Homeschool! Who Me?
Is Homeschooling Legal? Yes, homeschooling is legal in every U.S. state. Each state has its own laws and regulations which range from no notification necessary to very stringent regulations and oversight. You need to be sure you know the homeschool laws for the state of your legal residence. Take a look at the South Caroling Homeschooling Laws on our site,
About SC Law. For states other than SC, we suggest taking a look at HSLDA's site page for
Homeschool Laws In Your State.
Can I teach children other than my own?
No... and ...Yes.
You can only legally homeschool a child if you are the parent OR legal guardian (this must be in the form of a legally documented guardianship). You may not homeschool a sibling, niece or nephew, or grandchild just because you are family. You must have "legal guardianship".
You are the legal guardian and parent of an adopted child. Check with your adoption agency if the process is not complete.
There is a provision in the SC Code of Law Section 59-65-46 which deals with home schooling of a foster child. It states that a foster parent may teach a foster child at home as provided in Sections 59-65-40, 59-65-45, or any other provision of law, if, in addition to any other requirements, home schooling of the child has been approved by the Department of Social Services or other agency having custody of the child.
Am I qualified to homeschool my child?
Legally? Yes, as stated above. Every state has laws governing how to homeschool legally in their state. As for homeschooling in SC... A PARENT/ LEGAL GUARDIAN may homeschool their child IF they have a High School Diploma or GED.
Confidently? Again yes. There are plenty of resources to help. Workshops, support groups, teacher materials, books about how to homeschool, blogs, etc are all available. Many parents find co-ops, online classes, and video curriculum to help them provide lessons in areas they are not comfortable or weak. Homeschool parents find themselves learning along side their students.
What do I need to do to get started? 1) Decide if homeschooling is for you, your family, and your child.
After careful consideration of your options and in full understanding of the responsibilities; if you have made the decision to homeschool, you must get registered under ONE of the three options as stated in the SC Law.
2) Register with an association.
If you have chosen to join PACESC as your accountability association, we welcome your application at any time during the year.
3) Withdraw your child from their present school.
As part of the acceptance process, PACESC will send notification to the school that you are now legally homeschooling your student under PACESC and that the child can be officially withdrawn from their system. Many schools still require you to come into the office and complete their withdrawal form, return all school property, remove any personal student belongings, and settle any accounts. However, with PACESC's notification preceding your visit, this step becomes less of an opportunity for harassment and gives the parent more confidence when dealing with school officials and making this break.
4) Decide about the methods, curriculum, and materials you will use to teach your children.
While this process may have been taking place prior to, and in conjunction with, Step 1; it is an ongoing process throughout your homeschooling journey as you find what does and does not work for your student or life circumstances cause you to adjust your methods or goals.
PACESC is very supportive of the parent's right to
decide what is best for their child. Parent-teachers enrolled under PACESC are free to choose whatever materials they determine are best for their students’ interests and learning styles. There are many different philosophies and methods to teaching. There are also many, many sources of materials. You may purchase a formal curriculum package, use an eclectic approach which includes texts from different companies, use prepared unit studies, create your own unit studies, use an objectives checklist, use library books, or enroll in a correspondence school with or without full record-keeping services. The possibilities are limitless. The most important thing is that you use what meets your family’s needs.
PACESC can help with these decisions. PACESC has curriculum counseling available. We will listen to the needs of you and your student and try to help you find materials and methods that match. Disclaimer: While some materials will earn a small affiliate commission for PACESC when you purchase them, we will never allow this to influence the advice we tailor to your situation. When you do purchase materials through links that benefit PACESC, it is at no extra charge to you and all thoughts, opinions, and reviews are our own. The affiliate commissions received through links on our site, emails, or social media allow us to keep PACESC fees down and keep us operational.