Is online school the same as homeschooling?
Asked by families. Answered by Peabody editors from the sources below.
An online public or charter school is public school done at home: the school enrolls your child and sets the courses, tests and records. A homeschool is run by you under your state's homeschool law. Ohio's education department says plainly that online schools are not home education. Buying an online program isn't the same as enrolling: Florida's education department treats an out-of-state private online school as a homeschool's curriculum.
Checked October 29, 2026.
This is a plain-words summary, not legal advice. Laws change: check your state's current law and its education department before you act.
Where to read more
Read the full page: Homeschool or online school? The legal difference.
Sources
- Ohio Department of Education and Workforce: Home schooling (checked October 29, 2026)
- Florida Department of Education: Home education parent questions and answers (revised July 2024) (checked October 29, 2026)
- California Department of Education: Private schools frequently asked questions (checked October 29, 2026)
- NCAA Eligibility Center: Homeschool student (checked October 29, 2026)
- Peabody's state homeschool law pages (each lists its statutes and education department pages) (checked October 27, 2026)