How to Homeschool in Ohio

"Home education" refers to education primarily directed and provided by the parent or guardian under division (A)(2) of ORC§3321.04 whose child is of compulsory school age and not enrolled in a nonpublic school. OAC §3301-34-01.

A parent who elects to provide home education must supply the following information to the superintendent of schools of the district of residence: name and contact information for student/s, parent/s and instructor/s other than parents; assurance that home education will follow a prescribed list of subjects to be taught, except that home education shall not be required to include any concept, topic, or practice that is in conflict with the sincerely held religious beliefs of the parents;

a brief outline of the intended curriculum; a list of textbooks or other basic teaching materials that the parent intends to use for home education;

assurance that the child will be provided a minimum of 900 hours of home education each school year;

and assurance that the home teacher has a high school diploma or the certificate of high school equivalence or standardized test scores that demonstrate high school equivalence or other equivalent credential found appropriate by the superintendent. ORC §3321.04 and OAC §3301-34-03.

"The parent shall send to the superintendent an academic assessment report of the child for the previous school year at the time of supplying subsequent notification." OAC §3301-34-04.

If the annual academic assessment indicates that the child is not demonstrating reasonable proficiency, the parent will be required to develop a plan of remediation and submit a quarterly report of the child's progress to the superintendent. If the child does not demonstrate reasonable progress during remediation, the superintendent may, subsequent to a due process hearing, revoke the child's excuse from attendance and notify the parents in writing to enroll the child within 30 calendar days in a school in compliance with OAC §3301-35. OAC §3301-34-05.

The home education must include the following content, except for any concept, topic, or practice that is in conflict with the sincerely held religious beliefs of the parent: language, reading, spelling, and writing; geography, history of the United States and Ohio; and national, state, and local government; mathematics; science; health; physical education; fine arts, including music; and first aid, safety, and fire prevention. OAC §3301-34-03.

Homeschooling must consist of a minimum of nine hundred hours of home education each school year. OAC §3301-34-03 (A)(8).

With notification of the intention to homeschool, the parent(s)/guardian(s) is required to send an academic assessment report of the child for the previous school year, including one of the following:

A nationally normed, standardized achievement test administered by a licensed or certified teacher, another person mutually agreed upon by the parent(s) and the superintendent, or a person fully authorized by the publisher of the test. The test shall demonstrate reasonable proficiency (at or above the 25th percentile) in comparison with other children in the district at the same grade level;

A written narrative indicating that a portfolio of samples of the child's work has been reviewed and the child's academic progress for the year is in accordance with the child's abilities. The report must be prepared by a licensed or certified teacher, or other personnel mutually agreed upon by the parent(s)/guardians) and the superintendent; or

An alternative academic assessment of the child's proficiency mutually agreed upon by the parent and the superintendent. OAC §3301-34-04.

The child may participate in the standardized testing conducted as part of the school district's scheduled testing program at no cost to the parent. OAC §3301-34-04.

A home-schooled student will not receive a high school diploma recognized by the Ohio DOE. To receive an Ohio Board of Education diploma, a student must successfully complete the high school curriculum of a school district, community school, chartered nonpublic school, or correctional institution. ORC §3313.614

A homeschooled student is eligible to participate in any extracurricular activity offered at the district school to which the student otherwise would be assigned during that school year. The student shall fulfill the same nonacademic and financial requirements as any other participant, and if the student's previous year of instruction was not through home instruction, then the student's previous year's academic performance must fulfil the academic requirements; or if the student was previously homeschooled, then the academic assessment of the previous year must meet the standards for continuation of home education. ORC §3313.5312

Contact Information

Ohio Department of Education
Nonpublic Educational Options Program
25 South Front Street, MS 710
Columbus, OH 43215-4183Phone: 877-644-6338
Website: http://education.ohio.gov/

Source: United States Department of Education - Ohio State Regulations

In Ohio, parents interested in educating their children at home may do so by notifying their local school district superintendents and meeting the requirements of Ohio law to home school.

Intent to Home School Notification

Ohio recommends that parents should start by notifying the superintendent of the school district where they reside about their intent to home school their child/or children. Notification should be provided no later than the first week of the start of the public school building the child would attend in the school district of residence or within one week from the child's withdrawal from a school.

