The word homeschooling means different things across the country, and around the world. In Florida, homeschooling is a general term, used broadly to describe a variety of different parent-directed methods, all approved to meet the state's compulsory attendance laws.
Home Education
For many Florida families, homeschooling means following the state's home education laws to direct student education. In Florida, "home education" is the legal term used to describe parent-directed education using the notice of intent.
Under the Florida home education laws, parents choose the curriculum, supplies and instructional methods they will use with their students. They may design their own curriculum program or follow one designed by someone else. This form of homeschooling, legally called "home education", is the most common way that Florida students are homeschooled today.
Private School (or Umbrella School)
In Florida, parents who want to direct student education may also enroll their students into private schools designed to accommodate homeschooled students. These private schools, often called "umbrella schools", follow Florida's private school laws for how they are registered with the Florida Department of Education; administered and operated; and, the requirements of the students enrolled in these schools.
When a student is enrolled in a private (or umbrella) school, families may sometimes refer to their students as homeschoolers. However, it is important to recognize that these students are actually enrolled in a private school, as defined by Statute, even if they are being called homeschoolers.
Personalized Education Program (PEP)
Introduced two years ago, PEP enrollment provides a way to receive funds to defray the cost of a parent-directed education. PEP programs are defined by Florida Statutes and administered by 2 different scholarship funding organizations in Florida: Step Up for Students and AAA.
When students are enrolled in PEP, they follow the enrollment, testing and reporting guidelines set by the scholarship funding organization. While these students may be called homeschoolers, they are a distinct cohort of Florida students who are receiving funds used to purchase curriculum and instruction, services, and the other supplies used in their education.
Microschools, Hybrid Schools and Co-ops
There are many ways Florida homeschoolers assemble for education and socialization. Some come together for activities once a month, while others create very school-like schedules that last all week.
Names like hybrid and microschool are used to describe the many different learning environments that homeschoolers participate in. These terms have no specific legal definition and the ways these names are used may vary from group to group.
Depending on their structure, these programs might be used by students in home education, umbrella schools, PEP, or even all 3. This is a growing field in Florida education and the number of these programs continues to increase year over year.
In Florida homeschooling, the classroom is anywhere the students are. Be sure to explore these and other articles on our website, to learn how to register as a Florida home educator, private school student, or PEP family:
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