Much has changed since we updated you a few weeks ago about homeschool testing and assessments in light of COVID-19.

Several states have taken action to modify—or even waive—these and other homeschool requirements to help parents and students remain safe.

Our attorneys have been monitoring the situation and have shared what they’ve learned with homeschool families through email, social media, and the HSLDA website.

In case some of you still have questions, we wanted to provide a quick recap of what has happened so far.

Of course, things may change again. And the guidance offered by officials hasn’t always been perfectly clear.

Just remember that Home School Legal Defense is here for you. You can visit our website for updates or subscribe to our email list to receive homeschool news right in your inbox.

And as always, members may contact our legal team with specific questions.

If your state is not listed, please know that HSLDA continues to work with the relevant parties on developing appropriate modifications due to the current crisis. More updates could be coming in the weeks ahead, but for now stay the course in your homeschool program!

Georgia

Governor Brian Kemp has signed an executive order that modifies the standardized testing requirement for homeschooling families in Georgia.

Iowa

Governor Reynolds has waived face-to-face student-teacher meetings and year-end assessments for homeschool families for whom those are usually required.

Maine

Governor Janet Mills has issued a statewide waiver of school attendance requirements. This means that for the 2019-20 school year, it is not necessary for public school, private school, or home instruction students to receive the customary number of days of instruction.

The Maine Department of Education has also waived the requirement that families file their homeschool paperwork with the state.

Missouri

The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has said: “Schools will not be required to make up the days/hours lost due to COVID-19 this school year, and missed calendar hours will not affect the calculation of average daily attendance.” This announcement was not limited to public schools.

New Hampshire

Commissioner of Education Frank Edelblut has issued a statement waiving annual homeschool assessments for the current academic year.

New York

The Board of Regents just voted to eliminate the need for an annual assessment for all homeschool students for the 2019-2020 school year. However, there are details homeschool families should be aware of.

North Carolina

The Legislature has passed Senate Bill 704, which alleviates several requirements for the 2019-2020 school year.

Ohio

House Bill 197 was amended with the intent of waiving the homeschool assessment requirement for the current school year. The legislative language was a little unclear, but the Ohio Department of Education has promised further guidance.

Pennsylvania

The legislature has waived homeschool end-of-year testing, evaluations, and the minimum instructional time requirements for the 2019-2020 school year. This may complicate things for homeschool high school seniors who plan to graduate at the end of the current school term.

Tennessee

The legislature passed a bill with two major changes for homeschoolers during the 2019-2020 school year. It waives the requirement that homeschools provide 180 days of instruction, and for families using the independent homeschool option, it waives the standardized testing requirement.

West Virginia

The West Virginia Department of Education has recommended that county boards give homeschoolers a sort of grace period until December 31, 2020 if they submit a standardized test as their annual assessment. This grace period does not apply to those submitting other forms of assessment.