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Home School Information

The Cobb County School District (District) recognizes that parents or guardians may teach their children at home in a home study program which meets the requirements of state law as well as CCSD Administrative Rule IHBG (See below). Cobb County follows the State Department of Education Home School Requirements. The coordinator for home school is:

Barbara Hancock
770-426-3349
6997 Keene Street
Kennesaw, GA

The regulations for withdrawing a student to participate in the Home Study Program and the regulations for re-entering the District after participation in the Home Study Program are included in CCSD Administrative Rule IHBG and are as follows:

A. WITHDRAWING A STUDENT TO ENTER HOME STUDY PROGRAM:

  1. When a parent/guardian requests a local school to withdraw his/her child for the purpose of entering a Home Study Program, the school should:
    1. Refer the parent/guardian to the District’s Office for Home Study; and
    2. Inform the parent/guardian that if a student withdraws during the semester, he/she will lose credit for all courses enrolled for the semester.
  2. The Office for Home Study will give the parent/guardian the requirements for operating a Home Study Program and for re-entry into the District.
  3. The parent/guardian will be required to sign a Declaration of Intent indicating their agreement to follow the state and local guidelines of the Home Study Program.
  4. District curriculum guides, syllabi, basal texts, supplemental materials and other related instructional materials are not available on a loan, lease or purchase basis to a home study parent/guardian.
  5. In the Home Study Program, the parent/guardian assumes the responsibility for teaching all subjects or employing a tutor to teach or assist in teaching all subjects.
  6. The parent/guardian must withdraw his/her child from the local school after the Declaration of Intent has been received by the Office for Home Study. The Office for Home Study will notify the local school when a parent/guardian has filed a Declaration of Intent to home study his/her child.
  7. The STATE regulations governing the operation of a home school are as follows:
    1. Parent or guardian must annually submit to the superintendent of the local school district in which the program is located a Declaration of Intent to utilize a Home Study Program by September 1 or 30 days after a program is established. The local school superintendent will provide a form upon request for this purpose to be returned to that office.
    2. The declaration must include the names and ages of the students, the address where the program is located, and the dates of the school year.
    3. The parent/guardian may teach only his/her own children.
    4. The teaching parent or guardian must have at least a high school diploma or equivalent GED certificate.
    5. If a tutor is employed, the tutor must hold a high school diploma or a general educational development diploma.
    6. The Home Study Program must include but is not limited to instruction in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies and science.
    7. The school year must include the equivalent of 180 days of at least 4 1/2 hours of instruction per day unless the child is physically unable to comply with this requirement.
    8. Monthly attendance reports must be sent to the local superintendent at the end of each month. The local school superintendent will upon request provide the reporting forms.
    9. Students in the Home Study Program shall be subject to an appropriate nationally standardized testing program administered in consultation with a person trained in the administration and interpretation of norm reference tests. The student must be evaluated at least every three years beginning at the end of the third grade. Records of such tests shall be retained.
    10. The instructor shall write an annual progress assessment report in each required subject area for each student. These reports shall be retained for at least three years.

B. ENTERING A STUDENT IN A LOCAL SCHOOL FROM HOME STUDY:

  1. Elementary/Middle School (Grades K-8):
    1. All students entering a Cobb County elementary or middle school from a Home Study Program shall be evaluated for placement based on the following criteria:
      1. State Board of Education policy and District Administrative Rule requirements relating to entrance into kindergarten or first grade.
      2. Chronological age based on a certifiable document.
      3. Performance on standardized tests and/or instructional placement tests.
      4. Age, physical size, social and emotional maturity levels of the student.
    2. After reviewing the above criteria the local school shall place the student in the appropriate grade level. A review of the placement will be conducted after six weeks to determine final placement.
  2. High School Students (Grades 9-12):
    1. All students entering a Cobb County high school from a Home Study Program shall be admitted and evaluated for placement based on the guidelines found in District Administrative Rules regarding receiving credit from Non-accredited Schools and/or Home Schools.
    2. The student/parent will present a transcript of work done in the Home Study Program to the school at the time of registration. The transcript should include the specific names, numeric grades earned, and the number of clock hours of instruction for each course.
    3. Students who have been enrolled in the Home Study Program must pass the Georgia High School Graduation Test and meet State of Georgia and Cobb County School District graduation requirements before a diploma will be issued.
    4. Eligibility for extra-curricular participation is the same for home study students entering the system as that required of all Cobb County School District students.