Millions of children in the United States are homeschooled. In fact, Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) projects that this number will reach over 12 million by 2015. The United States Constitution does not have specific laws concerning education; each state governs education and has its own laws concerning homeschooling. So, if you’ve considered homeschooling your children, you will only have to learn the laws for your individual state.

From state to state, homeschooling laws vary. Many states delegate the authority of mandating to provide for its students to the state’s Board of Education. The state Board of Education wants to ensure that every child receives an adequate education. A Federal law was passed, the Equal Education Opportunities Act of 1974 because of this mandate. Based on their race, color, sex, or national origin, the law requires that no state can deny any child an education. In other words, every child is guaranteed an education within every state.

It is ultimately up to the parent to choose where their child will attend school – whether it be a public school, private school, or homeschool, since states cannot deny a child an education. Public schools are regulated by the state, as well as some private schools. However, there are often few regulations for homeschools, since a large percentage of homeschool families do so for religious reasons.

One state law that appears to be universal is the requirement for children to attend school in some fashion during set compulsory ages. However, in each state, these ages may be different. Depending on the states laws; some states require children to be in school from 7 to 16, others 5 to 17. To determine what your state’s compulsory ages are you can contact HSLDA, or search the internet.

National Home Education Network, Home School Legal Defense Association, and other websites on the Internet, list the homeschool laws for each state. It would be advantageous to learn your state’s laws if you choose to homeschool. You can go back to these sites to find the laws for the new state if you move to another state, especially if you are a military family who has begun to homeschool.

Military families often move several times throughout the length of a soldier’s career. Many are choosing to homeschool because it is one way to guarantee continuity in their children’s education. Rather than transferring a child from one school to another, often internationally, a military family that homeschools can continue their child’s education without fear of negative impact.

Whether to homeschool your kids isn’t an easy decision to make. While you may have to register your intent to homeschool with your local board of education, it most certainly is legal in each of the fifty states. Whatever the requirements of your state, just remember that it is up to you whether to homeschool your child, and that there are places to turn if you have questions.