As a parent considering homeschooling your child who has special needs, does your decision hinge on the accessibility of services like occupational, speech, or other therapy or evaluations? We get that—so here’s a quick summary of the options available to you and your child.

Although HSLDA doesn’t generally recommend it, you can often get special education assistance through public school programs. These programs include any services funded by state or federal dollars though your local school district, whether the services are provided in your own home or at the school.

While you can obtain an evaluation for special education needs in every state, only about half of the states require services to be provided to homeschool students. See your state’s special needs provision here.

Parents who choose to homeschool already have a lot on their plates, and, in HSLDA’s experience, many families have found that public school services come with strings (and potential legal difficulties) attached. So it is best to choose a private service provider whenever possible.

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

HSLDA members can reach out to our Special Needs Consultants to get in touch with a local special education professional.

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

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!

You receive a full year of all the member benefits below for far less than you would pay for an hour of an attorney’s time almost anywhere else!

Member Legal Services

From legal advice to full court representation: no matter what services are needed to help you, there are no further charges of any kind beyond your annual membership dues.

• Get personal answers to your homeschooling-related legal questions, whether you need clarification of your state’s homeschool law or are experiencing conflict or misunderstanding with a government official.
• Know that we will correspond on your behalf with such officials as needed. Often, a well-worded first response to an official can prevent a situation from escalating into a full-blown legal problem.
• If your homeschooling-related situation winds up in court, you can rest assured that HSLDA provides full representation at every stage of legal proceedings. (This may require hiring local attorneys at no charge to you.)*

Member Consultant Services

Get one-on-one advice by phone or email from our pre-K–12 educational consultants at no additional charge—just the cost of your annual membership dues. The educational consultants can help you with:

• Getting started homeschooling.
• Homeschooling a child with special needs.
• Planning classes and choosing curriculum.
• Making a high school transcript.
• And much more!

• Enjoy 24/7/365 access to our members-only online resources, including detailed information and HSLDA-designed forms to help you comply with your state’s homeschooling regulations.
• Save money by using our specially negotiated member discounts with national vendors through the HSLDA Member Discount Program.
• Help your budget stretch even further by using your member discounts on other HSLDA programs and services, such as the HSLDA Store, HSLDA Online Academy’s online courses, and Generation Joshua leadership camps.
• Read the inside scoop with the Home School Court Report, our quarterly member magazine packed with homeschooling news, analysis, stories, tips, and encouragement.

* Please note that member families who choose to consult separately with a non-HSLDA attorney must do so at their own expense.