State law guide

How to Homeschool in Georgia

Moderate regulationScout Verified · June 13, 2026

Checked by hand against Georgia DOE, Home Schools, last verified June 13, 2026.

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Is homeschooling legal in Georgia?

Yes, homeschooling is fully legal in Georgia. Homeschooling in Georgia is straightforward once you know the routine: one online form a year, five core subjects, and a test every three years that stays in your own files. The state Department of Education collects your declaration of intent but does not approve curriculum or visit your home. Thousands of Georgia families homeschool happily under these rules.

Georgia homeschool requirements at a glance

Notice requiredYes, an annual declaration of intent filed with the Georgia DOE.
Required subjectsYes, five core areas: reading, language arts, math, social studies, and science.
Testing / assessmentYes, a standardized test every three years beginning after grade 3; results stay private.
RecordkeepingYes, a yearly written progress report kept for three years.
Parent qualificationsA high school diploma or GED.

Georgia homeschool law in detail

Each requirement below links to the statute that governs it, so you can read the law yourself instead of taking our word for it. The governing law is O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c).

Notice / letter of intent

Under O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c), you submit a declaration of intent to the Georgia Department of Education (not your local district) within 30 days of starting your home study program, and then annually by September 1. The DOE provides an online submission portal, which is the easiest route. The declaration includes the names and ages of your students, the location of the program, and the dates of your 12-month school year.

Read the law: O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c) (declaration of intent to GA DOE within 30 days, then by Sept 1)

Required subjects

Georgia requires a basic academic program that includes, but is not limited to, reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science. You choose the curriculum, materials, and methods yourself. Nothing is submitted to the state for approval.

Read the law: O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c) (reading, language arts, math, social studies, science)

Required days or hours

Your program must run the equivalent of 180 school days per year, with each day including at least 4.5 hours of instruction unless the child is physically unable. You set the calendar and daily schedule.

Read the law: O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c) (180 days equivalent, 4.5 hours per day)

Recordkeeping

Each year, the teaching parent writes an annual progress assessment report covering each required subject area. You keep these reports for at least three years; they are never submitted to the state or district. Keeping a simple attendance record alongside them is wise, though Georgia ended monthly attendance submissions years ago

Read the law: O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c) (annual progress report kept 3 years)

Testing and assessment

Beginning at the end of third grade, your child must take a nationally standardized achievement test at least every three years. You choose and arrange the test, and the results are for your records only; they are not reported to the state. The test must be administered in line with the publisher's requirements.

Read the law: O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c) (nationally standardized test every 3 years from grade 3)

Withdrawing from public school

If your child is enrolled in public school, notify the school in writing that you are withdrawing them to begin a home study program, and follow any district withdrawal form or process. Then file your declaration of intent with the Georgia DOE within 30 days of starting. The filed declaration is your legal proof of compliance with compulsory attendance.

Read the law: O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c) (file declaration within 30 days)

Good to know

Georgia's declaration goes to the state DOE rather than the local district, which keeps interactions simple. The Dexter Mosely Act (2021) created limited public school extracurricular access for home study students Home study graduates qualify for the HOPE scholarship through standard testing pathways.

How to start homeschooling in Georgia

  1. Confirm the teaching parent (or a tutor you hire) holds a high school diploma or GED.
  2. If your child attends public school, submit a written withdrawal to the school and complete any district exit paperwork.
  3. File your declaration of intent online with the Georgia Department of Education within 30 days of starting, and mark September 1 on your calendar for the annual renewal.
  4. Plan a program covering reading, language arts, math, social studies, and science across 180 days of at least 4.5 hours each.
  5. At the end of each year, write your annual progress report and keep it on file; schedule a standardized test in the years it is due (every three years starting after grade 3).

File your notice

Georgia requires an annual Declaration of Intent filed online with the Georgia Department of Education within 30 days of starting and by September 1 each year thereafter.

No login and no fee to file. If you need wording, our fill-in-the-blank letter template is just below.

