Homeschooling Issues in Ohio

As a parent who has decided to homeschool your child in Ohio or is looking into it, you want to make sure that you're following Ohio's homeschooling laws and regulations and that your child is receiving all of the benefits they're entitled to as a homeschooled student in the state. Having recently revised its homeschooling laws, Ohio is now a fairly liberal state when it comes to homeschooling. There are still some steps you need to take if you're going to homeschool your child, and you need to know how to assert your child's rights in cases where your local school district may not be providing the services your child is entitled to receive. The experienced attorneys from the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can help you protect your child's rights as a homeschooled student. Call us at 888.535.3686 or use our contact form to learn more about how we can help.

Who Can Homeschool in Ohio?

Ohio law doesn't specifically designate who must instruct a homeschooled student. Parents, of course, may do so, but unlike in some other states, there is no specific requirement for the child to be taught at home by a parent. This provides parents with substantial flexibility; in some cases, for example, other relatives such as grandparents may be the ones educating the child, or friends or hired tutors could do the teaching.

Homeschoolers are required to notify their local school district when they are going to be teaching their child at home. The notice is a simple, one-page document and is effective “immediately upon receipt” by the school district. Within 14 days of receiving it, the school district must send the parent an acknowledgment that their notice was received. In 2022, more than 50,000 students were being homeschooled in Ohio.

Ohio does have in-state online “e-school” learning opportunities that are operated by the Department of Education & Workforce. These are considered public schools; they are taught by teachers accredited by the state, and students who graduate from an Ohio e-school receive an Ohio high school diploma. Some Ohio e-schools are open to students living anywhere in Ohio; others are operated by individual school districts, and students must reside within the district to be eligible to enroll. A student enrolled in one of Ohio's e-schools is not considered to be a homeschooled student but is treated as a student who is enrolled in an Ohio school where the learning happens to be conducted online.

One important thing that parents should be aware of is that if a child is enrolled in an online schooling program operated by an accredited school that is located outside of Ohio, the child is not considered to be homeschooled under Ohio law. This can affect some of the benefits and services that are available to Ohio homeschooled students. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can help you determine the effect that enrolling your child in an out-of-state online school may have on educational benefits and other opportunities that you may want your child to be eligible for in Ohio while being educated at home.

What Subjects Must Homeschoolers Teach in Ohio?

Ohio law requires homeschooled students to be taught in the following areas:

  • English language arts
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • History
  • Government
  • Social Studies

While there are no specific requirements other than that the homeschooled child be taught in each of these areas, Ohio does provide homeschooling parents with information about the learning standards it applies in each of these areas, as well as others. While these standards are not requirements, they can be used by homeschooling parents as helpful guidelines when educating a child at home.

What Records Must Homeschoolers Keep in Ohio?

Apart from the annual notification form, there are no specific record-keeping requirements that apply to homeschoolers in Ohio. Parents do not need to keep records of what instructional materials they use, the homework or tests their child takes, or their results, the standardized tests the child takes, if any, or any other aspect of their child's homeschooled education. That said, there are several reasons why keeping comprehensive records may be a good idea.

First, if the child later enrolls in an in-person school, e-school, or other formal school, such as an out-of-state online school, the school will need to determine where in the school to place the child. The school may perform an assessment to help it with that placement, but having additional information about what your child has learned and how they've performed in the homeschool environment can help inform the school about your child's progress in ways that their assessment test results may not.

Second, colleges may ask to see records when considering whether to admit your child. This varies from one school to another, but you may find the admissions process easier to navigate if you have records showing what your child has learned and how they've performed in their homeschool environment.

Finally, Ohio's compulsory education laws apply to children between the ages of 6 and 18. Parents have a legal obligation to ensure that their children attend school, and both the parent and the child can face consequences such as fines and community service if the child is not attending school or being educated at home. Keeping records of what your child is being taught at home and how they are progressing with that education can help enormously in a situation where someone accuses you of not educating your child.

If you're facing a situation where you or your child are facing truancy-related allegations in Ohio, the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can help you defend against the allegations and protect your right to homeschool.

Must My Homeschooled Child be Immunized?

Ohio has specific requirements for what immunizations students enrolled in public or private schools must receive. Because homeschooled students are exempt from Ohio's enrollment requirements, they are also exempt from Ohio's immunization requirements.

If, however, a homeschooled child wants to enroll part-time at an Ohio school – which, as noted below, is a benefit available to homeschooled students – they will need to meet the immunization requirements that apply to their age or grade level. Ohio law does allow an exemption to its immunization requirements where the child's parent “declines to have the pupil immunized for reasons of conscience, including religious convictions.”

