How to Start Homeschooling in Louisiana

Yes. Homeschooling is completely legal in Louisiana. The law is clear and specific.

Under La. R.S. 17:236, home study is a recognized way to satisfy compulsory attendance. The statute provides for BESE-approved home study programs as a fully legitimate educational option. This is not a gray area.

Louisiana is a moderate-regulation state. You file paperwork. You teach specific subjects. But you do not need a teaching certificate or a college degree. You choose your own curriculum and materials. And under the home study pathway, you are not required to give standardized tests. The state trusts you to provide quality instruction for your child.

Louisiana requires education for children ages 5 through 18 under La. R.S. 17:221. Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, children who turn 5 by September 30 of the current school year must attend school. Parents may opt to defer kindergarten enrollment.

Here is the detail that matters for planning. Your child must begin education if they turn 5 by September 30 of the current school year. If your child's 5th birthday falls after September 30, compulsory attendance does not start until the following year. That extra time can help you prepare.

There is an exception for 17-year-olds who may leave school with parental consent under certain conditions. For most families, though, the requirement runs through age 18.

Here is how to start homeschooling in Louisiana under the BESE-approved Home Study Program. This is the pathway most families choose, and it is more straightforward than you might expect.

Step 1: File your home study application. Go to the LDOE online portal at webapps.doe.louisiana.gov/publicapps/homestudy_app/ and bookmark it. Submit your application within 15 days of starting your program or withdrawing your child from school. You will enter your name, address, and contact info; your child's name, date of birth, and grade level; a description of your proposed program; and a certification that you will cover the required subjects and provide quality instruction. Louisiana does not accept a free-form letter. Use the official online application.

Step 2: Withdraw from school (if enrolled). Write a letter to your child's current school stating that you are withdrawing for a home study program under La. R.S. 17:236. Send it to the principal or registrar. File this alongside your BESE application. You do not need to wait for approval before you start teaching. You have every right to make this change.

Step 3: Build your curriculum around four core subjects. Cover English Language Arts (reading, writing, spelling, grammar), mathematics, science, and social studies (including U.S. history, Louisiana history, civics, and geography). Pick your own textbooks and methods. Your program must be "at least equal to" what public schools offer at the same grade level under La. R.S. 17:236.1. You decide how to get there.

Step 4: Teach for 180 days and track them. Louisiana requires 180 instructional days per school year under La. R.S. 17:236. No specific daily hours are mandated. Keep a simple attendance log showing each day of instruction. You will want this for your records.

Step 5: Renew by October 1 each year. Mark this date now. Your renewal is due by October 1 or within 12 months of your initial approval, whichever is later. At renewal, submit one of these: a report card or standardized test copies, a third-party statement about your child's progress, or copies of student work. Pick whichever works best for your family.

Your one required document is the BESE home study application. It goes to the Louisiana Department of Education on behalf of BESE.

The application asks for: your name, address, and contact info; your child's name, date of birth, and grade level; a description of your program of study; and your certification that instruction will cover the required subjects and provide sustained, quality education.

File within 15 days of starting your program or pulling your child from school. Use the LDOE online portal. No free-form letters here.

Unlike many states with one-time filings, Louisiana requires annual renewal. Put October 1 on your calendar right now. At renewal, you choose how to document the prior year's quality. A report card, test results you chose to give, a third-party progress statement, or copies of student work all satisfy the requirement.

If your child is in school right now, here is how to make the switch.

Submit your home study application through the LDOE online system. At the same time, write a withdrawal letter to your child's school. Address it to the principal or registrar. State that your child is withdrawing for a home study program under La. R.S. 17:236. Keep a copy for your files.

You do not need to wait for BESE approval before you begin teaching. File promptly and start. This works the same at the beginning of the school year or mid-year. The 15-day filing window applies either way.

If the school questions the process or tries to slow things down, stand your ground. Once your application is filed with BESE, you are on solid legal footing. You are doing nothing wrong.

Build your curriculum around these four subjects required under La. R.S. 17:236.1:

• English Language Arts (reading, writing, spelling, grammar)
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social studies (U.S. history, Louisiana history, civics, geography)

Your program must provide "a sustained curriculum of a quality at least equal to that offered by the public schools at the same grade level." That sounds like a high bar, but it gives you enormous flexibility. You pick the curriculum. You choose the materials. You set the pace and sequence. There is no approved textbook list and no mandated program.

