In Alaska, you’ve got four options for legally homeschooling your child. Just pick one and follow the steps:
- Option 1: Homeschool under the homeschool statute
- Teach your child at home as their parent or legal guardian.
- No need to notify the state, get approval, test, file forms, or have special teacher qualifications.
- Option 2: Homeschool with a private tutor
- Have a tutor who is an Alaska-certified teacher instruct your child at home.
- Option 3: Homeschool with school board approval
- Get approval for an educational experience that’s just as good as public school.
- Submit a written request to your child’s school principal or administrator and receive a written excuse from school attendance.
- Option 4: Homeschool as a religious private school
- File a notice of enrollment: Submit an annual enrollment form with the local superintendent by the first day of public school.
- File necessary forms: Submit Exempt Religious & Other Private Schools Enrollment and School Calendar forms by October 15 each year.
- Maintain monthly attendance records: Keep records showing 180 days of school attendance annually.
- Maintain permanent records: Keep records of immunizations, courses, testing, achievement, and physical exams. Certify these to the Alaska Department of Education.
- File a corporal discipline policy: If your school has students from more than one family, file this policy with the Department of Education.
- Avoid state or federal funding: Private or religious schools can’t receive direct state or federal funding.
- Comply with testing requirements: Standardized testing for 4th, 6th, and 8th grades is required, and results should be available to the Department of Education. Choose any nationally standardized test for English, reading, spelling, and math.
