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Military Families Homeschooling Children
Homeschooling among military families is becoming more and more popular as it is the most convenient option for families who are moving back and forth between states and countries. Many military families are not sure what their rights are in regards to homeschooling. The resources on this page provide the information a family needs to know in order to homeschool in the military, both in the U.S., and in foreign countries.
Issue History
Military families have the right to homeschool. If a military homeschool family resides in the United States, they must abide by the state’s compulsory attendance law. If the military family lives on foreign soil, however, they are not under the jurisdiction of the foreign country’s compulsory attendance law. Nor are they under any regulatory authority of the Department of Defense.
Military homeschool families, therefore, have no obligation to seek approval of the DoD to homeschool. A family simply needs to secure a curriculum and begin homeschooling.
Other Resources
 Military Home Schooling Overseas 5/20/2009
Home Schoolers Gain Equal Access to Department of Defense Schools 9/13/2007
Department of Defense Applies New Equal Access Policy for Homeschoolers 12/16/2002
 Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Policy Memorandum: Home Schooling (02-OD-002) 11/6/2002
White House Intervenes to Stop Further Attempts to Regulate Home Schoolers in the Military 2/1/2002
Military’s Attempt to Regulate Home Schoolers is Slowed 7/24/2001
H.R. 830—Military Home School Children Equal Access Act of 2001 5/1/2001
Home-Schooling in USAREUR 2/8/2001
Mandatory Notification of Home Schooling to Base Commander2/8/2001
Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Policy Memorandum: Home Schooling (99-C-001) 11/4/1999
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Homeschool Graduates Entering the Military
The military classifies would-be recruits into one of three categories, known as tiers. Tier I candidates are graduates of a traditional high school or students who have at least 15 college credit hours. Tier II candidates are high school dropouts who then get their General Equivalency Diploma (GED). Tier III are individuals who possess neither a high school diploma nor a GED.
Issue History
Prior to October 1998, the military classified homeschoolers as Tier II candidates, often requiring them to get a GED. However, in October 1998, Congress passed a five-year pilot program, where for five years homeschoolers are to be considered high school graduates and placed in Tier I. This pilot program expired on September 30, 2004. However, on January 21, 2005, the Department of Defense authored a new policy affirming that homeschoolers could be placed in Tier I without having to take a GED.
Other Resources
Enlisting Help: What You Need to Know 9/16/2009
HSLDA’s Homeschooling Thru High School Military Resources
Army National Guard Opens Doors to Homeschoolers 12/15/2008
National Guard Homeschool Path to Honor 10/10/2008
Good News in the Military: Homeschoolers Returned to Tier 1 7/3/2007
U.S. Marine Corps Opens Doors Wide for Homeschool Graduates 3/6/2007
Homeschool Graduates Enlisting in the Military Protected by New Law 2/1/2006
U.S. Army Extends Bonus and College Fund to Homeschool Graduates 5/24/2005
Homeschooling Thru High School Newsletter—March 2007: The Military’s Homeschool Policy 1/21/2005
Homeschoolers Continue to Excel in the Military 3/8/2004
Homeschooler Awarded Bronze Star With Valor 8/11/2003
Additional Information
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