«		LEGAL/LEGISLATIVE UPDATES		»
ACROSS THE STATES

FLORIDA

Policy contained unlawful requirements

On January 11, 2005, the St. Johns County School Board voted on a revised homeschool policy requiring that (1) every new homeschool family in the district meet with school officials to discuss the state homeschool requirements and (2) each homeschool portfolio include a daily log of instructional and study hours.

Home School Legal Defense Association reviewed the policy and determined that these two provisions are not a part of Florida state law. Therefore, the school district has no authority to impose them on homeschoolers. After local HSLDA members expressed their concern over these new provisions, the St. Johns School Board agreed to remove the parental meeting requirement, but continued to insist on the expansion of the portfolio requirement.

HSLDA Senior Counsel Christopher Klicka wrote to the school board explaining that they had no authority to add the daily log requirement, and insisted that it be removed before the board's vote. The board members subsequently reversed their position by removing the entire homeschool policy from consideration, acknowledging that homeschoolers need only follow applicable state laws, not local requirements.