Compulsory Attendance

Your child’s age is your first indicator of his or her eligibility for beginning school. Students must be enrolled in school if they turn six on or before January 30.  see more >

Required Documentation

Florida school districts set the requirements for what documentation is required prior to enrolling a student in their district. To get that information, contact the district directly.

Some legal documents are required for Florida students to attend school:

• Certified Birth Certificate/proof of identity
• Official copy of records/transcripts from the previous school the child most recently attended
• A shot immunization record (or proof that immunization is not required for the child)
  • Click here to view the immunization requirements 
• Proof of home address (for example, a rental agreement or tax statement)

What are Charter Schools?

Charter Schools are tuition-free public schools operated by independent, non-profit governing bodies.

Parents, teachers, and community leaders sign a “charter” or contract with a school district or state agency to create a charter school and give students more educational options than their assigned school. Charter schools have flexibility over classroom hours, curriculum, and employment policies, but are subject to periodic reviews based on student performance. In Florida, public charter school students are measured against the same academic standards as students in other public schools. Local boards of education monitor the academic and financial performance of charter schools, and, can revoke  or refuse to renew a school’s charter.

Florida Charter Schools

A list of the active charter schools can be found at the Florida Department of Education.

In Florida, children attend school online in virtual classrooms with state certified teachers. Some virtual programs are open to in-district students only, while others have enrollment open to students across the state. Florida is the first state to legislate that public schools must have full-time and part-time virtual options for students who want to take advantage of the opportunity. The Florida Virtual School is the largest online state school in the country, racking up more than two million course completions since its inception in 1997. The state also boasts several online charter schools, blended learning options, the Virtual Instruction Program, and course offerings that cross district lines.

Districts may offer virtual courses for courses included in Florida’s Course Code Directory. This directory includes all courses that are eligible to be funded in Florida public schools and includes courses in all subject areas and grade levels. Districts may develop their own online courses or purchase the online courses or curriculum they offer.

What makes a school “private”?

Private schools charge tuition, and many have a religious mission. Some private schools offer families assistance to make tuition payments. Click below for the complete list of over 1,600 private schools across the state.

Private School Review offers free, detailed information on U.S. private schools combined with useful community data (e.g., housing costs) and maps of the surrounding areas.

*Information on non-public school admission requirements should be obtained from the school directly.

George Washington University Online High School is an online college preparatory academy for motivated students who are willing to be challenged to become the best students and persons they can be. Combining award-winning curriculum with small class sizes and intensive college counseling, students receive a flexible, individualized education attuned to their own needs and goals.

International Academy is a K12, Inc accredited, online private school for grades K–12. Students earn a U.S. high school diploma while using award-winning K¹² curriculum

They offer extensive, individualized academic and counseling support keep students on track. The flexibility allows students to explore their passions. Full-time and part-time options are available.

Your options

In Florida, parents have the option to educate their children at home, an option known as homeschooling or home education. Parents in Florida may choose to homeschool their own children in grades K–12. Parents desiring to homeschool their own children may do so by choosing one of the following three options — homeschooling under the homeschool statute, under a private school “umbrella” program or with a private tutor. All three options are discussed below.

Under the homeschool statute:

1. File a written Notice of Intent in the first 30 days of the program to the county superintendent. The notice of intent must include the names, addresses, and birth dates of your homeschool students.
2. Maintain a portfolio. The portfolio must contain: a log of educational activities made contemporaneously with the instruction, with a list of the titles of any reading materials used, and samples of writings, worksheets, workbooks, creative materials, etc., used or developed by the student. You must keep this portfolio for two years after it is completed.
3. Evaluate your student annually. You may use one of the following options:
   – Have educational progress evaluated by a teacher holding a valid regular Florida teaching certificate and selected by the parent—the evaluation must include review of a portfolio and discussion with the student
   – Take any nationally normed student achievement test administered by a certified teacher
   – Take a state student assessment test used by the school district and administered by a certified teacher, at a location and under testing conditions approved by the school district
   – Be evaluated by a Florida licensed psychologist or school psychologist; or
   – Be “evaluated with any other valid measurement tool as mutually agreed upon.”
4. File an Affidavit of Termination. If you decide to stop homeschooling, or move out of the county, you should submit an affidavit of termination to the county superintendent of schools within 30 days of ending your homeschool program.

College Credit

Dual enrollment courses are college credit courses. High school students enroll in college courses and earn postsecondary credit upon successful completion of the course. High school credit can also be awarded based on local school policy. Dual enrollment courses can be taught on the college campus, at the student’s high school, or online. The location of the course does not affect its status as a dual enrollment course. Home school students are also eligible for dual enrollment.