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.
There are many reasons to seriously consider homeschooling: you’re in control of what your children are learning, you get to decide how much time you want to spend on different subjects, you can adapt the material to suit your children’s needs, and you don’t have to worry about your children dealing with schoolyard bullies.
Whether you’ve already made this decision or you just plan to, we’re here to show you how to start homeschooling in Nevada. We’ll help you make full use of the educational potential of Nevada, we’ll let you in on the Nevada homeschooling requirements, and we’ll offer you a diverse range of useful online homeschool resources that will guarantee your homeschooling success. Use the infographic and video below to create a homeschool that thrives.
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The Silver State
Nevada is a very interesting state; known for its liberal views on marriage and divorce, its popular tourist attractions, and the large stretches of desert and arid landscapes, Nevada is probably most famous for Las Vegas, as well as its Hollywood-promoted cowboy culture. This mixture of geography, culture and economy make Nevada one of the liveliest American states, despites its relatively low population.
One of the first things you may want to do if you’re going to get the best out of Nevada’s educational potential is take a tour of the Grand Canyon. You’ve got plenty of options to do so – helicopters and hummers are just two of them – and your children are guaranteed to love the breathtaking American West views.
Nevada also offers plenty of learning opportunity for the biology-minded, with attractions such as the Lion Habitat Ranch in Henderson, and the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens at Bellagio, in Las Vegas.
The Silver State has a nice range of museums, too. Admire the beautiful exhibits at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, see the classic American cars at the Nostalgia Street Rods and the Auto Collections, in Las Vegas, or just take your children to the Discovery Children’s Museum, also in Vegas – they’re sure to find something they’ll love.
In short, Nevada is more than just gambling and Western landscapes – it could also be just the right place to educate your children!
Nevada Homeschool Laws
The homeschool statute in Nevada is quite easy to work with, but there are a few legal obligations that you have to take into account.
The first thing you have to do if you decide to homeschool in Nevada is to file a notice of intent with the local school district. This will include the names, dates of births and grades of each child, the names of the legal guardians, a statement from each parent stating that you are in full control of the child, and an educational plan. This notice will have to be handed within 10 days after withdrawing your children from the public school, or before you begin homeschooling. There’s no set date to begin the school year on.
Once you start homeschooling, you’ll have to provide instruction in English, social studies, mathematics, science, geography, history, economics and government. However, there are no set minimum hours of instruction.
That’s about it. There are no compulsory qualifications that you need, no bookkeeping and no assessment. You’ll still want to keep records of your children progress, but they will not be legally required.
Homeschool Friendliness Grade
That would be a well-deserved B. Everything’s down-to-earth and reasonable, and you don’t really have to worry about any paper work once you’ve gone past the initial notice of intent. That said, the notice is quite detailed – more detailed than in most other states, actually - and it requires a bit of research to develop an educational plan for your children.
Conclusion
You shouldn’t find it too difficult to homeschool in Nevada, even though the initial notice of intent may be a bit demanding. We recommend you see that as an opportunity to educate yourself on the homeschooling essentials – after all, getting familiar with the basics of creating an educational plan can’t hurt you, right? If you’ve got any problems, you’ve got a pretty active homeschooling community to help you, and you can always contact if you’ve got any questions.
Resources
http://www.responsiblehomeschooling.org/policy-issues/current-policy/
http://www.doe.nv.gov/Homeschooling/ - the official website of the Nevada Department of Education provides a sample of the notice of intent, as well as a list of accredited homeschool programs
http://nevadahomeschoolnetwork.com/ - the Nevada Homeschool Network (NHS) is a great site to find homeschooling resources and to join a support group
http://www.nnhs.org/ - this is another support group targeted at homeschoolers in Northern Nevada. You’ll find plenty of resources and events, but they charge a $20 annual fee