Thursday, August 28, 2008

A LEGAL ANALYSIS OF HOMESCHOOLING LAWS IN ALABAMA

This is an article I found from the Home School Defense Association
providing a legal analysis of the homeschooling laws in Alabama.
AlabamaCompulsory Attendance Ages: "between the ages of 7 and 16"
(Alabama Code 16-28-3).Required Days of Instruction: 175 days
(Public Schools only)Church School Option for Homeschools: Home
schools qualify as church "schools"...operated as a ministry of a
local church, group of churches, denomination, and/or association of
churches on a nonprofit basis which do not receive any state or
federal funding (Alabama Code 16-28-1(2)). Every child attending a
church school is exempt fromt he requirements of this (compulsory
attendance) section provided the child complies with the procedures
in 16-28-7 (parent or guardian reporint attendance in church
school); see (a) below (Alabama Code 16-28-3). A church could
establish different church schools within each home. Also, under
this option, some homeschoolers enroll their children in an existing
church school but teach them at home. (a) "The enrollment and
attendance of a child in a church school must be filed with the
local public school superintendent by the parent...on a form
provided by the superintendent...which shall be countersigned by the
administrator of the church school." (Alabama Code 16-28-7). (No
requirement to file annually. Only need to file this form once at
initial enrollment in church school). (b) The principal teacher of
the church school must keep an attendance register for each day of
the school year (Alabama Code 16-28-8). (c) A church school must
offer grades K-12 or any combination thereof (16-28-1(2)). (d) If
the local school district believes a family is not in compliance
with the law, it must give the family 3 days written notice (16-28-
16) prior to instituting criminal charges. (e) According to Alabama
Attorney General's opinion dated January 3, 1997, "Other than the
state laws requiring parents to report attendance and for church
schools to report if a student is no longer in attendance at such a
church school, there is no provision of Alabama law that permits or
requires any state or local authority to regulate a church school."
Basically what all this means is, as a parent, you are required to
send in the Church School Enrollment Form and the Attendance
Reports. Thereis no requirement to teach for any specific number
of days, or any specific courses and there is no requirement for
church schools to be accreditated.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I must show that brandon has worked 180 days a year.  For days he's absent, I must write up a note and put that in his porfolio. If the school district believes he's missing to much homeschooling, they can force us to put him back into public school.  Sucks!
Missie