Homeschool Evaluation Services
Supporting Florida homeschool families with expert guidance
At Inspire, Guide & Nurture, we understand the dedication and effort that homeschooling families put into their child’s education. We are here to provide personalized, professional, and stress-free homeschool evaluations that meet Florida state requirements while supporting your educational journey.
Florida Homeschool Law
Florida law recognizes home education as a parent-directed educational option. Families who choose to homeschool must comply with certain legal requirements to maintain their child’s enrollment in a home education program.
Key Requirements for Homeschooling in Florida:
✔️ Submit a Notice of Intent – Parents must notify their local school district in writing within 30 days of establishing a home education program. This notice should include the child’s full name, birthdate, and address and must be signed by the parent or legal guardian.
✔️ Maintain a Portfolio of Records – Parents are required to keep a portfolio that includes:
• A log of educational activities and materials used.
• Samples of the student’s work, including worksheets, writings, projects, and creative materials.
✔️ Submit an Annual Evaluation – Homeschooling families must submit an annual evaluation to their school district to demonstrate educational progress. This can be done through one of the following methods:
• A portfolio review by a certified Florida teacher.
• A nationally normed student achievement test administered by a certified teacher.
• A state assessment test used by Florida public schools.
• An evaluation by a licensed psychologist or a person mutually agreed upon by the parent and the school district.
✔️ Submit a Notice of Termination – If parents decide to stop homeschooling, they must submit a letter of termination to the school district.
Florida law provides homeschooling families with flexibility, allowing them to tailor education to their child’s needs without requiring specific subjects, hours of instruction, or a set curriculum.
For more details on Florida homeschool law, visit the Florida Department of Education’s website or contact your local school district.
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Homeschool Information
Homeschooling provides families with the opportunity to customize their child’s education, focusing on their strengths, interests, and learning styles. Here are some key aspects to consider when homeschooling in Florida:
Curriculum Choices
Florida law does not mandate a specific curriculum, allowing families to choose what works best for their child. Options include:
✔️ Traditional Textbooks & Workbooks – Structured programs that mimic classroom learning.
✔️ Online & Virtual Schools – Digital courses from accredited or independent programs.
✔️ Unit Studies – Thematic learning across multiple subjects.
✔️ Charlotte Mason, Montessori, Classical & Other Methods – Alternative approaches that emphasize literature, nature study, or Socratic dialogue.
The Unschooling Approach Students with Special Needs Gifted & Talented
Extracurricular Activities & Socialization
Homeschooling does not mean isolation! Florida homeschoolers can:
• Join co-ops, clubs, or local homeschooling groups.
• Participate in sports and extracurricular activities through the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA).
• Take classes at community centers, museums, libraries, or online platforms.
• Engage in volunteering, internships, and dual enrollment at local colleges.
Homeschool Record Keeping
Keeping accurate records ensures a smooth evaluation process and provides documentation if needed for college admissions or future schooling transitions. Recommended records include:
✔️ Attendance logs (not required but helpful).
✔️ Course descriptions and grades (if using a structured program).
✔️ Standardized test scores (if applicable). Seton provides nationally normed tests you can administer at home. Test sheets are returned to Seton.They score the tests and send you the results. Confidential and fast.
✔️ High school transcripts (for college-bound students).
Who Can Conduct a Homeschool Evaluation?
According to Florida law, an evaluation must be conducted by one of the following:
• A Florida-certified teacher with a valid teaching certificate in any subject or grade level.
• A licensed psychologist who can assess educational progress.
Our evaluations are conducted by certified educators with experience in homeschooling and child development, ensuring a knowledgeable and supportive experience for your family.
Our Homeschool Evaluation Services
We provide parent-friendly, supportive evaluations that recognize the unique nature of each homeschool. Our goal is to encourage and guide, not to test or judge.
✅ Portfolio Reviews – We assess a collection of your child’s work, progress reports, and learning activities to determine educational growth over the year.
✅ Virtual Evaluations – Convenient online evaluations via video call, allowing families from anywhere in Florida to meet state requirements with ease.
✅ Standardized Test Reviews – If you choose to use a nationally normed test for evaluation, we can review the results and provide an official evaluation report.
How to Schedule an Evaluation
Scheduling is simple! Follow these steps:
1️⃣ Contact Us – Fill out our online form to request an evaluation.
2️⃣ Choose Your Evaluation Type – Select a virtual, in-person, or portfolio review evaluation.
3️⃣ Submit Required Materials – Send your child’s portfolio or standardized test results before your appointment.
