State laws change from time to time and though we try to keep the laws up-to-date at all times please check with the department of education for any changes that may have occurred.
It’s practical, safe and you can do it from home: homeschooling is an increasingly popular educational alternative among many parents who wish to be more directly involved in their children’s education.
If you plan to do so yourself, you’re about to join a great community of fellow homeschoolers, always ready to offer advice and resources. We’ll show you how to start home schooling in RI without too much effort. We’ll go through some of the main educational opportunities offered by the Ocean State, give you an introduction to the Rhode Island homeschooling laws, and point you to some great online homeschooling sites, an infographic and video to help you create a homeschool that thrives.
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The Ocean State
It may be the smallest state by surface, but it’s sure got a lot to offer to homeschooling parents. Small surface means that everything’s right at your fingertips – and you do have a lot of places to go to and learn from.
Nature lovers can take a beautiful hike through the Colt State Park and the Mohegan Bluffs, or go boating or whale watching in the waters off the Narragansett Beach or the Sachuest Beach.
If history’s more of your thing, you can visit The Breakers, The Elms, and Rosecliff, all of them in Newport, or the Museum of Work and Culture, in Woonsocket. The South Country Museum, in Narragansett, and the Warwick Historical Society are two more places where your children can learn about local and US history.
Art enthusiasts can visit the Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art, in Providence, the National Museum of American Illustration, in Newport, and the Warwick Museum of Art.
As you can see, there’s no shortage of things to do in Rhode Island – all you have to do is start visiting!
Rhode Island Homeschool Laws
If you want to homeschool in RI, the first thing you’ll have to do is to get the approval from the local school committee. To do so, you’ll have to present your proposed homeschool programs.
You don’t need any qualifications to homeschool in Rhode Island, but you’ll have to make sure you provide an instruction time equal to that offered by a public school, covering “reading, writing, geography, arithmetic, the history of the United States, the history of Rhode Island, and the principles of American government”. You should also keep attendance records similar to those in public schools.
While there are no assessment requirements, and thereby the state won’t require you to turn in assessment reports, testing and evaluation is part of the initial approval procedure.
Finally, you can enroll your children part-time in the local public school, they can participate in extracurricular activities, and benefit from special needs services provided by the local school.
Rhode Island Homeschool Friendliness Grade: D
Since it’s among the few states where you’ll need approval to start homeschooling, Rhode Island is not exactly the most homeschool-friendly. However, the rest of the legal requirements are pretty easy to meet, and, provided you’re serious about homeschooling your children, you shouldn’t have any difficulties in meeting your goals.
Conclusion
Though the initial approval process may be a bit dispiriting, it’s really just a formality if you’re serious and determined, and the rest of the homeschooling requirements aren’t too difficult to comply with.
You’ve got plenty of educational opportunities in and around the state, and the homeschooling community is always ready to help you. Start homeschooling today and take full advantage of the educational opportunities offered by Rhode Island. If you’ve got any questions or doubts, feel free to contact us – we’re here to help you!
Homeschooling in RI - Resources
Here’s a selection of websites related to homeschooling in RI:
http://www.rihomeschool.com/ - this Christian group is dedicated to new and experienced homeschoolers alike, providing new, information, and social events to homeschooling families throughout the state – you’ll find great tips on how to start homeschooling in Rhode Island
http://enrichri.org/ - this secular group provides support to homeschooling families in Rhode Island – there are plenty of field trips and other learning opportunities, so this is a site you really have to check out
http://www.ride.ri.gov/StudentsFamilies/EducationPrograms/HomeSchooling.aspx - this is the official Rhode Island Department of Education, and you’ll find everything you need to know about the Rhode Island homeschool laws