Health and physical education are not separately listed in the home study statute but are implicitly expected under the "at least equal" standard. Most families cover these naturally through daily life. A hike along the levee or a swim in the bayou absolutely counts.

Track your 180 instructional days per school year. That is the one time requirement under La. R.S. 17:236.

No specific hours per day are written into the law. Keep your instructional day comparable in length to a public school day, but Louisiana does not mandate a number. Most families find focused one-on-one instruction takes far less time than a classroom setting. A few productive hours often covers everything.

Keep a simple attendance log. Note each day of instruction. BESE does not routinely collect these records, but you should have them available if ever asked. They also come in handy at renewal time.

Louisiana gives you three legal pathways for educating your child at home. Understanding the differences helps you pick the best fit.

Pathway 1: BESE-Approved Home Study (La. R.S. 17:236). The most popular choice. Apply through the LDOE. Teach four core subjects for 180 days. No standardized testing required. No teaching credentials needed. Renew annually. Maximum freedom. This guide covers this pathway.

Pathway 2: Registered Nonpublic School (La. R.S. 17:233). Register as or enroll in a BESE-registered but not state-approved nonpublic school. Fewer curriculum mandates and no standardized testing. Must maintain records per BESE Bulletin 741. Some families prefer this path because transcripts come from a recognized school entity, which can simplify college admissions. Louisiana does not have a formal umbrella school framework, but some nonpublic schools function similarly by providing administrative support.

Pathway 3: State-Approved Nonpublic School (La. R.S. 17:233). Enroll in a nonpublic school that is both registered with and approved by BESE. Highest oversight: standardized testing may be required, annual progress reports go to the state, and subjects must match public school standards. Offers a state-recognized school credential but comes with the most rules.

The day-to-day teaching may feel similar across all three pathways. The difference is in the paperwork, accountability, and legal framework.

Opportunities and details every Louisiana homeschool family should know:

Get your child into public school sports. La. R.S. 17:236.2 gives homeschooled students the right to play interscholastic athletics and join extracurricular activities at their resident public school. Your child must meet the same academic, age, and residency standards as enrolled students and follow LHSAA rules. Reach out to the school's athletic director to start the process.

Look into dual enrollment. Homeschooled students can take college courses at Louisiana colleges and universities. Admission requirements vary by institution. Contact the dual enrollment office at the school you are interested in to learn what they need.

Plan for TOPS starting in 9th grade. Louisiana's TOPS (Taylor Opportunity Program for Students) scholarship can pay for college. Homeschooled students qualify by completing 11th and 12th grade in a BESE-approved home study program. ACT requirements: 19 (TOPS Tech), 22 (Opportunity), 24 (Performance), 28 (Honors). Start aligning your high school coursework with TOPS core curriculum requirements early. Submit your FAFSA or TOPS online application by the deadline. Do not leave this to senior year.

Explore the LA GATOR scholarship carefully. Signed into law in 2024 (Act 1), LA GATOR provides Education Savings Account funds for education expenses. For 2025-2026: $5,243 per general student, $7,626 for families at or below 250% FPL, and $15,253 for students with disabilities. Approved expenses include tuition, tutoring, therapies, textbooks, curricula, and dual enrollment courses. Phase 1 (2025-2026) covers prior public school enrollees and lower-income families. Phase 2 (2026-2027) expands to 400% FPL. Phase 3 (2027-2028) opens to everyone. Applications go through the Odyssey platform (withodyssey.com).

Here is the critical tradeoff: GATOR participants must exit the home study pathway. You cannot use GATOR funds while classified as a home study student. Mandatory ELA and math testing applies to GATOR recipients. Weigh this decision carefully before applying.

Know the special needs landscape. Home study students are generally not entitled to IEP services from the public school district. However, your district must still evaluate your child under IDEA Child Find if you suspect a disability. The LA GATOR ESA can fund private speech, occupational, and behavioral therapies. But accepting GATOR funds means waiving your child's IDEA rights. This is a serious tradeoff worth discussing with professionals before you decide.

You award the diploma. Under the home study pathway, you as the parent create your child's transcript and issue the diploma. There is no state template. Louisiana colleges generally accept homeschool transcripts, especially with strong ACT or SAT scores. Connect with the Louisiana Home Education Network (LAHEN) at la-hen.org for transcript guidance and community support.