Answer: Parents are the only ones who are supposed to receive personally identifiable data regarding their child’s home school test. The Arkansas Department of Education does collect data on home schoolers as a group for statistical purposes only.


1. Can home school students take courses at the local public school?

Answer: Home school students are allowed to take academic courses at the local public school if the local school board approves it. Most public schools in Arkansas make no provision for home school students to take classes at the public school.

2. Can home school students take courses at a private school?

Answer: Yes. If the private school approves it.

3. Can home school students participate in regional science fairs, orchestra and voice competitions, spelling bees, and other similar competitions?

Answer: The organization(s) sponsoring these events establish(es) the rules regarding who can participate in these competitions. If the competition is sponsored or sanctioned by the Arkansas Activities Association, they only allow home school students to compete in “academic” competitions. This means that home school students can enter science fair competitions that are sanctioned by AAA, but not orchestra or sports related competitions that AAA sanctions.

Sports and Extracurricular Activities

1. What opportunities for extracurricular activities exist for home schoolers?



This law requires a school let home schooled students try out or sign up for extracurricular activities if the students demonstrate academic eligibility; requires students be present at school for no more than one class period–which many extracurricular activities might require anyway; sets standards by which home schooled students participating in extracurricular activities meet and maintain participation eligibility.  A copy of the law is under the “Free Info” tab on our tool bar.


1. When can a home school student drop out of school?

Answer: Like students and public and private schools, home school students must remain in school until their 18th birthday or until they graduate from high school.

2. Can home school students work during the day?

Answer: Yes. There are no state requirements regarding when a home school student must attend classes.

3. Can home school students take holidays at times that are different from public schools?

Answer: Yes. Many home school families conduct school year round and enjoy taking holidays at times when other students are in school.

Other Questions

1. Can public school superintendents encourage their “undesirable” students to leave public school and begin home schooling?

Answer: Yes

2. Can home school children be out of the home during normal school hours?

Answer: Little Rock and some other cities may have a daytime curfews for children. These do not apply if they are accompanied by a parent or if they have legitimate business such as a teenager on his or her way to or from work. Otherwise, there is nothing illegal about home school children being outside during the day. Allowing home school children to roam the neighborhood during normal school hours may provide anyone who does not approve of home schooling with a reason to contact authorities.

3. How many home school students are there in Arkansas?

Answer: The number of home school students increases each year. At the end of the 2014 school year, over 17,299 students were enrolled in Arkansas home schools.

4. If I stop home schooling, do I have to report this to my local school district?

Answer: No

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