Alabama Homeschool Laws Overview
Alabama offers three legal options for homeschooling children ages 6 to 17, with compulsory attendance starting at age 6 (parents may delay enrollment until age 7 by notifying the local school board in writing).
1. Church School Option
- Parents can enroll their children in a church school or run a church-sponsored school at home.
- Schools must be ministries of local churches with no state or federal funding.
- A one-time notification to the local school superintendent is required.
- Attendance records must be kept.
- There are no specific requirements for curriculum, instructional hours, or teacher qualifications.
- This is the most common homeschooling method used in Alabama.
2. Private School Option
- Parents can join a private school’s home-based program or start their own private school at home.
- Annual notification of enrollment and immunization records must be submitted.
- Attendance records are required, and schools must provide physical education and teach in English.
- Teacher qualifications, curriculum subjects, and instructional hours are not regulated.
- Weekly reports for new enrollments or unexcused absences are required.
3. Private Tutor Option
- Tutors must be certified teachers in Alabama.
- They must teach at least 3 hours per day, 140 days per year, covering the same subjects as public schools.
- A one-time notification to the local superintendent is required, with weekly updates on enrollment and absences.
- Attendance records and teaching reports must be maintained.
- There are no testing requirements.
Additional Information
- Homeschoolers must follow Alabama’s immunization requirements or provide a medical or religious exemption.
- No state-mandated standardized testing is required, though graduation exams for nonpublic students are offered optionally.
- Homeschool students typically do not have guaranteed access to public school extracurriculars or special education services.
- Parents have freedom to choose programs and curriculum, often including core subjects like math, English, science, and social studies.