Form links checked when we built this page.

Homeschool funding in Georgia

We're verifying Georgia's funding programs against official sources right now, dollar amounts and rules change yearly, and we'd rather be right than first. Check back soon.

Free Georgia declaration of intent template

Fill-in-the-blank and ready to send. Free, no email required.

Download the free template

Find homeschool families near you in Georgia

Co-Op

  • CSRA Home Education Association · Augusta (Central Savannah River Area)

    A Christ-centered organization promoting and supporting parent-directed, home-based education across the Augusta region. Membership includes annual standardized testing, academic clubs, mentoring and support, social activities, and a graduation ceremony for seniors.

    Visit website
  • Catoosa Home Education Association (CHEA) · Ringgold (Northwest Georgia)

    An association of 100+ homeschool families from Catoosa, Walker, Dade, and Whitfield counties plus the Chattanooga metro, offering group support through classes, field trips, family meetings, clubs, and friendships. The group is 100% parent-volunteer-led and guided by Christian principles.

    Visit website
  • Central Georgia Christian Home Educators (CGCHE) · Warner Robins (Middle Georgia)

    A homeschool group serving the heart of Georgia, from Warner Robins and Macon to Perry and Byron, where Christian families learn and grow together. Entirely member-run, with field trips, park days, holiday celebrations, and plenty of fellowship along the way.

    Visit website
  • EPIC Homeschool Network · Powder Springs (Cobb County)

    A multicultural, faith-based nonprofit on a mission to enrich, enhance, and empower home education for pre-K through 12th grade. Members enjoy weekly homeschool hangouts, monthly field trips, classes, parent webinars, and a state-accredited academic studies program.

    Visit website
  • Family Education for Christ (FEFC) · Savannah

    Savannah's long-running Christian homeschool support group gathers on third Tuesdays from September through May for fellowship and encouragement, and welcomes diverse homeschooling styles. Kids can plug into American Heritage Girls, Trail Life USA, speech and debate, youth theatre, and middle and high school groups.

    Visit website
  • GRACE Homeschool Co-op · Blairsville (Union County)

    A K-12 Christian homeschool cooperative in the beautiful North Georgia mountains, meeting on Tuesdays for sixteen-week fall and spring semesters. All parents are actively involved on co-op day, and nursery and preschool care is provided for younger siblings.

    Visit website
  • Georgia Home Education Association (GHEA) · Statewide

    Georgia's member-supported homeschool association is committed to the advancement of home education and protecting every family's right to homeschool. They help you find local support groups, walk you through the Declaration of Intent, and offer resources from a Start Strong course to high school transcript and graduation guidance.

    Visit website
  • Harris Co. Homeschool Collective · Pine Mountain (Harris County)

    A parent-run collective open to all home educating families in Harris County and the surrounding Columbus area, building community through weekly Friday enrichment and supplemental classes plus social events. They aim to offer classes for kids ages 3 to 18 each session.

    Visit website
  • Southwest Georgia Homeschool Association · Albany

    A Christian homeschool association serving families across Southwest Georgia with a gentle, Charlotte Mason-inspired approach, empowering parents to nurture faith, wisdom, and lifelong learning. Open to Christians of all affiliations and welcoming to anyone starting their homeschool journey.

    Visit website
  • Tri-County Christian Home Educators · Hartwell (Northeast Georgia)

    A group of Christian families in Hart, Elbert, Franklin, Madison, and Stephens counties who come together for fellowship, encouragement, and support. The year is full of community life, from the Back to School Party and Christmas Craft Day to biography fairs, art fairs, field trips, and workshops.

    Visit website

Forest & Nature School

  • Chattahoochee Hills Charter School · Chattahoochee Hills (South Fulton County)

    A tuition-free K-8 public charter where learning is in their nature, pairing a rigorous curriculum with the wonders of the natural world through a focus on art, agriculture, and environment. Around 550 students learn on a rural campus along Rivertown Road.

