How to Start Homeschooling in Georgia

Yes. Homeschooling is completely legal in Georgia. O.C.G.A. Section 20-2-690(c) authorizes "home study programs" as a lawful way to meet school attendance rules. The full education provisions run from O.C.G.A. Sections 20-2-690 through 20-2-701.

You do not need a teaching degree to homeschool in Georgia. You do need a high school diploma or GED. O.C.G.A. Section 20-2-690(c)(3) requires the teaching parent or guardian to hold at least a high school diploma or state-approved equivalency. You can hire tutors who also hold a diploma or GED. But you remain the legally responsible party.

One detail to know: the teaching parent must be the child's legal parent or guardian. If a grandparent or other relative is raising the child without legal guardianship, they should establish guardianship first. This must be in place before filing a Declaration of Intent.

Georgia requires education from age 6 through 16. This comes from O.C.G.A. Section 20-2-690. The cutoff date is September 1. If your child turns 6 after September 1, the requirement begins the next school year. It ends when your child turns 16.

Kindergarten is not required. If your child is 5, there is no obligation to start formal instruction. Use this time to explore curricula and find your approach. There is no rush.

Children older than 16 may keep homeschooling. They are just not required to.

Here is exactly how to start homeschooling in Georgia:

Step 1: Write your Declaration of Intent. This is a one-page filing with the Georgia Department of Education. You can file online at the GA DOE website. Include these items per statute:

1. Your child's name and age
2. The address where you will teach
3. Your local school system
4. The 12-month school year period

There is no fee. You can file online, by mail, or by fax.

Step 2: Submit your Declaration of Intent. File with the Georgia Department of Education within 30 days of starting. You can submit online through the GA DOE website. Starting mid-year? Same 30-day window. No separate form or process. After your first year, refile by September 1 each year. Always keep a copy for your records.

Step 3: Withdraw your child (if in school). Send a withdrawal letter to the school principal or attendance office. Include your child's name, date of birth, last grade attended, and the withdrawal date. State that your child is joining a home study program under O.C.G.A. Section 20-2-690(c). Send by certified mail or email with read receipt. Ask for written confirmation that the school recorded your child as withdrawn. Not absent. Not truant. Withdrawn. Do this at the same time you file your Declaration of Intent.

Step 4: Start teaching. Cover reading, language arts, math, social studies, and science. Plan for at least 4.5 hours of instruction per day. Teach for 180 days per year. The statute says "equivalent of 180 school days," so you have flexibility in how you structure your calendar.

Step 5: Set up attendance tracking. Create a simple log on day one. Record each instructional day. You do not submit monthly reports. That is a common myth. Keep your records for at least three years. The statute does not explicitly require you to submit attendance records.

Georgia requires one annual filing plus one record you keep at home:

Declaration of Intent. File with the Georgia Department of Education within 30 days of starting. Then by September 1 each year after. Include your child's name and age, the program address, your local school system, and the 12-month school year period. One page. No fee. File online, by mail, or by fax.

Annual Progress Assessment (retained, not submitted). At the end of each school year, write a progress assessment covering each required subject. This stays in your files. You do not submit it to anyone. Keep it for at least three years per statute. Required by O.C.G.A. Section 20-2-690(c).

You do not routinely submit test scores. Keep them on file for at least three years. You do not submit curriculum plans, lesson plans, or a portfolio. Georgia has no portfolio requirement.

Georgia requires five subjects: reading, language arts, math, social studies, and science. Set by O.C.G.A. Section 20-2-690(c).

There is no state-approved curriculum list. No mandated textbooks. No required program. Pick what fits your family. Commercial, religious, secular, or self-designed all work. PE, art, music, and foreign language are not required. Many families add them anyway.

Georgia gives you real freedom here. Cover the five core subjects. The teaching approach is yours.

Georgia requires the "equivalent of 180 school days" per year under O.C.G.A. Section 20-2-690(c). Each day needs at least 4.5 hours of instruction. That is 810 hours minimum per year. The 4.5 hours means actual teaching time. Breaks, lunch, and non-instructional activities do not count.

Track attendance from day one. Keep records showing you meet the 180-day requirement. You do not submit monthly reports. That myth trips up a lot of new families. Keep the records yourself for at least three years.

Georgia requires a nationally normed standardized test every three years under O.C.G.A. Section 20-2-690(c). Testing starts at the end of third grade. Then again at grades 6, 9, and 12. The cycle is tied to grade level, not years of homeschooling. If you start homeschooling in fifth grade, your first required test is at the end of sixth.

Acceptable tests include the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS), California Achievement Test (CAT), Stanford Achievement Test, TerraNova, and Woodcock-Johnson. The test must be administered in consultation with a person trained in the administration and interpretation of norm-referenced tests.

There is no minimum score. Georgia sets no pass/fail line. Keep the results on file for at least three years. You do not routinely submit scores to anyone.

Georgia offers two ways to educate your child at home:

Pathway 1: Home Study Program (O.C.G.A. Section 20-2-690(c)). File directly with the Georgia Department of Education. Teach five subjects. Meet the 180-day and testing requirements. Retain an annual progress assessment in your files. You have full control over curriculum and methods. This guide covers this pathway.

Pathway 2: Private School or Umbrella School (O.C.G.A. Section 20-2-690(b)). Enroll in a private or umbrella school that allows home-based instruction. The school handles filings and compliance for you. Your child is classified as a private school student. No state-mandated testing. No state-required subject list. No Declaration of Intent from you. Requirements vary by school. Great if you want less paperwork or prefer a school affiliation.

The umbrella route trades some independence for simplicity. The home study path gives full control with more filing obligations.

File on time, every time. Declaration of Intent within 30 days of starting, then by September 1 each year. Write your annual progress assessment at the end of each school year and keep it on file. Missing your DOI can trigger truancy issues.

Keep copies of everything. Declarations, progress assessments, test scores, withdrawal letters. Retain all records for at least three years. Your paper trail is your protection.

Do not confuse Promise Scholarship rules with standard homeschool law. The Georgia Promise Scholarship (enacted 2024, signed by Governor Kemp) provides about $6,500 per student for approved expenses. First disbursements start on or after July 1, 2026. Eligibility is phased in. It currently targets students in low-performing school zones, those with special needs, foster care, and military families. Accepting funds adds reporting requirements beyond standard law. Check gafutures.org for current details. If you want simplicity, you can skip the scholarship and follow baseline requirements only.

Dual enrollment saves money. Georgia's Dual Enrollment program (formerly Move On When Ready) covers tuition, fees, and textbooks for eligible homeschool students at Georgia colleges. Apply through the Georgia Student Finance Commission. Your student must meet age and readiness requirements.

Start your transcript early. You issue the diploma yourself. Georgia does not provide one. The University System of Georgia accepts homeschool diplomas. But they want SAT/ACT scores, transcripts, and course descriptions. Begin building a transcript in ninth grade at the latest. Record courses, grades, and credit hours as you go.

Extracurricular access through the Dexter Mosley Act. Georgia passed the Dexter Mosley Act (SB 42, 2021), codified at O.C.G.A. Section 20-2-319.6. Homeschool students in grades 6 through 12 can participate in extracurricular activities and sports at their resident public school. You must take at least one course at the school per semester and give 30 days advance notice. Same academic and conduct standards apply as for enrolled students.

Special needs families have options. Georgia classifies homeschoolers as private school students under IDEA. That means some equitable services may be available through your district. Contact your local district to ask. The Promise Scholarship can fund speech, occupational, and behavioral therapy. You can also dually enroll in public school to keep IEP services.