Which state guarantees the right to homeschool as part of its state constitution?

 

If you guessed Oklahoma, you would be correct!

 

In 1907, language was added to Article 13, Section 4 of the Oklahoma State Constitution, for the specific purpose of protecting parents’ right to choose to homeschool their children. So, it would make sense that Oklahoma’s home education laws are straightforward and easy to follow. 

Oklahoma Homeschooling Laws

• Notice of Intent - Oklahoma law does not require parents to register with state or local officials, nor does it permit public school officials to visit or inspect homes. But, if your child is currently enrolled in a local school, you must officially withdraw your child from school and submit a notice of intent to homeschool to your child’s school principal.

 

• Attendance Requirements - Children ages 5-18 must be enrolled in school (this includes homeschooling). Homeschoolers in Oklahoma are required to complete 180 school days per year, made up of at least 6 hours (or 360 minutes) of instruction per day (or as is appropriate for the child’s age). Parents should keep a record of attendance.

 

• Required Subjects - Oklahoma public schools are required to teach Reading, Writing, Math, Science, Citizenship, US Constitution, Health, Safety, Physical Education, and Conservation. While there is no required or state-approved curriculum for Oklahoma Homeschoolers, it is recommended that homeschooling families follow a similar course of study. 

 

• Parent/Teacher Requirements - Homeschooling parents are not required to be certified teachers. But, according to an Attorney General Opinion given in 1973, the instruction provided at home must be “supplied in good faith and equivalent in fact to that afforded by the State.” Equivalency has never been defined by a court or Attorney General Opinion, and it is not mandated by law. But the intention of this Opinion seemed to indicate that homeschooling must not be a sham or used as a way to disguise truancy.

 

Record-Keeping - Academic progress must be established and maintained for each child. This would include the number of school days (include field trip days!), lesson plans, books read, special projects or labs, grades/report cards, and standardized testing scores. 

•  If your child returns to or enrolls in a public school, you may be required to provide documentation that will help to determine whether or not comparable instruction was provided while your child was homeschooled.

 

• Testing - Because the state does not regulate homeschools, students are not required to participate in state testing. But, because the State Board of Education does not accredit homeschools, if a homeschooled child returns to or enrolls in a public school, a Standardized Achievement Test may be required to determine grade level placement or issue credit for courses already taken. 

 

• Graduation - In Oklahoma, homeschool parents are allowed to establish their own graduation criteria and determine when their child has fulfilled those requirements. Unlike their public schooled counterparts, there are no testing requirements to be met before a homeschooled student is allowed to graduate. And parents can create and issue their own homeschool diploma and transcripts.

 

Transcripts - Traditionally, transcripts are kept and issued by the school a student attends, but homeschooling parents may create their own student transcripts. Some parents choose to assign credits to each course. You may also wish to include relevant information to the college(s) or field of study that your child is interested in pursuing (for example, extra-curricular activities, specialized areas of study, volunteer work, or special awards).

 Check out this article from BJU Press Homeschool on Tips and Tricks for High School Transcripts.

Oklahoma Homeschooling Resources

• State Homeschool Association

HSOK (Homeschool Oklahoma): Oklahoma’s statewide homeschool organization. Their purpose is to protect, promote, equip, and encourage privately-funded, parent-led, home education for freedom, for family, for the future. They host an annual Family Conference designed to equip and encourage homeschooling families.

 

• Co-Ops

Co-ops allow parents to share the load of teaching. Maybe math is not your strongest subject, but you have a degree in history, or you are fluent in a foreign language. Or perhaps you are just wondering how to teach more than one child at a time. In a co-op, you can work together and share your skills with other homeschooling parents to offer various courses to your children. 

• CHESCO (Christian Home Educators of South Central Oklahoma)- A non-profit, volunteer, Christian cooperative organization of homeschooling families in south-central Oklahoma.
• CHEER (Christian Home Educators Encouragement Resource)- A Christ-centered homeschool support group for families from the greater Tulsa area that are traditional home educators.
• SHINE- Providing mutual support, encouragement, accountability, and fellowship to new and experienced homeschool families in North Edmond, OK.
• Trailblazers Homeschool Association- An affordable homeschool group and weekly co-op in Moore/South Oklahoma City, with various activities to support homeschool families in the area.
• TriCity Impact- A group of families in the Tri-City area of Oklahoma (Newcastle, Blanchard, and surrounding areas) that educate their children from home.

 

Enrichment Classes

•  Enrichment Classes can offer specialized training or allow your child the opportunity to go beyond the basics of “reading, writing, and arithmetic” and pursue areas of personal interest.

• Heartland BEST (Boosting Engineering Science and Technology): Inspiring students to pursue careers in engineering, science, technology, and mathematics through robotics design.
• LAUNCH Speech and Debate: A Christian homeschool speech and debate club based in Tulsa, OK.
• OKC Zoo Homeschool Programs: Programs specifically designed to meet the needs of the home school community, with classes including science/conservation lessons, animal encounters, and time in the Zoo.
• Driver Education: A parent taught drivers ed class, using videos and other learning materials, with the driving portion completed with a parent.
• Pick And Hammer Geology Outreach Club: A student geoscience club whose purpose is to raise awareness about the importance of geological studies and to create a place where students at all levels of geologic study and interest can meet.
• Legacy Alliance: A hybrid school designed to assist like-minded homeschooling parents, by providing part-time, professional instruction, spiritual support, and accountability

 

Field Trips

•  Oklahoma is a state full of natural beauty, history, and culture.

State Government:

Oklahoma Capitol Building – Oklahoma’s state capitol building, is the only capitol surrounded by working oil wells. There is even an oil well slant-drilled directly underneath the Capitol building. It was named “Petunia Number One” because it was drilled through a flowerbed.

 

Historical Sites:

• Sod House Museum
• Museum of the Western Prairie
• Pioneer Woman Museum
• Chisolm Trail Heritage Center
• Oklahoma Route 66 Museum
• Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center
• No Man’s Land Historical Museum

Museums:

• Price Tower
• Oklahoma City Museum of Art
• Five Civilized Tribes Museum
• Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center
• Museum of the Red River
• National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

National Parks:

If you have a 4th Grader, be sure to check out Every Kid Outdoors. This program offers 4th Graders (and their families) free access to national parks and historical sites!

• Chickasaw National Recreation Area
• Oklahoma City National Memorial
• Washita Battlefield National Historic Site

State Parks:

• Oklahoma has 50 State Parksfor you to enjoy.

Wildlife

• Medicine Park Aquarium and Natural Sciences Center
• OKC Rattlesnake Museum
• Zoo Safari USA
• Citizen Potawatomi Nation Eagle Aviary
• Endangered Ark Foundation
• Tiger Safari Zoological Park
• Selman Bat Cave Wildlife Management Area
• Lost Creek Safari
• Old West Buffalo Company
• Oklahoma Aquarium
• Tulsa Zoo
• Oklahoma City Zoo

 

Do you still have questions?

Consider joining a local Homeschool Support Group where you can connect with like-minded homeschooling families in your area for fellowship, encouragement, and support.

 

The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) has been defending our homeschooling freedoms for over 35 years. They provide information, resources, legal representation, grants, and special discounts to their members.

 

And be sure to connect with a HomeWorks by Precept Consultant in your state. A HomeWorks Consultant is a fellow homeschool mom who will be a friend to encourage you, pray with you, and walk alongside you in this journey.