Homeschooling

Statutory Requirements

The laws which establish the criteria for any parent/legal guardian who may wish to educate their children in their own home may be found in Arizona Revised Statutes §15-745 and §15-802, which require in part that:

The person who has custody of the child shall file an “Affidavit of Intent” with the County School Superintendent within thirty (30) days from the time the child begins attending a homeschool.

The child must be instructed in at least the subjects of reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies and science.

Certified Birth Certificate

Arizona Revised Statute §15-828(B) requires that any parent or legal guardian of a child instructed at home submit with their affidavit, or within thirty (30) days after home instruction begins, one of the following to the County School Superintendent’s office:

• A certified copy of the pupil’s birth certificate.
• Other reliable proof of the pupil’s identity and age, including the pupil's, baptismal certificate, and application for a Social Security number, or original school registration records and an affidavit explaining the inability to provide a certified copy of the birth certificate.

Curriculum Requirements

The child must be instructed in at least the subjects of reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies and science.

The parent is responsible for creating and choosing a program suited to the child. Parents are responsible for choosing their own curricula. It may be helpful to network with a homeschool support group. A list of various homeschooling support groups throughout Arizona is included in the packet.

If a child has special needs, parents are encouraged to contact their local public school district for possible services.

Student Testing Options

Arizona Revised Statutes §15-745 and §15-802.01 state:

• A child who enrolls in a kindergarten program or grades one through twelve after receiving instruction in a homeschool program shall be tested pursuant to this article in order to determine the appropriate grade level for the educational placement of the child.
• Nothing in this article shall be construed to require the testing of children who are instructed in a homeschool program while they are receiving homeschool instruction.
• Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a child who resides within the attendance area of school and who is instructed at home may be allowed to participate in interscholastic athletic competition on behalf of the school. The participation of children instructed at home in interscholastic athletic competition, including, if necessary, requiring the child to take a nationally standardized norm-referenced achievement test or academic evaluation for verification of academic performance.
• A school district shall not contract with any private entity that supervises interscholastic athletic competition if the private entity prohibits the participation of children instructed at home in interscholastic athletic competition.

Certificates / Diplomas

Eighth grade promotion certificates and/or high school diplomas are not issued by the Graham County School Superintendent for students instructed at homeschools. Students in homeschooling will be eligible to take a GED-administered tests throughout Graham County once they reach the age of 16 years. Parents interested in a high school diploma for their homeschooled child should contact one of the many independent correspondence schools located throughout the United States. The number of such credits accepted toward high school graduation will depend on the high school/district involved.

Re-Entering Public School

Grade level placement of home study students upon re-enrollment in public school is dependent upon school district policy and usually includes parental input. The policies of any public school district can and should be reviewed by the parent/legal guardian prior to removing the child from school. Be aware that your child may need to take individual tests in each subject area to gain district credit unless the homeschool child is receiving correspondence school instruction from an NCA accredited program. Parents should investigate the entrance requirements of those colleges the student is interested in attending.

Updating Student Information

Please notify the Graham County School Superintendent within thirty (30) days if your homeschooled child is enrolled in a public school. The child’s file will then be inactivated. Another affidavit of intent must be filed if the child resumes homeschooling. Also, please report any changes in addresses or phone numbers in a timely manner.

Failure to Comply

Unless otherwise exempted in this section or section §15-802, a parent of a child between six and sixteen years of age or person who has custody of a child who does not provide instruction in a homeschool and who fails to enroll or fails to ensure that the child attends a public or private school pursuant to this section is guilty of a class 3 misdemeanor. A parent who fails to comply with the duty to file an affidavit of intent to provide instruction in a homeschool is guilty of a petty offense. A violation of this section shall be charged, heard and disposed of pursuant to section 8-232. Referrals will be made to the Graham County Attorney’s Office for all persons in violation of these statutes.