Let’s face it, things have changed drastically due to the Covid-19 pandemic! In the past, few families homeschooled, but today, it seems like everyone is homeschooling or thinking about homeschooling. With this mass exodus from public schools (government schools), school employees are fighting tooth and nail to prevent families from withdrawing their children so they don’t lose funding.
The number one lie about homeschooling in Louisiana is not about socialization or the quality of education, it is the withdrawal process. We consistently hear from our members that school employees tell parents that they need to sign paperwork from the public school, provide proof of a curriculum, register only as a Home Study student, or some other unlawful reason before they can officially withdraw.
Well, that’s not true! As per the Louisiana Department of Education – Guidance on Student Withdrawal letter, you do not have to provide any paperwork to the public school to withdraw your child. Below is the actual text.
Now that you have the facts, share this email, or better yet, post it on your social media page so we can finally end this lie. Finally, as a quick refresher, click this link or check out the simple guide below on the two ways to homeschool in Louisiana.
Soli Deo Gloria
Christopher Chin
President, Homeschool Louisiana
Two ways to homeschool in Louisiana
By Louisiana law, a child must register to homeschool by September in the year they turn 7 (by 5 starting in the 2022-2023 year). There are two (2) options to homeschool in Louisiana.
You can download our withdrawal form here.
1) Choose the Non-Public option until your child enters the high school years (this has the least amount of paperwork and is the most common). You must notify the state that you are choosing this option within ten (10) days of sending in your withdrawal form.
2) Choose the Home Study option for the high school years if they might go to college so they can be eligible for TOPS scholarship money. Otherwise, they can stay in the Non-Public option. You must notify the state that you are choosing this option within fifteen (15) days of sending in your withdrawal form.
