How to Start Homeschooling in Alabama

Yes. Homeschooling is legal in Alabama under the church school framework in Ala. Code 16-28-1 and 16-28-7.

Ala. Code 16-28-1 defines a church school as a school offering instruction in grades K-12, including through home programs, that is operated as a ministry of a local church, group of churches, denomination, or association of churches, and that receives no state or federal funding. Church schools vary in their religious affiliation and in what they ask of families, so read each one's statement of faith and policies before you join.

Alabama is a low-regulation state. Under the church school pathway, state law sets no teacher qualifications, no subject list, and no testing. Ala. Code 16-28-7 also says it does not authorize the state education department to license or regulate church schools. Your one state-facing step is the enrollment and attendance form you file with the local superintendent.

Alabama requires school attendance for children ages 6 through 17. This comes from Ala. Code 16-28-3.

There is one helpful option for younger children. If your child is six, you may opt out of enrolling them until age seven. To do that, notify your local board of education in writing that your child will not be enrolled until they turn seven.

If your child is younger than 6, there is no rush. You have time to look at church schools and plan your approach before the law applies.

Here is how to start homeschooling in Alabama through the church school pathway, step by step.

Step 1: Choose a church school. This is your most important decision. Compare two or three options. Some offer only enrollment and record-keeping. Others add curriculum review, testing, co-ops, diplomas, or graduation ceremonies. Ask about fees, policies, and what they require from you.

Step 2: Enroll with your church school. Complete their enrollment process. When you enroll, you also give the church school consent to notify the superintendent if your child later stops attending (Ala. Code 16-28-7).

Step 3: File the enrollment form with your superintendent. Get the church school enrollment form from your local public school superintendent's office. Fill it out, have the church school administrator countersign it, and return it to the superintendent (Ala. Code 16-28-7). The statute does not set a due date or say whether the form is filed once or each year, so ask the superintendent's office what they expect.

Step 4: Withdraw from public school. A withdrawal letter is not required by state law. Stop public school attendance only after your church school enrollment is in place. Alabama law (Ala. Code 16-28-12) makes it a misdemeanor for a parent to fail to have a school-age child enrolled in school.

Step 5: Start teaching. Pick your curriculum. Set your schedule. Begin. Alabama law sets no subject or hour rule for church school students. Read your church school's handbook first, because some schools have their own rules about subjects, hours, or testing.

Step 6: Keep good records. Start an attendance log and save samples of your child's work. Attendance is part of what Ala. Code 16-28-7 covers for church school students, and your church school may ask for records too. Keep your own copies of everything you file.

Under the church school pathway, the filing is short.

Ala. Code 16-28-7 says the enrollment and attendance of a child in a church school is filed with the local public school superintendent by the parent. You use a form the superintendent provides. The church school administrator countersigns it, and you return it to the superintendent.

The statute does not set a deadline or say how often to file. Ask your superintendent's office whether they need a new form each school year.

Your church school may have its own paperwork too, such as an enrollment application, attendance logs, or test results. Read their handbook so you know what they expect.

Alabama offers three legal pathways to homeschool.

Church School / Umbrella School (Ala. Code 16-28-1, 16-28-7). Enroll with a church school and file the superintendent's enrollment and attendance form, countersigned by the church school administrator. State law sets no teacher qualification, subject list, hour count, or testing rule for this pathway.

Private Tutor (Ala. Code 16-28-5). Instruction by a tutor who holds a certificate issued by the State Superintendent of Education. At least 3 hours a day, 140 days each calendar year, between 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M., covering the branches of study taught in the public schools. Before beginning instruction, the tutor files a statement with the county or city superintendent listing the children, the subjects, and the period of instruction. The tutor keeps a daily register of hours and attendance and makes any reports the State Board of Education requires.

Private School (Ala. Code 16-28-7). The principal teacher reports the names and addresses of enrolled children to the county or city superintendent at the end of the fifth day after public schools open, on forms prescribed by the State Superintendent of Education. After that, the principal teacher reports at least weekly on children absent without excuse. Ala. Code 16-28-7 does not authorize the state education department to license or regulate private schools.

A few things every Alabama homeschool family should know.

Choose your church school carefully. Cost, services, and requirements vary. Talk to current member families before you sign up.

Always enroll before you withdraw. Enroll first. Withdraw second. Every time.

Six-year-olds can wait a year. Under Ala. Code 16-28-3, you can delay enrolling a six-year-old until age seven by notifying your local board of education in writing.

Know your IEP options. If your child has an IEP and you leave public school, the district's IEP services generally stop. Under federal law (IDEA), your district must still evaluate children who may have a disability, so you can ask for an evaluation. Ongoing therapy will generally come from private providers.

Immunization records. Ala. Code 16-30-4 requires a certificate of immunization (the Blue Card) at entrance to a public or private school. Ala. Code 16-30-3 allows a written religious objection or a medical exemption. Ask your church school what it needs.

Look into the CHOOSE Act. Alabama's CHOOSE Act (2024) created an Education Savings Account program. Check the program's official site for current amounts and eligibility.

Build transcripts starting in 9th grade. Keep records of courses, grades, and credits from the start of high school. Your church school may issue diplomas and transcripts, or you can create your own.