BESE-Approved Home Study Program
A BESE Approved Home Study Program provides Louisiana families the opportunity to independently educate their child. In a BESE Approved Home Study program, parents have complete control and responsibility for educating their child. Parent’s primary responsibilities include selecting and using curriculum to teach their child; determining the child’s grade placement; and submitting initial and renewal home study applications to the LDOE for approval.
If families have any questions, they may contact the LDOE’s toll free number at 1.877.453.2721 or email homestudy@la.gov.
BESE-Approved Home Study Program Guidelines
The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) has created guidelines and instructions that provide valuable information to families and schools about a BESE-Approved Home Study Program. The LDOE provides similar guidelines for nonpublic schools not seeking state approval.
Louisiana Families may choose to educate their children independently from the public or nonpublic school system. Louisiana families typically provide this independent education through a BESE-Approved Home Study Program or a Nonpublic School Not Seeking State Approval.
To comply with state attendance laws, parents who want to educate their children in a BESE-Approved Home Study Program must apply and be approved annually by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). A child enrolled in a BESE-Approved Home Study Program is considered in compliance with compulsory attendance laws.
Parents who enroll their child in a BESE-Approved Home Study Program are solely responsible for the items outlined below.
- Parents must submit the BESE-Approved Home Study Program Application. In order to be approved, the assurance statement must be completed by the parent/legal guardian.
- Parents must select the curriculum to use to educate their child. The Department does not maintain a list of approved programs, curriculum, or strategies.
- Parents are responsible for all BESE-Approved Home Study Program related costs. State funding is not available for parents who have students in a BESE-Approved Home Study Program.
- Parents determine the grade level the child will be taught for the upcoming year. The LDOE does not make assumptions or judgments about the grade level provided by the parent. Retroactive changes to a student’s grade level are not allowed.
- The BESE-Approved Home Study Program is responsible for creating and issuing diplomas. Home study diplomas are not awarded by BESE or the Louisiana Department of Education. Therefore, a depiction, reproduction, or duplication of state seals or wording which implies from BESE or the Louisiana Department of Education is unauthorized.
Students in a BESE-Approved Home Study Program are not required to take state assessments. Students in a BESE-Approved Home Study Program may participate in interscholastic athletic activities.
A diploma received in a BESE-Approved Home Study Program carries the same weight as a state issued diploma.
For additional home study resources such as curriculum choices, best practices for homeschooling or finding a homeschool community near you, visit homeschoollouisiana.org, homeschoolfreedom.com, nheri.org, and hslda.org.
BESE-Approved Home Study Program Application
Families apply for the BESE-Approved Home Study Program through a simple, user-friendly online application. This system will allow families to receive automatic e-mails once the LDOE receives and approves the application.
Families without internet access will still be able to submit a paper application. The paper application may be found in the BESE-Approved Home Study Program Guidelines.