What Standardized Tests Are Homeschooled Students Required to Take in Ohio?

Ohio does not require homeschooled students to take any particular standardized tests. Parents may be able to have their homeschooled child take standardized tests given to students in their school district, including Ohio State Tests. Homeschooled students are required to take state tests “under the same rules and procedures as students enrolled in the participating school.” If your local school district is refusing to provide your child with standardized testing, contact the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team for help. We can discuss the situation with the school district on your behalf and help you protect your child's right to be included in the district's standardized testing program.

Does Ohio Require the Use of Certain Textbooks for Homeschooled Children?

Ohio has no textbook requirements for children being homeschooled. Parents are not provided with textbooks or other teaching materials used by their local school district and must find their own learning materials. Ohio doesn't specify or restrict the types of learning materials that parents can use to teach their child, or even require that parents use a textbook at all.

Are Homeschooled Students Eligible for Special Education Benefits in Ohio?

Children with special needs who are homeschooled are not entitled to receive special education benefits provided to enrolled special needs students in Ohio. Homeschooled special-needs children may be eligible for scholarships that would allow the student to attend a special education program other than one operated by their local school district. In these cases, of course, special needs students would need to enroll in alternative special education programs and, depending on the program, may not receive as much home-based education as they would otherwise.

If you are the parent of a special needs student and have questions about your child's rights to receive special education benefits as a homeschooled student, the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can help you understand how Ohio's special education laws and programs may be able to benefit your child, and under what circumstances.

Do Homeschooled Students Have a Right to Take Any Classes at the Public School?

Whether a homeschooled student may enroll on a part-time basis at their local public school is left up to the discretion of the individual school district. It's not unusual for homeschooled children to take elective or more advanced classes through their local schools. Alternatively, some Ohio e-schools may also permit part-time enrollment.

If you are facing a situation where your child wants to take one or more classes at your local school, but the school is refusing to allow them to do so, contact the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team for help. We will review the facts with you and can go to bat for your child with the school, especially in situations where the school has sufficient resources to enable them to teach your child along with their full-time students.

Can Homeschooled Students Participate in Interscholastic Athletics in Ohio?

Interscholastic sports at the high school level in Ohio are governed by the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA). The OHSAA bylaws specifically allow homeschooled students to participate in athletics under certain circumstances. This can happen even when the student is not enrolled part-time at their local public school. The student must satisfy all other eligibility requirements, including “age, semesters, scholarship and transfer eligibility bylaws.” This is where keeping records of your child's courses and progress can help; these can be used to confirm that your child meets the other eligibility requirements that apply to high school sports in Ohio.

If you encounter a situation where your local high school is refusing to allow your homeschooled child to try out for or join the school's interscholastic athletics teams, contact the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team for help. Our experienced attorneys regularly help high school athletes with eligibility issues, and we can help your homeschooled child fight for their right to compete.

Can a Homeschooled Student Participate in Other Extracurricular Activities in Ohio?

Ohio law specifically provides homeschooled students with “the opportunity to participate in any extracurricular activity offered at the district school to which the student otherwise would be assigned during that school year.” Students who elect to participate in their local school's extracurricular activities must “fulfill the same nonacademic and financial requirements as any other participant,” such as meeting the state's immunization requirements. Students may participate in extracurricular activities that are available to enrolled students at their “age and grade level.”

The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can help if your local school is not allowing your homeschooled child to enroll in extracurricular activities. Contact us to learn more.

Are Homeschooled Students Eligible for Work Permits in Ohio?

Ohio requires students aged 14 through 17 to have a work permit if they want to work at a part-time job. Normally, students must provide their local school to have the permit issued (after it's been completed by the student and their potential employer). Homeschooled students are eligible for work permits but must submit the permit form to the school district for verification and signature.

The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team Can Help You with Your Ohio Homeschooling Questions

As a parent of a child in Ohio, you have the right to teach your child at home. While Ohio's homeschooling laws are fairly liberal, you may encounter situations where individuals working at your local school or school district don't understand what your child's rights are and refuse to provide them with the educational or extracurricular benefits they're entitled to. In these situations, the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can help you assert and protect your child's rights. Our experienced attorneys have helped students all across the country, including in Ohio, get the educational benefits they deserve.

Call us at 888.535.3686 or use our contact form to set up a consultation to learn how we can help. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team is here to help you protect your child's education and future.

 

Contact Us Today!

If you, or your student, are facing any kind of disciplinary action, or other negative academic sanction, and are having feelings of uncertainty and anxiety for what the future may hold, contact the Lento Law Firm today, and let us help secure your academic career.

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