It depends. Special education refers to instruction or assistance in traditional academic areas such as math and language arts. Related services, on the other hand, are aids to a child—like speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. These services indirectly improve a child’s ability to learn but are separate from traditional academic curricula. Under federal regulations, homeschooled students are entitled to seek related services in states where homeschools are considered to be private schools.

Because HSLDA’s emphasis is on guarding the freedom of homeschoolers from public school oversight, we generally do not help homeschooled students obtain access to special education in public schools. HSLDA may, however, assist member families seeking related services if they live in a state where homeschools are considered private schools. You can learn about your state’s provisions here.

Yes. And it can be a great option! Whether your child has a physical or mental disability or a specific learning disability, homeschooling may be the best option to help them thrive educationally. You may not be a special education expert, but you are an expert on your child!

Check out your state’s special needs provisions to see regulations that may apply to your homeschool. And please visit our Special Needs page to access free articles and other resources.

There are! In some states where homeschools qualify as “private schools,” you may qualify for services through the public schools. You can learn more about your state’s special needs provisions here.

Alternatively, if your child is currently receiving public education services, you may wish to begin transitioning to private sources for your child’s educational needs. There are many ways to obtain a private service provider. You can learn more about locating one here.

If you would like to learn more about homeschooling a child with special needs, we invite you to check out our Special Needs page. We’ve got lots of resources and support for your homeschooling journey, from start to finish!

Concerned about being able to afford services? You might be interested in applying for one of HSLDA’s Compassion Curriculum Grants.

Your homeschool program is, by nature, unique and individualized to your child’s needs. As a homeschooling parent, you are not required to follow the individualized education program (IEP) that your child had in public school or to get an IEP from the public school.

However, if your child has had an IEP in the past, the wisest path may be to continue with some or all of the IEP’s elements, using a private provider instead of the public school for services like speech and occupational therapy.

You are free to select any appropriate goals and helpful instructional strategies from your child’s past IEP that you want to use in your child’s new homeschool program. HSLDA encourages parents to draft (and keep in their homeschool files) their own written plan, often referred to as a student education plan (SEP) in the homeschool world.

Want to go deeper? Check out these articles:

• 3 Essential Steps to Protect Your Special Needs Homeschool
• Creating a Student Education Plan (SEP) to Meet My Child’s Special Needs