certified teacher, a licensed psychologist's evaluation, or another valid tool agreed with the superintendent. File a copy with the superintendent's office.

What if the evaluation shows no progress?

The superintendent notifies you in writing. You then have 1 year to provide remedial instruction, and the student is evaluated again at the end of it. Continuing depends on showing progress in line with the child's ability.

Can my child join sports, dual enrollment or Bright Futures?

Yes. Home education students may take part in interscholastic extracurricular activities under section 1006.15, in dual enrollment and in the Bright Futures Scholarship Program, and may be admitted to Florida College System institutions and state universities.

Is PEP the same as homeschooling?

No. The Personalized Education Program is a scholarship route with its own status: a student in a home education program is not eligible, and PEP families register with a scholarship-funding organization, file a learning plan and take a norm-referenced test each year. Read the PEP page before choosing.

Start with the notice

Make the notice of intent, then keep the year in the Record Book: attendance, the portfolio, and an evaluation pack for the teacher who reviews it. Everything stays on your device.

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