First-Time Home Schoolers
- Acquire a notice of intent to home school from your local public school superintendent or the Arkansas Department of Education.
- Fill out the notice of intent.
- Sign the notice of intent in the presence of a notary if any of your children enrolled in a home school will seek a GED.
- Keep a photocopy of the completed notice of intent form for your records.
- Turn the completed notice of intent forms in to the local public school superintendent by the close of business on August 15 to home school during the fall semester.
Note: Some public schools may ask home schoolers to complete additional forms developed by the local school district. State law does not require the completion of these forms. Some public school superintendents have asked to interview home schoolers when they submit their forms. State law does not require this. In the past, first-time home schoolers were required to submit the the notice of intent to the superintendent’s office in-person. State law no longer requires this.
Students Who Have Moved Into The School District
- All of the above must be done within 30 days.
Transferring From a Public School to a Home School During the Fall or Spring Semesters
Students may transfer from a public school to a home school at any time during the fall or spring semesters. Certain restrictions may apply. The public school superintendent may require that the student wait 14 calendar days before being allowed to transfer to a home school. Public school students who are under disciplinary or who have excessive unexcused absences may not transfer to a home school during the semester until the disciplinary action has been resolved or excessive unexcused absences have been addressed.
The superintendent may waive the 14 calendar day waiting period or any disciplinary action and allow the student to transfer immediately to the home school. Superintendents may not prevent the transfer of public school students to a home school after the 14 calendar day waiting period unless the student is under some type of disciplinary action. The 14 calendar day waiting period begins at the time the notice of intent form is turned in to the superintendent.
- Acquire a notice of intent to home school form from your local public school superintendent.
- Fill out the notice of intent form.
- Sign the notice of intent in the presence of a notary if any of your children enrolled in a home school will seek a GED.
- Keep a photocopy of the completed notice of intent form for your records.
- Turn the completed notice of intent in to the local public school superintendent in person. The superintendent may contest the student’s transfer and require the 14 calendar day waiting period.
- Inform the superintendent the date and time you turned in your notice of intent form and the date your child will be transferring from public school to home school. The superintendent has the ability to deny the student’s transfer to a home school if the student is under disciplinary action or has excessive unexcused absences. The parent will need to ask the superintendent to make an exception and allow the student to leave any way. It is up to the superintendent whether the child may leave at that point. If the superintendent denies the student’s ability to transfer to a home school, the parent must leave the student in school and can complete the transfer to home school once the disciplinary action has been concluded.
- Find out what needs to be done to resolve the problem and take necessary steps.
Note: The local school board may override any decision made by a superintendent.