Because of a recent enactment by the Council of the District of Columbia, homeschool students who live in DC now have a right to take AP tests in public schools. Here is a quick review of the requirements.

  • The family must have filed timely homeschool paperwork. The Office of State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) must certify to District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) that the homeschool student is participating in a homeschool program.  
  • The homeschool student must make a timely request to OSSE to register for the test. It would be a good plan to make contact in September to begin arranging details for the spring test administration.
  • The student must take the desired test at the school the student would have a right to attend if it will be offered there.  If the test is not offered there, the student may contact another school location to sign up for the test. If the desired test is not already scheduled to be administered at any school location, DCPS is not obligated to offer it.
  • The homeschool student must pay all costs—test fees, processing fees, and possibly other costs—by check to the District of Columbia Treasurer.
While the new law refers to one AP test, DC code makes it clear the right does extend to multiple tests. Section 45-602 of the Code of the District of Columbia says, “Words importing the singular number shall be held to include the plural,” so the right extends to participating in multiple test administrations that may be available.