Can Someone Other Than a Parent Legally Homeschool a Child?

Laws and Regulations on Non-Parental Homeschooling

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

Image © toridawnrector; Flickr.com

Does your child seem to need an alternative schooling method, but you aren’t sure who will teach them? Perhaps homeschool appears the best option for your family. You may want to try homeschooling your kids, but know you or another parent cannot teach them, due to work schedules. Is homeschooling still an option? Can someone other than a parent legally homeschool a child? There are laws and regulations on non-parental homeschooling that you’ll need to know.

Can Someone Other Than a Parent Legally Homeschool a Child?

When making the decisions involved in the homeschool choice, some will wonder about all available teaching options. One possible question is whether another adult, besides the parents, can legally homeschool a child. Perhaps a parent would like their child to receive the one-on-one learning experience that homeschool can provide. Maybe the child would benefit from a customized learning plan.

Perhaps the parents have made the decision that homeschool is the answer, but feel they cannot do it themselves, due to work or other circumstances.Maybe the parents are simply looking for a tutor or teacher that can give their child full attention that isn’t possible in a classroom setting.

What Are the Exact Laws on Homeschooling a Child That’s Not Your Own?

The answer to the legalities behind this does not come with a simple yes or no on whether it can be done. The answers are varied, depending on state laws and regulations. Each state has its own set of requirements and regulations surrounding homeschool. In order to be sure you are following those laws and regulations, check with your state’s education department.

Is Certification Required to Homeschool a Child That’s Not Yours?

In some states, it is only legal for a certified teacher to homeschool a child. In these cases, a certified parent or tutor could possibly be the home educator. Still, in yet other states, certification is not required for the parent, but restrictions may apply as to who can be the homeschool teacher. In such states, a parent may not need certification, but another person who would teach the child would need certification because that person is not the legal guardian of that child. In such cases, that would not actually be homeschooling by the definition of the law, but would be considered to be private school education.

In some states, such as Florida and Texas (under the author's understanding of the current law at the time of the initial writing of this piece), anyone can be the homeschool teacher with or without certification. In these states, as well as some others, homeschool is considered to be a private school.

*For the most up to date information concerning homeschool laws and how they pertain to your individual concerns, visit the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, or HSLDA, as well as study the entire educational law for your state of residence. The educational law can be obtained from the board of education in each state.

**At the time this text was composed by the author, it is the author's understanding, based on research of educational laws, that everything herein is true and accurate. Laws can change and also can be interpreted differently by individuals. Thus, the information herein is not legal advice and is intended only for informational purposes. Multiple resources should be used when researching legal matters.