Ohio Homeschooling Online

More and more parents are transitioning their children to completing school online.  In this article, we will address the most pressing questions that are on the minds of parents, what are some of the reasons to do so, what are the laws, what is needed, most frequently asked questions, and what is needed to be successful to homeschool online in Ohio.

How do you homeschool your

What type of Online Homeschool should you choose?

The most important part of choosing an online school is making sure it is properly accredited.

High School Of America is fully accredited with Cognia and SACS CASI, and is one of the few online schools that offers NCAA-approved courses.

Accreditation determines if a school and its credits and diplomas are considered ‘real’ by other high schools, colleges, universities, employers, all levels of government, and the military.

There is nothing more frustrating than spending hundreds or thousands of dollars only to discover that your credits and diploma are not accepted by employers, the military, or other schools.

Tens of thousands of people just like you have believed they were paying for and working to obtain a real degree, only to watch their dream turn into a nightmare when they tried to actually use their degree. Don’t let that happen to you!

Checking a school’s accreditation is the most important step in choosing the best online school for you. Our accreditation is recognized throughout the United States and Internationally.

In Ohio, homeschooling is legal and regulated by the Ohio Department of Education. Parents who choose to homeschool their children in Ohio are required to provide an education that is equivalent to that of public schools, and they must notify their local school district of their intention to homeschool.

What are the Requirements needed to Homeschool Online in Ohio?

The following are some key requirements for homeschooling in Ohio:

  1. Notification: Parents are required to notify their local school district superintendent in writing 14 days prior to beginning homeschooling. Notification must include the parent’s name, address, and the name and birth date of each child to be homeschooled. If you are in the process of notifying your district here are some helpful forms and documents to assist you.Notice of intent to homeschool is a document that should inform the local school department or district of your intentions to homeschool your child. This document is also known as a:
    • Letter
    • Affidavit
    • Notification
    • Declaration to homeschoolIf you have more than one kid that you wish to homeschool, you’ll need to submit a letter for every child individually.
  2. Record-Keeping: Homeschooling parents must keep records of attendance, subjects taught, and any other information required by the Ohio Department of Education. These records must be kept for at least three years. This is easily attainable from our online platform that logs all of the attendance details inside the portal.  Therefore, you can print it off and have it available when needed.(See in image provided)
  3. Assessment: Homeschooled students must be assessed annually to ensure they are making academic progress. The assessment must be administered by a certified teacher, and the results must be submitted to the local school district superintendent. The great thing about homeschooling online with us is that you are not alone.  We offer full-time support from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST either through the portal itself where you can chat and email with the teachers directly.  You may also call and schedule a time with the teachers to schedule a conference in order to address any issues that may be outstanding.
  4. Curriculum: Homeschooling parents are required to provide instruction in the following subjects: language, reading, spelling, writing, geography, history of the United States and Ohio, government, math, science, health, physical education, and fine arts.English
    English I
    English 2
    English 3
    English 4

    Math
    Algebra I
    Geometry
    Algebra 2
    Pre-calculus/Calculus/Statistics

    Social Studies
    American history
    World History
    American government/Economics

    Science
    Biology
    Chemistry
    Physics/Anatomy/Earth Science

    Electives
    PE
    Health
    Fine Art
    2 foreign Language(if going to college)

  5. Graduation: Homeschooled students must meet the same graduation requirements as public school students to receive a high school diploma. To acquire an accredited diploma from our institution you’ll need to complete 24 credit hours.  We distribute 6 credit hours at a time.  This is the equivalent of 1 full year of coursework)

Some things to look out for

When districts send out their own “informational” letters and forms, they often include requests for things such as enrollment into their school before notifying for homeschooling, requiring phone numbers, email addresses, and other extra information, requesting proof like birth certificates and parents’ diplomas, and some are including wording that makes it sound like the district has the power to approve or deny curriculum choices or your right to homeschool, or calling your notification an “application”. All of these things are false, and not in alignment with Ohio law.

Despite all the confusing and sometimes wrong info out there, homeschooling in Ohio *is* very easy, and the process by which we do so legally is actually simple and takes just a few minutes a year. We notify you for one purpose: to obtain a legal excuse for a compulsory aged child, from compulsory attendance. We do not notify to “be official”, to announce we are homeschooling, or to gain approval to do so – you were approved to homeschool simply by being a parent in Ohio!