Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in Georgia?

Yes. You send notice to the Georgia Department of Education (it forwards a copy to your local school system), within 30 days of starting the home study program, then by September 1 each year. How often: annually. Online Declaration of Intent form on the GaDOE website (you receive a confirmation number); paper forms by mail are also accepted.

What subjects do I have to teach in Georgia?

Georgia requires: Reading; Language arts; Mathematics; Social studies; Science.

How many days or hours of homeschool does Georgia require?

The equivalent of 180 school days per 12 months, with each day at least 4.5 school hours (unless the child is physically unable).

Are standardized tests or evaluations required in Georgia?

A nationally standardized norm-referenced achievement test at least every 3 years, beginning at the end of 3rd grade. Results are kept by the parent and are not submitted.

Do parents need a teaching certificate to homeschool in Georgia?

The teaching parent or guardian must have at least a high school diploma or GED. A parent may hire a tutor, who must also have at least a high school diploma or GED. Parents may teach only their own children.

What records should I keep when homeschooling in Georgia?

Annual written progress report for each child in each required subject (keep at least 3 years); Standardized test results (keep; not submitted); Attendance records (recommended; see caveats).

How to homeschool in Georgia

Moderate regulationChecked against official sources October 9, 2026

Georgia families file a Declaration of Intent with the Georgia Department of Education within 30 days of starting and by September 1 every year after. You teach reading, language arts, math, social studies, and science for the equivalent of 180 days of 4.5 hours, write a yearly progress report, and test every three years starting at the end of 3rd grade. You keep the reports and test scores yourself; you don't send them in.

Homeschooling in Georgia at a glance: notice of intent required (send to the Georgia Department of Education (it forwards a copy to your local school system)); instruction time: the equivalent of 180 school days per 12 months, with each day at least 4.5 school hours (unless the child is…

Requirements in Georgia

Home study program · O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690(c)

Parents teach their own children at home after filing a Declaration of Intent with the Georgia Department of Education. The teaching parent (or a hired tutor) needs a high school diploma or GED. Progress reports and test results stay with the family.

Notice: Send to: the Georgia Department of Education (it forwards a copy to your local school system).
When: within 30 days of starting the home study program, then by September 1 each year.
How often: annually.
How: online Declaration of Intent form on the GaDOE website (you receive a confirmation number); paper forms by mail are also accepted.
Instruction time: The equivalent of 180 school days per 12 months, with each day at least 4.5 school hours (unless the child is physically unable).
Required subjects: Reading, Language arts, Mathematics, Social studies, Science.
Records to keep: Annual written progress report for each child in each required subject (keep at least 3 years).
Standardized test results (keep; not submitted).
Attendance records (recommended; see caveats).
Testing / evaluation: A nationally standardized norm-referenced achievement test at least every 3 years, beginning at the end of 3rd grade. Results are kept by the parent and are not submitted.
Parent qualifications: The teaching parent or guardian must have at least a high school diploma or GED. A parent may hire a tutor, who must also have at least a high school diploma or GED. Parents may teach only their own children.
Also: Write an annual progress report in each required subject at the end of each school year.

Official form: GaDOE Home Study Declaration of Intent (online)

What the notice must include

Names and ages of the students in the home study program.
Address where the home study program is located.
The local school system where the program is located.
The 12-month period you are treating as your school year.

Checklist

Withdraw your child from their current school (if enrolled): before starting; the school district must see proof of homeschool enrollment within 45 days of withdrawal.
File the Declaration of Intent with the Georgia Department of Education: within 30 days of starting, then by September 1 each year.
Teach the equivalent of 180 days of at least 4.5 hours: each 12-month school year.
Write an annual progress report in each required subject: at the end of each school year; keep for 3 years.
Give a nationally standardized achievement test: every 3 years, beginning at the end of 3rd grade; keep the scores.

Leaving a public school

Local school systems must obtain proof of a student's home study enrollment within 45 days after the student withdraws from a Georgia public school; if they cannot, they refer the matter to the Division of Family and Children Services. Filing your Declaration of Intent promptly and giving the school your confirmation avoids this.

Common questions about homeschooling in Georgia

Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in Georgia?: Yes. You send notice to the Georgia Department of Education (it forwards a copy to your local school system), within 30 days of starting the home study program, then by September 1 each year. How often: annually. Online Declaration of Intent form on the GaDOE website (you receive a confirmation number); paper forms by mail are also accepted.
What subjects do I have to teach in Georgia?: Georgia requires: Reading; Language arts; Mathematics; Social studies; Science.
How many days or hours of homeschool does Georgia require?: The equivalent of 180 school days per 12 months, with each day at least 4.5 school hours (unless the child is physically unable).
Are standardized tests or evaluations required in Georgia?: A nationally standardized norm-referenced achievement test at least every 3 years, beginning at the end of 3rd grade. Results are kept by the parent and are not submitted.
Do parents need a teaching certificate to homeschool in Georgia?: The teaching parent or guardian must have at least a high school diploma or GED. A parent may hire a tutor, who must also have at least a high school diploma or GED. Parents may teach only their own children.
What records should I keep when homeschooling in Georgia?: Annual written progress report for each child in each required subject (keep at least 3 years); Standardized test results (keep; not submitted); Attendance records (recommended; see caveats).

Worth double-checking

Older versions of § 20-2-690 required monthly attendance reports to the local superintendent (changed in 2012, when filing moved to the state Department of Education), and the 2012 version required annual attendance records to be sent to GaDOE. HB 283 (2013) reportedly removed that annual attendance submission. We could not read the current official statute text to confirm whether attendance records must still be kept; keeping a simple attendance log is recommended.
The Georgia Department of Education's homeschool information pages could not be fully retrieved during this check; DOI contents and deadlines were confirmed through the GaDOE online form, district guidance, and HSLDA.
Georgia's 2024 Promise Scholarship (education savings account) was not reviewed for homeschool eligibility; check GaDOE or the Georgia Student Finance Commission if interested.

Sources

This is a plain-language summary to help you get organized, not legal advice. Laws and forms change, so confirm the details with your state or school district before you file.