4️⃣ Complete the Evaluation – Meet with our certified teacher to discuss your child’s progress.
5️⃣ Receive Your Evaluation Report – We provide a signed evaluation form to submit to your school district.
📅 Schedule Your Homeschool Evaluation Today!
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Homeschooling Children with Special Needs
Homeschooling a child with special needs offers a truly individualized educational experience. It gives you freedom and flexibility to adapt curriculum and schedules to meet your child’s unique challenges and strengths. In a home environment, children can learn at their own pace without the pressures of a traditional classroom. This tailored approach often boosts confidence and allows you to integrate therapies or special accommodations into daily learning. Many parents find that homeschooling lets their struggling learners shine by building on their interests and providing one-on-one attention in a safe, supportive setting.
Curriculum Options
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Time4Learning (Secular) – A popular online curriculum with interactive multimedia lessons and adjustable grade levels. Time4Learning’s program can adapt to each child’s unique abilities, helping special needs students build confidence and essential skills in a supportive, low-stress format. The curriculum is accessible 24/7 and includes features like text-to-speech and engaging activities that cater to different learning styles. Official Site: Time4Learning Special Needs Homeschool
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Memoria Press “Simply Classical” (Christian) – A faith-based, classical curriculum track specifically adapted for students with significant special learning needs. Simply Classical provides a slower, step-by-step progression through subjects with plenty of review and reinforcement. It incorporates multi-sensory activities and developmental milestones, all within a Christian classical education framework. Official Site: Memoria Press – Special Needs Curriculum
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Oak Meadow (Secular) – A flexible, creative homeschool curriculum (PreK–12) with a gentle, hands-on approach inspired by Waldorf education. Oak Meadow is structured as a 36-week program with reading materials, assignments, and projects, but it’s designed for “specially-aided” or non-traditional learners. Parents can easily customize lessons to suit their child’s needs, using the provided planning checklists and suggestions. This approach helps keep learning low-pressure and can improve a child’s self-esteem with manageable, interest-based assignments. Official Site: Oak Meadow Curriculum
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All About Reading (Secular) – An open-and-go phonics program renowned for its multi-sensory, step-by-step instruction, which is especially helpful for children with dyslexia or other reading challenges. The curriculum uses hands-on activities, visual aids, and short lessons to teach reading in a way that keeps learners engaged. Parents appreciate that it’s scripted and easy to follow, making it simple to adapt to a child’s pace. Official Site: All About Reading by All About Learning Press
Tip: Every child is different. You may choose components from multiple programs or adjust grade levels as needed. The beauty of homeschooling is that you can “meet your children where they are” and mix and match resources to find what works best.
Homeschooling Gifted and Talented Children
Teaching a gifted or advanced learner at home can be both exciting and challenging. Gifted children often have an intense curiosity, fast learning pace, and strong opinions – which can overwhelm traditional classrooms. Homeschooling allows you to balance academic advancement with a normal, happy childhood by tailoring the learning experience to your child’s needs. You can let them dive deeply into subjects of interest, accelerate where appropriate, and slow down when needed, all in an environment where they feel understood and not judged for being “different.” The reward for parents is seeing their child thrive without limits – exploring ideas voraciously and loving learning for its own sake. Homeschooling a gifted child means you’re not just a teacher but a mentor and guide on a unique educational adventure.