    Visit website
  • Honey Creek Forest School · McDonough (Henry County)

    A nature-based school where education is about nurturing the whole child, with a student-centered approach that encourages self-discovery in the outdoors. Families can choose full-time, part-time, or hybrid options, and students build portfolios instead of taking grades and standardized tests.

    Visit website
  • Naturally Nurtured Nature School · Macon

    A Reggio-inspired forest school on Thomaston Road offering Pre-K and forest kindergarten with all-weather nature immersion time every day, where children have voice and choice in what, when, and where they learn. They also run homeschool programs in the arts and sciences plus year-round nature camps.

    Visit website
  • Oakwood Forest Preschool at Dunwoody Nature Center · Dunwoody

    A play-based, place-based, emergent learning program for ages 3.5 to 5 that happens almost entirely outdoors on the nature center's 22 acres - here, nature is the curriculum. Small classes with a 6:1 student-teacher ratio and a choice of 3-day or 5-day mornings.

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  • Wild Earth School · Athens

    A forest school at Piedmont Preserve where kids learn through play and nature connection - wild exploration, games, storytelling, crafting, and earthskills across 50 acres of forests, fields, creeks, and streams. Accredited by the Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Schools, with sliding scale pricing and scholarships.

    Visit website

Waldorf School

  • Academe of the Oaks · Decatur

    Georgia's only Waldorf high school, a college-preparatory program for grades 9-12 minutes from downtown Decatur. Students work with primary sources rather than textbooks, enjoy small classes, no-cut sports, dual enrollment, and study abroad opportunities in more than ten countries.

    Visit website
  • The Garden School of Marietta · Marietta (Cobb County)

    A nature-immersive, Waldorf-inspired forest school where school days happen in outdoor classrooms across a 14-acre campus of wetlands, farm, and garden. Serving K3 through 8th grade, the curriculum engages the head, the heart, and the hands for a holistic education.

    Visit website
  • The Waldorf School of Atlanta · Decatur

    An AWSNA-accredited Waldorf school serving children from the infant-toddler Morning Garden through Grade 8 on seven beautifully wooded acres. The curriculum nurtures kids to think with clarity, feel with compassion, and act with sustained purpose, with specialties like handwork, gardening, woodworking, music, and eurythmy.

    Visit website
  • Tidewater Waldorf · Thunderbolt (Savannah)

    Savannah's Waldorf-inspired hybrid program, a drop-off community supporting families who have chosen home education, running Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from September through May. Classes span parent-child through the elementary grades, protecting childhood and letting kids thrive through imagination and play.

    Visit website

Homeschooling in nearby states

See homeschool laws for all 50 states

Georgia homeschooling FAQ

Where do I send my Georgia declaration of intent?

To the Georgia Department of Education, not your local school district. The DOE offers an online declaration of intent portal, and the law also allows written submission.

Do I need a teaching degree to homeschool in Georgia?

No. The teaching parent or guardian only needs a high school diploma or GED. You may also hire a tutor, and the tutor needs the same minimum qualification.

Does anyone see my child's test scores or progress reports?

No. The every-three-years standardized test and the annual progress reports stay in your own records. You simply keep progress reports for three years and have them available.

What does the 4.5-hour day actually mean for us?

Georgia counts a school day as at least 4.5 hours of instruction, but you decide what counts: read-alouds, projects, field trips, and life-skills learning all teach. Most families find a focused homeschool day covers this comfortably.

Can my homeschooler join public school sports or activities in Georgia?

Georgia's Dexter Mosely Act opened some extracurricular access for home study students who take a qualifying course, but conditions apply Check with your local school and the current statute before counting on a roster spot.

What if I start homeschooling in the middle of the school year?

That is fine. File your declaration of intent within 30 days of establishing your program, whatever the date, then renew by September 1 each following year.

Sources

This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. Homeschool laws change, always confirm current requirements with your state's official sources before relying on them.

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