Homeschool Law in the United States of America: Arkansas

"The Home School Office was established in October 1999 to promote collaboration between home school parents, public schools and the Arkansas Department of Education.

The primary responsibility of the Home School Office is to provide information and technical assistance on laws and regulations governing home schools to all interested persons."

"The Education Alliance is a division of Family Council. Based in Little Rock, Family Council was established in 1989 in association with Focus on the Family and Dr. James Dobson. Family Council is a conservative research and education organization dedicated to upholding traditional values in accordance with biblical principles. Family Council and The Education Alliance are nonpartisan, non profit, and tax-deductible. We are governed by an independent board of directors, and we are supported entirely by charitable gifts from the people of Arkansas. The Education Alliance was established as a division of Family Council in 1998. Since then, we have served as Arkansas’ largest state-wide home school organization. In addition, we are the contact organization with the Home School Legal Defense Association. Our full-time staff is dedicated to serving the needs of home schoolers across the state of Arkansas."

"As used in this subchapter, "home school" means a school provided by a parent or legal guardian for his or her own child."

"(a) The provisions of 6-18-201(a) shall be self-executing, and the State Board of Education shall have no authority to promulgate rules, regulations, or guidelines for the enforcement or administration thereof.

(b) The state board is empowered to make such reasonable rules and regulations required for the proper administration of this subchapter which are not inconsistent with the intent of this subchapter."

"(a) (1) Parents or guardians desiring to provide a home school for their children must give written notice to the superintendent of their local school district of their intent to provide a home school for their children and sign a waiver acknowledging that the State of Arkansas is not liable for the education of their children during the time that the parents choose to home school:

(A) At the beginning of each school year but no later than August 15;

(B) By December 15 for parents who decide to start home schooling at the beginning of the spring semester; or

(C) Subject to the provisions of subsection (d) of this section, fourteen (14) calendar days prior to withdrawing the children from the local school district and at the beginning of each school year thereafter. The superintendent or the local school board of directors may waive the fourteen-day waiting period."

"(a) Each student enrolled in a home school program who is considered to be at grade level or no more than two (2) years beyond the normal age for the appropriate grade for which the state mandates norm-referenced tests for public school students shall be tested using a nationally recognized norm-referenced achievement test selected by the State Board of Education."

"(a) (1) Home schools authorized by this subchapter are not entitled to local, state, or federal funds allocated to a public school district.

(2) For purposes of this section, eligible children with disabilities identified under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq., in home school settings shall be given the same consideration afforded to students in private school settings for special education services as provided for in that act.

(b) School districts providing services to home school students shall be eligible for local, state, or federal funds allocated or approved for such services."

"(a) No child may be home schooled if any person residing in the home with the child is required to register under the Sex and Child Offender Registration Act of 1997, 12-12-901 et seq.

(b) Upon petition to the sentencing court from the child's parent or guardian, the sentencing court may enter a written order specifically waiving the restriction in subsection (a) of this section.

(c) This section shall not apply if the child to be home schooled is the person registered under the Sex and Child Offender Registration Act of 1997, 12-12-901 et seq."