Curriculum Options
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Moving Beyond the Page (Secular) – A comprehensive, literature-based curriculum designed specifically to meet the needs of hands-on, creative, and gifted learners. Moving Beyond the Page offers integrated units in science, social studies, and language arts with lots of projects and critical thinking exercises. It’s secular (not religious) and known for its inclusive, flexible approach that welcomes both secular and religious families “anywhere there are gifted, creative, or hands-on learners”. This curriculum is great for children who crave depth and variety in their studies. Official Site: Moving Beyond the Page
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Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts (Secular) – A renowned language arts curriculum written to the student and geared toward gifted kids. MCT covers grammar, vocabulary (with surprisingly advanced words that fascinate bright kids), writing, poetics, and literature in a conceptual, integrated way. The tone is conversational and engaging, often delving into linguistic concepts that typical curricula skip. It’s published by Royal Fireworks Press and is prized for encouraging deep understanding rather than rote learning. Official Site: MCT Language Arts Curriculum
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Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) (Secular) – A rigorous math curriculum (with some programming and language arts options) designed to challenge highly able students. AoPS offers textbooks and online classes for middle-school and high-school math that emphasize problem-solving and critical thinking. For younger math enthusiasts, AoPS’s Beast Academy program (grades 2–5) presents math in a fun comic-book format while maintaining plenty of depth and challenge. Gifted learners often thrive with AoPS because it moves beyond repetition and encourages creative strategies. Official Site: Art of Problem Solving (and Beast Academy for elementary)
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Sonlight Curriculum (Christian) – A Christ-centered, literature-rich curriculum known for its advanced, book-based approach. Sonlight provides fully-planned, no-prep lesson plans and incorporates Literature-Based Learning with tons of quality books in history, science, and literature. This means gifted readers will always have something engaging to chew on. The curriculum encourages deep discussions and critical thinking from a biblical worldview. Many families find Sonlight’s academically robust schedules can be adapted (sped up or skimmed) to suit a gifted child’s pace, while still ensuring a broad and well-rounded education. Official Site: Sonlight Homeschool
Keep in mind: “Gifted” doesn’t always mean “easy to teach.” Your child might be ahead in math but struggle with handwriting or be emotionally sensitive even as they solve high-level problems. Homeschooling lets you accommodate these asynchronous developments. You can use an advanced program in one subject, standard level in another, and still have time for enrichment activities like music, coding, art, or foreign languages that feed your child’s passions.
The Unschooling Approach
Unschooling is an unconventional but increasingly popular approach to homeschooling. In unschooling, there is no fixed lesson plan or set curriculum – instead, the child’s natural curiosity and interests guide what they learn and when. Parents act as facilitators rather than traditional teachers, providing resources, outings, and support as needed, but largely allowing the child to learn through everyday life experiences. This approach can foster incredible creativity, problem-solving skills, and a genuine lifelong love of learning. Unschooling children explore the world at their own pace: one day your child might spend hours conducting science experiments in the kitchen, another day they might be buried in a novel or building a complex structure out of LEGO. The philosophy is that when children are intrinsically motivated, they will naturally acquire the skills and knowledge they need, exactly when they need them.
Benefits: Unschooling can reduce the stress and pressure associated with school, especially for kids who didn’t thrive in conventional settings. It nurtures independence and confidence – children learn how to learn, becoming self-directed and adaptable. Family life can be more relaxed without the strain of enforcing homework or grades. Many unschooling parents also appreciate the chance to focus on life skills and values: cooking, gardening, volunteering, entrepreneurship, and other real-world experiences count as learning. The approach isn’t for every family (it requires a high level of parental trust, creativity, and flexibility), but when it works, it can be a joyful way to “learn through life” together.
Learning Resources (Instead of Formal Curriculum)
Unschoolers don’t use a standard curriculum package, but they often draw on a wide variety of resources to support their children’s interests. Here are a few favorite resources that align well with an unschooling philosophy:
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Khan Academy (Secular) – A free online platform offering self-paced courses in math, science, history, art, computer programming, and more. If your child suddenly gets into astronomy or wants to learn algebra at age 8, Khan Academy is there with instructional videos and practice exercises. It’s mastery-based, meaning learners can skip ahead or review as needed. Official Site: khanacademy.org
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Outschool (Secular) – An online marketplace of live, small-group classes for kids, covering a spectrum of topics to spark their interests and passions . On Outschool, your child could take a one-time class on Egyptian mythology, join a weekly Roblox design club, or dive into an ongoing Spanish course – whatever they’re into! Classes are taught by independent teachers and fellow enthusiasts, and you can enroll only in the topics that excite your learner. This can be a great way for unschoolers to explore new subjects or connect with peers who share their hobbies. Official Site: outschool.com
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DIY.org (Secular) – A kid-friendly online community “where any kid can learn any skill.” DIY.org provides hundreds of hands-on challenges and how-to videos in areas like art, science, tech, cooking, music, and more. Children earn digital badges for completing challenges, which keeps them motivated. It’s project-based learning at its best – for example, your child might choose a challenge to build a birdhouse, make their own animation, or learn a magic trick, then share a video of their creation with the moderated DIY community. This resource empowers kids to pursue skills they care about in a fun, social way. Official Site: DIY.org
Remember: The world is your curriculum when you unschool. Local libraries, museums, parks, community events, and everyday household tasks are all rich learning opportunities. A trip to the grocery store can spark a discussion about nutrition or budgeting; watching a documentary can lead to a passion for environmental conservation. Unschooling often involves “strewing” – casually placing interesting books, kits, or materials around the house for your child to discover and explore on their own. Trust that learning is happening all the time – because it is!