How to Homeschool in Louisiana

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How do you homeschool in Louisiana?

We’ve lived in Louisiana for several years and homeschooling here couldn’t be easier.

I have found a huge community of homeschoolers with so many organizations and Co-ops to choose from.

It’s a great state to get started homeschooling in.

The first step to homeschooling in any state is to look up the individual states laws.

In Louisiana, homeschool families can choose to register online as Homestudy or Nonpublic.

How to Homeschool in Louisiana

Louisiana Homeschool Laws

Children ages 7 to 18 must attend school or be in compliance with homeschool laws.

You must register your child within 15 days of starting to homeschool in Louisiana.

You must school 180 days in a calendar year.

Registering Homestudy

Homestudy registration involves filling out basic information online about your family and homeschool.

You can find the Homestudy registration here.

You are still in control of your child’s curriculum choices, attendance records, and cost of schooling.

The advantage of registering Homestudy is that it allows you to qualify for the TOPS program when your child graduates to help with the cost of college.

You only need to register Homestudy for grades 11th and 12th in order to qualify for TOPS.

At the end of your school year, you are required to show proof of education or grade level and you have a few ways to do that.

You can submit your child’s ACT scores to the state.
Submit a standardized test score.
You can have an assessment done by a certified teacher which includes a sampling of your child’s school work.

Any of these choices can be submitted online at the end of your Homestudy school year.

Registering Nonpublic

Not Seeking State Approval or registering Nonpublic is what the majority of Louisiana homeschoolers will choose.

You can register Nonpublic here.

Please note that you can not qualify for the TOPS program as a nonpublic homeschooler, but this would only be an issue for high schoolers.

Currently there are no end of the year tests or assessments required for students registering as Nonpublic.

Many families choose to do standardized tests for personal reasons because it can highlight weak areas in your child’s education.

These tests do not need to be submitted to the state.

Advantages of Homeschooling in Louisiana

There are many perks to homeschooling in Louisiana and you will find a thriving community here.

With it being warmer year around, there are many plant and animal species to study and nature centers to attend.

The public schools in Louisiana are some of the worst in the nation. This means families have built a huge community of homeschool co-ops, field trips, and discounts to local activities for their children.

As long as you don’t have a high schooler, you don’t have the added pressure of yearly testing.

Many families still choose to use a standardized test to gauge how their students are doing.

I personally have found Louisiana to be a wonderful state to homeschool in.

Outside activities are abundant, the sun is always shining and the community is extremely accepting of homeschool families here.