This is the Ohio Recommended Homeschool Notification Form (PDF)
The Ohio District Superintendent Responsibilities (PDF) has the school district responsibilities to the home school parents.

Curriculum

Parents or guardians who decide to home school their students are completely responsible for choosing the curriculum and course of study. They select the curriculum and educational materials and take responsibility for educating their children. Parents must provide a brief outline of the curriculum for the current school year containing a list of textbooks, correspondence courses, commercial curricula or other basic teaching materials that they plan to use to the superintendent.

Instruction Hours and Subjects

Parents must provide 900 hours of instruction per year that must include the following subjects:
Language, reading, spelling and writing;
Geography; history of the United States and Ohio; and national, state and local government;
Mathematics;
Science;
Health;
Physical education;
Fine arts, including music; and
First aid, safety and fire prevention

Assessment/Evaluation

Parents must provide an assessment of the students work, this is required by Ohio Administrative Code: O.A.C. 3301-34-04.

Ohio Updated Homeschool Assessment Guidance for the 2020-2021 school year:

House Bill 67 waives the requirement for the parent of a student who was homeschooled in the 2020-2021 school year to provide an assessment report to the resident district as a condition of the district continuing to excuse attendance of a student to be homeschooled in the 2021-2022 school year.

Teacher Requirement

1) A high school diploma;
2) The certificate of high school equivalence (GED);
3) Standardized test scores that demonstrate high school equivalence; or
4) Another equivalent credential found appropriate by the district superintendent.

Dual Enrollment Public School

A home-schooled child may be a part-time student in the district. The option for part-time enrollment and related policies is the decision of the local public school district.

Public School Re-enrollment

If a home school student returns to a public school, the district superintendent determines the appropriate grade level for the student.

Online or Virtual Learning

In Ohio, online schools are considered community/chartered public schools, NOT homeschooling. Visit the Ohio Ohio eSchools webpage.

If your student is enrolled in an online school based out of state, you must notify your district of residence your student will be attending an out of state school. You do not need to provide an intent to homeschool or meet the annual assessment requirement required for homeschool students in Ohio.

College Credit Plus

Great news for home school students! Ohio’s new College Credit Plus program gives students in grades 7-12 the chance to earn high school and college credit simultaneously by taking courses at participating Ohio colleges or universities. Tuition is free if your home school student takes classes at a public college. There may be modest fees for private college credit. The deadline is April 1 for home school students to let the Ohio Department of Education know they want to participate in College Credit Plus next school year. Visit the Ohio College Credit Plus webpage for more information.

Sports and Other Activities

Legislation allows home school students the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities in public schools. An “extracurricular activity” is a pupil activity program that is run by a school or school district and is not included in a graded course of study.

Activities include any offered at the school that the student would attend if enrolled in the public school district where the family resides. If the school district does not offer a particular activity, then the student may request to participate in another district’s program. The superintendent of the other school district may choose to allow the student to participate as an out-of-district student.

Home-educated students must meet the same nonacademic and financial requirements as any other student participating in the activity. Fees and ability in sports, where there are cuts, apply.

Ohio EdChoice Scholarships

An EdChoice Scholarship allows students who are eligible to obtain scholarships to attend a nonpublic schools participating in the EdChoice program. Eligibility is based upon the performance of the public school building to which the student would be assigned or low income. EdChoice Scholarships are available to eligible home-schooled students who wish to enroll in a participating nonpublic school. More information is available on the Ohio EdChoice Scholarships webpage.

Ohio Diplomas

Ohio law may allow for some home school students to receive diplomas. Please see section 3313.6110 of the Ohio Revised Code.

Ohio Home Schooling Links

• Ohio Department of Education Homeschool Webpage.
• Ohio Homeschool Frequently Asked Questions.
• Ohio Compulsory Attendance Laws
• Ohio Exscusal from Compulsory Attendance for Home Education
• Ohio Recommended Homeschool Notification Form (PDF)
• Ohio's Learning Standards
• Ohio's Graduation Requirements
• Ohio Colleges and Employers (PDF)
• Ohio Diploma
• Ohio Homeschool Student Data

Source: Ohio Department of Education