Home Education 1002.41 F.S.
For more information, visit FLDOE Office of Independent and Parental Choice Website at https://www.fldoe.org/ schools/school-choice/other-school-choice-options/home-edu/.
To register for home education, choose the most applicable option found on the district Home Education website at https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/homeeducation/.
Home Education Student Participation in Public Schools 1006.15 F.S., 1002.41 F.S.
Legally registered home education students may participate in public school interscholastic extracurricular programs at the zoned public school which the student would be assigned according to the district school board attendance policy. Home education students must meet the same eligibility requirements as other students in public and private schools. As an example, any public or home education student who does not have the required GPA is ineligible to participate in extracurricular activities.
All students must comply with the Florida Statutes and the FHSAA Bylaws to be eligible to participate. Home education students may submit FHSAA EL07-Registration Form for Home Education Students (https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/homeeducation/forms/) to the office of Home Education no less than one week prior to the participation deadline. Home education students must register with the school in which they intend to participate in interscholastic and intrascholastic activities prior to participation in the activity, FS 1008.25.
Although public schools are under no obligation to provide home education students access to classes, programs, services, or other educational opportunities, home education students may submit a request to the school principal to participate in academic classes at their assigned school if space is available. Home education students approved for district classes are subject to school board approval. If home education students are approved and participate in academic classes, they will be expected to follow the Student Code of Conduct and participate in required district assessments. Home Education students are eligible to, but not required to participate in state assessments, including FAST and EOCs. Each district is required, per s. 1002.41, Florida Statutes, to provide students with the date, time, and location for the administration of each assessment, should they choose to participate. Visit this website for testing information: https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/homeeducation/testing-information/
Completing a Home Education program does not result in the awarding of a diploma. Students registered as Home Education students are not eligible to walk in a district high school graduation ceremony. The Florida Parent Educator Association (FPEA) offers an annual graduation ceremony. More information can be found on their website.
Those looking to withdraw from Home Education and re-register as a public-school student in order to walk at graduation and receive a diploma are subject to the district requirements to participate. Parents should be aware of senior deadlines (cap and gown, pictures, etc.), requirements for the number of courses required for full-time enrollment regardless of courses completed in Home Education, and completion of graduation testing requirements. It is recommended to re-enroll no later than the summer before the student’s senior year to ensure all graduation requirements can be met.
Students who have:
- completed all graduation requirements
- have gotten a GED or
- completed a Home Education Affidavit
are not eligible for enrollment to take additional courses and receive a diploma. The school principal has final discretion in such instances.
For state dual enrollment information for home education students, please click http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/18379/urlt/dual_enrollment_faq.pdf
Local district dual enrollment contacts can be found here: https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/homeeducation/additional-resources/
Home, Charter, PEP, and Private Education Students
Students seeking initial elementary school placement transferring from a home school, charter school, PEP, or private school shall be reviewed by the local school to determine the most appropriate grade placement. Criteria to be considered may include age and maturity, standardized achievement test results, state assessments, progress as it relates to B.E.S.T. Standards and previous records from public and private schools as well as evidence from the student’s portfolio of work and achievement while in home, charter, or private school. Placement is not based solely on the recommendation of the private school, charter school or home educator. Consistent with school board rules and in accordance with state statute 1012.28 (5) F.S., the Superintendent has designated the principal of the school as the final authority in the placement of students in programs or classes. The placement decision is subject to review and revision after school personnel have had the opportunity to observe the student’s work.
A four-to-six-week screening period is allowed from the time of enrollment in order to obtain the necessary data for the most appropriate placement. Attention is paid to the following: health and physical development, emotional behaviors, social interactions, independent performance, communication competence, cognitive development, previous learning records, family data and family preference. Until a screening is completed, children who are five or six years old are temporarily placed according to the legal requirements outlined in statute:
- Kindergarten – five years of age on or before September 1 of the school year.
- Grade 1 -satisfactory completion of a kindergarten program and six years of age on or before September 1 of the school year.
Personalized Education Program (PEP)
PEP students do not fall under Home Education and are bound to different requirements under their scholarship funding organization (SFO). For more information, see https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/homeeducation/pep/
