The truancy laws in Arkansas are strict for public schoolers but how do they determine truancy for home educators?  This question has come up more than once.  These laws are in place to protect children and frankly to protect your right to educate at home.  There must be some form of accountability otherwise, children could get lost even more easily than they already can.  We are proud in Arkansas of our test scores and we want to continue to promote Homeschooling LEGALLY!!! 

Arkansas law requires school attendance for children ages 5-17 on or before September 15 of that year, but the law also permits a parent to elect for a child not to attend kindergarten if the child will not be 6 years old by September 15 of that particular school year. If such an election is made, the parent must file a signed kindergarten waiver form with the local school district administrative office. Once the waiver is filed, the child is not required to attend kindergarten in that school year and is excused from any school attendance.

Many homeschooling parents in Arkansas use the waiver provisions of the law to delay having to commence a formal homeschool education for their 5-year-old child. Once the waiver period is over, they begin homeschooling by filing a notice of intent with the local public school superintendent. HSLDA member families having questions about what procedure to follow should contact HSLDA for assistance.


You can go to the Arkansas Alliance Website for specific details but the primary sources of truancy are....

1.  Failure to register your children with your local school district.
   
2. Failure to turn your annual Intent to Homeschool Forms, including the Waiver of Responsibility that releases the State of Arkansas from the responsibility of educating your children.  
3. Failure to enroll in the K-12 State program in lieu of submitting the Intent to Homeschool forms. 
4. Failure to fill out kindergarten waiver in lieu of Intent to Homeschool for all 5 year olds.
   
5. Failure to adhere to the State Mandated Testing program in the Spring. 
   

If you have not registered with your local school district in a timely manner, you must wait up to 14 days for the Superintendent to allow you to remove your children from your local school district. 

The forms take less than 5 minutes to fill out.  Just fill them out and turn them in.  We will not allow you to participate in our group if your are not adhering to the law and are willing to prove that.  Our group is not here to support breaking the law or so called "falling off the grid". 

Obey the law!!!  For more information go to the Arkansas Alliance website...

http://www.arkansashomeschool.org/