No! If you register with HPA and as a homeschooler with your county simultaneously, you will receive a notice from the county that your annual evaluation is due! When you enroll in HPA or any private school, you MUST NOT register with the Home Education program in your county. As a registered student of HPA, your student will not be recognized by the state of Florida as a home-educated student but as a private school student.

Registering with the county as a home education student AND registering with a private school is not legally required and goes against the Florida State Statutes. You cannot lawfully be enrolled in both simultaneously. If your school or county requests it, please follow up with them concerning the law.

However, if you registered with the state home education program (via your local school board), you MUST send them a Notice of Termination within 30 days of enrollment with HPA. Any student registered with the state home education program must terminate the homeschool program, regardless of whether you enroll the child in a public or private school or transfer your home education program to another county. The only thing required by law is the child’s name, address, and the parent’s signature on the letter stating that you are ending your “state home education program. “You may choose to tell them where you plan to enroll or if you are moving out of state, but the law does not require it. Please be aware that, as per FL State Statutes, they may require you to submit an evaluation before terminating your homeschool program. Here is a Notice of Termination you may use if you choose.

Please be aware that the county where you have filed your notice of intent to homeschool may require you to submit to them a final evaluation of your student before they will accept your notice of termination. They have a legal right to request this evaluation, although most do not. I’ve found that they don’t typically require it unless you are on their “radar,” such as in situations of CPS, truancy, etc., but they may still require it.

Enrollment with a Private School Vs. Home Education State Statute Requirements

Feature/Requirement	Private School	Home Education Statutes
Register with Superintendent by filing a notice of intent to homeschool.	No	Yes
Maintain portfolio, preserve for 2 years and make it available for inspection by Superintendent within 15 days’ notice.	No	Yes
Student evaluated by a certified teacher annually and file annual evaluation with Superintendent.	No	Yes
Students take any nationally normed student achievement test administered by a certified teacher with results filed with the Superintendent.	No	Yes
Possible “audit” of records by School District/Superintendent.	No	Yes
Satisfy Florida State compulsory attendance requirements.	Yes	No
Eligible for Bright Futures Scholarship.	Yes	Yes
Participate in Inter-Scholastic Extracurricular Student Activities.	Maybe	Yes
Take Classes with Florida Virtual School Flex.	Yes	Yes
Upon withdrawal/termination, provide a notice of termination and an annual evaluation within 30 days.	No	Yes
Participate in Dual Enrollment	Yes	Yes

The chart above reflects legal requirements only. Private schools like HPA also tend to offer services to their students such as:

• Recommendations for curriculum
• Report Cards
• Guidance Counseling
• Transcript Services
• Diplomas
• Etc.

Each private school may set its own requirements regarding curriculum, samples of work, testing, evaluations, and so on. The key difference between enrolling in a private school and registering as a home educator is this:

• Private school students are overseen by administrators you select. Identifying data about the student and samples of the student’s work are never shared with anyone outside of the private school (other than at your request).
• Home education students are overseen by government employees at the school district. Parents must file annual evaluations with the district and may be required to show their record-keeping and samples of the student’s work.