§ 6-15-503 - Prerequisites to home schooling. - Arkansas Statutes

6-15-503. Prerequisites to home schooling.

(a) (1) Parents or guardians desiring to provide a home school for their children must give written notice to the superintendent of their local school district of their intent to provide a home school for their children and sign a waiver acknowledging that the State of Arkansas is not liable for the education of their children during the time that the parents choose to home school:

(A) At the beginning of each school year but no later than August 15;

(B) By December 15 for parents who decide to start home schooling at the beginning of the spring semester; or

(C) Subject to the provisions of subsection (d) of this section, fourteen (14) calendar days prior to withdrawing the children from the local school district and at the beginning of each school year thereafter. The superintendent or the local school board of directors may waive the fourteen-day waiting period.

(2) Within thirty (30) calendar days of establishing residency within the school district, parents or guardians moving into the school district during the school year must give written notice to the superintendent of their local school district of their intent to provide a home school for their children and sign a waiver acknowledging that the State of Arkansas is not liable for the education of their children during the time that the parents choose to home school.

(3) The notice must include:

(A) The name, date of birth, grade level, and name and address of the school last attended, if any, of each student involved;

(B) The location of the home school;

(C) The basic core curriculum to be offered;

(D) The proposed schedule of instruction; and

(E) The qualifications of the parent-teacher.

(4) Parents or guardians shall deliver written notice in person to the superintendent of their local school district the first time such notice is given.

(b) This information may be used only for statistical purposes and test administration.

(c) Each local school district shall report the statistical data required by this section to the Department of Education each year.

(d) (1) No public school student shall be eligible for enrollment in a home school if the student is currently under disciplinary action for violation of any written school policy, including, but not limited to, excessive unexcused absences.

(2) Public school students who are under disciplinary action by the local school district shall be eligible for enrollment in a home school if:

(A) The superintendent or local school board of directors chooses to allow the child to enroll in a home school;

(B) The disciplinary action against the student has been completed or the school semester has ended, whichever occurs first; or

(C) The student has been expelled.