Homeschooling Laws for Parents Attendance in the State of Florida?

Question

I no longer have an interest in school because I find it to be useless now. I'm in the 10th grade and everything I'm being taught right now is stuff I will never use in daily life! Its obviously a waist of time but on the other hand i don't wish to drop out either and yet i find myself skipping school. I wanted to get home schooled a while back but my mom is always working and I don't have a father. I can't seem to find any laws for the state of Florida when it comes to the parents attendance and home schooling their children. Maybe I'm not looking in the right places or looking hard enough. I really don't know but i would like to be able to present this to her with all answers. I would much rather spend my time learning in my own house and working out than to waist my time in a class room.

Answer 1

That's a great question. I don't think there is a law about it, which is probably why you can't find a law about it. Do check in with a local support group http://www.fpea.com/Association/district... . It does seem to me that in Florida, it's easiest to homeschool under an umbrella school or to do virtual school, like through http://www.flva.org (it's an online public school). The umbrella and virtual schools may have regulations in place about this, but it seems to me that someone your age would be allowed to just work on his own.

You might also, while you're at it, read up on books about being educated. The point of the stuff you're doing in school is NOT because you are going to use the information necessarily in your daily life, but the type of thinking developed, the ability to learn and solve problems is very important to your daily life. For example: most students who become doctors do science degrees first. As part of that science degree, they are required to take calculus. What does calculus have to do with being a doctor? Nothing. Except that taking calculus really sharpens the type of thinking skills needed.

Also keep in mind it is expected that kids your age will go through something like 10 different types of careers/jobs in your adult life--not just 10 different jobs, but 10 different TYPES of jobs. School can't give you all the information you need because they (and you) can't predict the types of jobs you'll have, but it can help train you to know how to learn. Keep that in mind as you finish up your schooling, regardless of how you do it. One definite advantage to homeschooling, even if you do a virtual program, is that you can learn those skills with material you don't like as much in less time than it would take in school, allowing you to spend more time learning what you would like to know.

Answer 2

You can look at the HSLDA website for state by state  information on homeschooling laws.   You need to also stop and think for a moment, however.  You are asking about "parent's attendance".  Your mother already went to school.  If you are homeschooling it is YOUR attendance that is at issue.  

You might do some research to see whether or not Florida has on line charter schools.   But be aware that whether or not you are in private, public, charter or homeschool , you must still meet the state requirements for content.  This is especially true at the high school level.  And you need to be realistic about assessing your own maturity and whether you have enough focus and self control to be able to follow through with homeschooling. You say that school is useless.....but you need to ask yourself, "How will learning at home make THAT SPECIFIC FACT change?"    

If you have a single mom who is the primary wage earner and she is supporting you---- you need to be mature enough to think long and hard about how your desire to be homeschooled would affect her.  I sense you are very frustrated with your school situation, but turning to homeschooling as a mere reaction to your present situation is not going to make your life OR HERS any easier.  Realize that you are saying that your present solution to frustration in school is to skip out on your responsibility to attend.  That in itself speaks volumes to your ability to make these decisions without a mentor or other adult to assist you.  

Someone has to determine your course of study in accordance with FL law, someone has to BUY the textbooks, someone has to set up an educational plan with you and someone has to monitor your progress.  

I wish you the very best.  Talk to your mom, talk to your youth minister or Big Brother or another trusted adult.  10th grade is so much younger than you think.  You need to shoulder your responsibility and attend school until and if alternative arrangements are made.  This will give you something to do other than focusing on your "misery" and help you grow and mature by knowing you have the ability to assume responsibility for your own actions.   That in itself will make your mother much more confident in your ability to work independently if SHE decides to allow you to homeschool or e-school.  

Good Luck

Answer 3

Can't really help you with your problem, I can only tell you that you need to stay in school.  Just look at the way you spelled waste.  You are using the spelling for the torso part of your body, please reconsider.  Home schooling takes alot of discipline.

Answer 4

Florida law concerning homeschooling can be found here:

http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Flori...

Answer 5

you will have to learn the same things at home because that is what the state sets as the circulum. You need it for the SAT or ACT to get into college