Enlightium Academy is an approved private Christian school that is accredited by Cognia and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Enlightium has served homeschool, online, and co-op school students in K-12 since 2003. As K-12 education policies are different in each state, it is a parental responsibility to check on their state’s homeschool requirements and fulfill them as applicable. To assist parents with this process, Enlightium provides basic information about each state’s requirements. Parents are also encouraged to review their state’s requirements at hslda.org/legal and/or the Florida Department of Education, as educational policies are subject to change over time.

Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states and Washington D.C.; however, with a freedom to educational opportunities comes a responsibility to understand and fulfill legal requirements. This can be worrisome, yet you’re not alone in this endeavor. Enlightium Academy is here to help! 

Please note that the resources below serve as a starting point for your family; it is important that you research Florida homeschooling requirements.

 

Florida’s Homeschooling Requirements at a Glance

Homeschooling Options	Option 1: Homeschooling under the homeschool statute as a Personalized Education Program (PEP) student
State Educational Funds	Yes
Does the Parent Need to Notify the State?	Yes
Academic Calendar Requirement	No
Reporting Age Requirement	6
Instructor Qualifications	No
Required Subjects	No
Standardized Assessment	Yes
Immunization Requirement	No
Keep a Portfolio	Yes
Enlightium Parents App with Group for Florida Families	Yes

 

Homeschooling Options

There are several homeschooling options in Florida. Families with students enrolled at Enlightium Academy can choose Option 1: Homeschooling under the homeschool statute. 

Students will be registered through a Scholarship Funding Organization as a Personalized Education Program (PEP) student. The below guidelines are based on this option.

 

State Educational Funds

Personalized Education Program students may be eligible for the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship if: 

• They are at least five years old by September 1st of the school year they are wishing to enroll
• They are a student in Kindergarten through 12th grade not enrolled in a full-time public or private school

To apply for the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship:

1. Watch this how-to video.
2. Click here to start the application.
3. Parents must pay Enlightium Academy first, then they can apply with the FTCS program for a refund of the tuition paid. 
   1. Note: Families who opt to pay tuition in an installment plan and submit multiple reimbursement requests may incur a processing fee of $150 per student, per year. This fee helps cover Enlightium’s administrative costs for providing ongoing support with multiple requests throughout the year.

 

Notify the State

Families who are new to Enlightium and coming from a private, public, or homeschool must withdraw from their full-time private/public school or terminate their home education program with the school district. Once they have withdrawn from their current program, they can register as a PEP student with their Scholarship Funding Organization. 

Families with students who are currently enrolled with Enlightium will need to terminate their home education program with the school district and register as a PEP student with their Scholarship Funding Organization.

 

Age Requirement

Ages five or younger:

Students are not required to attend school but can enroll in primary school at Enlightium Academy to have a head start and be ready for Kindergarten.

Aged six on or before February 1:

Students must continue their education at a school of their parent’s choice until they either graduate or turn 16. This includes homeschooling with Enlightium Academy.

 

Instructor Qualifications

The Florida Department of Education does not require students to have teachers with specific credentials or qualifications. 

As a part of Enlightium Academy’s dual accreditation, Enlightium teachers are state and/or ACSI-certified. A number of our faculty members have Master's and Doctorate degrees in their fields. 

Students in the Homeschool Program (grades PreK-8) use book-based Christian curricula from AOP or BJU Press, while students in the Online Program (grades 3-12) use the digital Christian curriculum, "Ignitia". Finally, students in the Sapphire Live program (grades 3-12) use a collection of the best curriculum options on the market. Each curriculum includes Bible, English, math, science, social studies, and electives courses. Click here to learn about the curriculum used at Enlightium Academy and to find the curriculum option that works best for your family.

 

Required Subjects

The Florida Department of Education does not require any specific courses.

After you enroll/re-enroll and before your student starts courses at Enlightium Academy, your student’s counselor will send you an email with a recommended course schedule consisting of core courses and, if applicable, courses that fulfill Enlightium’s graduation requirements. Your student can also select from Enlightium’s elective courses.

 

Standardized Assessment

Students who are a part of the Personalized Education Program are required to take a norm-referenced assessment. Enlightium provides multiple assessment options to help you see how your student is progressing per a given grade level:

• Grades PreK-8: IXL diagnostic assessments or Iowa Complete Annual Assessment*; you can also opt out of an assessment
• Grades 9-12: Guidance for college-preparatory assessments such as the PSAT*, SAT* and/or ACT*

*The Iowa Complete Annual Assessment, PSAT, SAT, and ACT are all approved by Florida’s Department of Education for students in the Personalized Education Program. 

 

Keep a portfolio

You may need to provide your state with additional information, so please keep a digital record every year you are enrolled at Enlightium Academy, which should include the following:

• Attendance - Enlightium provides your family with weekly progress reports. You can screenshot the details in these emails to show attendance.
• Curriculum information and samples - Enlightium provides its families with both curriculum overviews by grade level and samples by course.
• Academic plans - Enlightium Academy counselors provide them during the registration process - primary school (PreK-2), elementary school (3-5), middle school (6-8), and high school (9-12).
• Grades - Enlightium provides report cards for all students after quarters 1, 2, and 3 and report cards/transcripts at the end of the school year or summer.
• Test scores - This can include occasional screenshots of test scores and/or standardized assessment scores.
• Academic Awards - Enlightium provides qualifying students with certificates for Honor Roll, Scholar’s List, Dean’s List, and the Presidential Award.
• Social/Competition Achievements - Enlightium holds social events and competitions throughout the school year, such as art competitions and spelling bees.

 

Enlightium Parents App with Group for Florida Families

Enlightium Academy has an app and desktop platform for families of currently enrolled students. Within this app is a group just for families living in Florida to inform and support each other in fulfilling your state’s homeschooling requirements. 

Your family will be added to this group upon enrolling at Enlightium and downloading the Enlightium Parents app (which is provided upon enrollment).

 

Ready to Enroll at Enlightium Academy?

1. Explore Enlightium Academy’s website or watch this video about online homeschooling.
2. If you have any questions:
   1. Chat with a team member
   2. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
   3. Call (866) 488-4818 option 2
3. Ready to enroll? Click here to start the enrollment process, and select the blue button near the top of the page.

 

Enlightium Academy is a private Christian online school that serves homeschooling families by offering a Bible-based, flexible, accredited, teacher-supported, and affordable education from the comfort of your home. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (866) 488-4818, or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com.

We review state requirements and regulations annually; however, each state may update its guidelines more frequently. If you have additional questions, please contact your state board of education.

 

 

Sources reviewed in April 2024:

• https://hslda.org/legal
• https://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/immunization/children-and-adolescents/_documents/school-guide.pdf
• https://www.stepupforstudents.org/scholarships/personalized-education-program/
• https://www.fldoe.org/schools/school-choice/k-12-scholarship-programs/ftc/pep-faqs.stml#:~:text=While%20both%20categories%20of%20students,plan%20to%20their%20SFO%20annually.
• http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=1000-1099/1002/Sections/1002.01.html
• http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=1002.01&URL=1000-1099/1002/Sections/1002.41.html