New Jersey Law

Every parent, guardian or other person having custody and control of a child between six and 16 to ensure that such child regularly attends the public schools of the district or a day school in which there is given instruction equivalent to that provided in the public schools for children of similar grades and attainments or to receive equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school.

New Jersey statute N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25

The provision “to receive equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school”, permits a parent/guardian to educate the child at home. The parent/guardian is obligated to notify the local Board of Education upon removing a student who was previously registered. Even if starting homeschooling immediately from Kindergarten, it is strongly encouraged for the parent/guardian to notify the local Board of Education to prevent claims that the student is truant. If you register with the Homeschool Academy, we will assist you with these notifications.

Other important things to know:

• If a parent/guardian chooses to homeschool, that parent/guardian is solely responsible for choosing the curriculum and ensuring the quality of the education received by the student. Homeschool Academy will set you up for success, but you are still responsible to ensure the student remains motivated and completes their work.
• The parent/guardian/instructor is NOT required to be certified nor registered as a teacher in New Jersey or elsewhere.
• The local Board of Education is NOT required to admit homeschooled children into their extracurricular or sports activities, but they MAY choose to.
• Homeschooled students will NOT receive a state-endorsed diploma. If you use our program, we will provide a diploma and transcript that we guarantee will be accepted for admittance into colleges and trade schools.

Learn more at New Jersey’s official FAQs about homeschooling.

Parents’ Code of Conduct

The amount of time spent homeschooling will often be far less than the time spent in a conventional school each day. Our motto says, “We can help you homeschool your child”, the rest is up to you. Listed below are our expectations.

Time

Homeschool Academy will cover the basic academic subjects with a few electives. Education doesn’t stop there. Parents will need to invest time and energy to ensure that all assignments are completed on a timely basis. Parents need to provide daily accountability, directions, and tutoring. 

Homeschool Academy is one part of your total educational program. Continue to seek out opportunities and strategies for maximizing your student’s education. Watch educational movies, visit museums, read books, take up a hobby, teach practical skills around the house and yard, or take a short class being offered in the community. There are numerous ways to increase your child’s knowledge in an enjoyable format.

Unrealistic Expectations

Some families undertake homeschooling as a last-ditch effort to prevent rebellious teenagers from dropping out of school. Homeschooling may be a good option for cutting off negative influences that aggravate the situation, but “tough love” and good counseling are more effective in a child’s life. Read some good parenting books and/or seek out a good pastor. 

Homeschool Academy cannot remove all of your child’s character flaws, rescue them from academic failure, or miraculously cure family problems. Homeschooling is an academic choice, not a solution for fractures in the family.

Independent Learners

Children learn best when they take responsibility for their learning. We need to model what we want our children to become. Our own attitude toward learning is the key influence on our children’s view of education. Let them see you reading, investigating, and discussing new areas of inquiry as adults. They will come to value lifelong learning, too. We recommend the following process to transfer responsibility:

1. Show them how to do it
2. Do it with them
3. Watch them do it
4. They do it alone
5. They do it without being prompted

Until your student is consistently at stage 5, you should continue to be engaged and ensure they are successfully completing their work in a timely manner. Even for very independent students, it is always good for parents/guardians to do periodic check-ins so that the student understands education is a priority.