Excerpts of Florida Statutes Regarding Home Schooling

The 2023 Florida Statutes (including Special Session C)

Title XLVIII

EARLY LEARNING-20 EDUCATION CODE

Chapter 1002

STUDENT AND PARENTAL RIGHTS AND EDUCATIONAL CHOICES

View Entire Chapter

1002.01 Definitions.—

(1) A “home education program” means the sequentially progressive instruction of a student directed by his or her parent to satisfy the attendance requirements of ss. 1002.41, 1003.01(16), and 1003.21(1).

(2) A “personalized education program” means the sequentially progressive instruction of a student directed by his or her parent to satisfy the attendance requirements of ss. 11003.01(16) and 1003.21(1) while registered with an eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization pursuant to s. 1002.395. A personalized education student shall be provided the same flexibility and opportunities as provided in s. 1002.41(3)-(12).

source: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=1002.01&URL=1000-1099/1002/Sections/1002.01.html

The 2023 Florida Statutes (including Special Session C)

Title XLVIII

EARLY LEARNING-20 EDUCATION CODE

Chapter 1002

STUDENT AND PARENTAL RIGHTS AND EDUCATIONAL CHOICES

View Entire Chapter

1002.41 Home education programs.—

(1) (c) The parent shall file a written notice of termination upon completion of the home education program with the district school superintendent, along with the annual evaluation required in paragraph (f), within 30 days of termination.

(d) The parent shall maintain a portfolio of records and materials. The portfolio must consist of the following:

1. A log of educational activities that is made contemporaneously with the instruction and that designates by title any reading materials used.

2. Samples of any writings, worksheets, workbooks, or creative materials used or developed by the student.

source: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=1002.41&URL=1000-1099/1002/Sections/1002.41.html

Mad Science

Each class is designed for age appropriateness and all MAD scientists will
participate in hands on experiments in small groups, individually, and as lab
assistants to the MAD Science instructor in dynamic, interactive demonstrations.
Students will always be making something they will get to take home. Take-home
cards each class also indicate to parents “what we learned” and introduces “lets try this at home” activities to reinforce what was presented in the “lab”. This semester young scientists will be “doing” a mix of some cool new and updated hands-on activities. Class titles are as follows:

• Under Pressure - Join Bernoulli & Newton as we explore aerodynamics and the properties of air... under pressure. Use a vortex generator to create air pockets with a punch, and levitate ping-pong balls in defiance of gravity!
• Che-mystery - Eliminate the mystery in chemistry! Explore one of the most exciting and fundamental sciences as you grow a crazy crystal garden and make your own “chemical” soda pop!
• ”Current” Events - Take a tour on the electron freeway! Conductors, insulators, transistors, and other elements in the world of circuit electricity introduce themselves to you via the tingle in your fingertips and the twinkle in your eye…
• “Fun”- damental Forces - Gravity... Inertia... Centripetal force... who could ever imagine that an intro to physics could be so much fun? Experience these awesome forces for ourselves and build some cool devices to watch them at work!
• Wacky Waves - Create your own multidensity wave bottles while learning about water, waves and the environment. Simulate the effects of an ocean oil spill and develop creative techniques to clean it up!
• Science of Magic - Magic? No… It's science! You'll learn the secrets behind famous magic that you can recreate for yourself! Mother nature has some tricks of her own, and we'd like to show you what's up her sleeve!
• Fantastic Fliers - The Wright Brothers would be proud as we follow in their footsteps and learn the fundamental principles of flight. Build a “football” glider, control surfaces and your very own loop-flying stunt plane. You'll be a Top Gun after this class!
• Super Structures - Discover the strengths of triangles, cylinders and arches and how make for sturdy homes and skyscrapers! Use teamwork to build your own super structures as well as an earthquake-proof building!

Zoology

An introduction to the Animal and Microbial Kingdoms, from single‐celled life
forms to the Primates and many of the animal groups in between. All lessons include hands‐on, interactive time. A "Science/Nature" journal will be kept, and we always meet a living or preserved specimen to examine, sketch and/or photograph. Mr. Doug brings in a different animal friend of his to each class. The animals are not necessarily related to the class topic of the day.

Wildlife Ecology

Here Cora holds a live
Conch that was later released.

This hands-on, science-based class is designed for children with a strong interest in nature and will focus on the ecology of Florida’s wildlife and wild lands. Lessons include biodiversity, food chains and webs, predators and prey, fire ecology, habitat fragmentation, non-native species, and conservation. Facilitated by wildlife biologist and environmental educator George L. Heinrich, students will practice nature detective skills such as identifying bio-artifacts - found natural objects, reading animal tracks, and determining what a species has been eating by examining its scat. This class includes an optional field trip to Fossil Fest 2013 in Tampa (Saturday, 23 March; in lieu of previous Thursday’s class). Parents may need to assist with weekly homework assignments and are always welcome in the classroom.

Here we examined a
Lightning Whelk Egg Casing

Ecology Homework
Ecology Homework

Fossil Fest

Science Birthday

Hands on Planet Earth Birthday Party with Doug Scull