Homeschool Law in the United States of America: Louisiana

"Louisiana Families may choose to independently provide an excellent education to their children from their home. Louisiana families typically provide this independent education through a Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved home study program or a registered nonpublic school.

To comply with state attendance laws, parents who want to educate their children in a home study program must apply and be approved annually by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. A child enrolled in an approved home study program is considered in attendance at school.

Parents who enroll their child in a home study program are solely responsible for deciding the curriculum and providing instruction. Louisiana does not provide funding for home study programs.

Students in a home study program are not required to take state assessments. Students in a home study program may participate in interscholastic athletic activities."

"Each year, over 18,000+ Louisiana families independently educate their children through either: a) a Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) approved Home Study program; or, b) a Registered Nonpublic School (Not Seeking State Approval).
These guidelines provide valuable information to families wishing to start their own BESE-Approved Home Study Program for their own children. The Louisiana Department of Education (LDE) provides a similar handbook for families interested in educating their children through a Registered Nonpublic School (Not Seeking State Approval)."

"A. The board shall adopt standards and guidelines which shall be applied in determining whether a private or proprietary school applying for approval meets the requirements of a sustained curriculum or specialized course of study of quality at least equal to that prescribed for similar public schools. The board shall appoint an advisory committee of private and proprietary school representatives, who shall advise and counsel with the board relative to standards and guidelines affecting these schools. After initial approval the board shall periodically determine whether the private school is maintaining such quality and if not, shall discontinue approval of the school."

"A.(1) Every parent, tutor, or other person residing within the state of Louisiana having control or charge of any child from that child's seventh birthday until his eighteenth birthday shall send such child to a public or private day school, unless the child graduates from high school prior to his eighteenth birthday. Any child below the age of seven who legally enrolls in school shall also be subject to the provisions of this Subpart. Every parent, tutor, or other person responsible for sending a child to a public or private day school under provisions of this Subpart shall also assure the attendance of such child in regularly assigned classes during regular school hours established by the school board and shall assure that such child is not habitually tardy from school pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 17:233."

"A. Visiting teachers, supervisors of child welfare and attendance, and home-school coordinators, shall have all the powers, duties, and responsibilities vested or which may be vested in attendance officers by the compulsory attendance laws of this state."

"B.(1) The attendance of all school pupils shall be checked each school day and at the beginning of each class period and shall be verified by the teacher keeping such record, which shall be open to inspection by the visiting teacher, or supervisor of child welfare and attendance, or duly authorized representative, at all reasonable times. All schools shall immediately report to the visiting teacher, or supervisor of child welfare and attendance, any unexplained, unexcused, or illegal absence, or habitual tardiness."

"For the purposes of this Chapter, a school is defined as an institution for the teaching of children, consisting of an adequate physical plant, whether owned or leased, instructional staff members, and students. For such an institution to be classified as a school, within the meaning of this Chapter, instructional staff members shall meet the following requirements: if a public day school or a nonpublic school which receives local, state, or federal funds or support, directly or indirectly, they shall be certified in accordance with rules established by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education; if a nonpublic school which receives no local, state, or federal funds or support, directly or indirectly, they shall meet such requirements as may be prescribed by the school or the church."

List of requirements and procedures for instituting a home study program.

Requirements and procedure for admitting a home study student into public school.

Regulations and requirements for home study students who wish to participate in interscholastic athletics.