FloridaShines Flyer
Attendance Requirements
- How do I keep attendance?
We will send you a customized PDF or XLSX attendance form on enrollment. You will log the days and total number of hours your child is in school. You must keep complete and accurate attendance records that document the minimum compulsory attendance requirements required by law.
- How often do we have to report our child's attendance?
Attendance is reported at the end of each academic year. You are welcome to send us your child's attendance more often. We have parents that send it to us monthly, quarterly, and biannually. Just keep one record (per child) and update it throughout the school year.
- We school at different hours and take breaks throughout the day. Do we need to keep track of the specific times our children are in school?
No. You only need to record the total number of instructional hours for the day.
- Does my child have to be in school for a specific number of hours each day?
No. Your child's daily instructional hours may vary, but your child must meet the required net number of instructional hours by the end of the school term.
- What counts as a school day?
As a supervisor of your child's education, you decide what counts as a school day. Field trips, classes at museums and science centers, library activities, co-op classes, and online lessons, to name a few, all count. Instruction does not have to take place in the home.
- Do we have to keep a log of our activities or the curriculum we use?
Maybe. If you are enrolling your child in our academic program, you will need to keep records for your child's portfolio review. If you are enrolling your child in our diploma program and your child is seeking credits by portfolio, you will need to keep records for credit verification. If you are enrolling your child in our standard program, you do not necessarily need to keep records, but we recommend you do. You may find them helpful at some point, especially should your child enter or return to a public or traditional private school.
- Do we have to keep a portfolio?
You may need to keep a portfolio if your child is enrolled in our academic program or diploma program, but otherwise no. This said, we encourage you to do so. We especially recommend you keep a portfolio documenting Kindergarten, since successful completion of Kindergarten is required for entry into public school first grade. We also encourage you to keep a portfolio documenting high school coursework, since some colleges and universities require applicants who complete a home school program or graduate from a non-accredited high school to submit portfolios (and/or transcripts) to be considered for admission.
- My child has already started his school year. Can we count his attendance from his last school?
You're welcome to include a note on your child's attendance form if you want to include it as part of the 180 day requirement.
- Does my child have to wait until the end of the school term before advancing to the next grade level?
No, but you must contact us if you want your child's grade level officially changed. Note that it is fine for the level of your child's curriculum to differ from your child's grade level.
- When will my attendance record be due?
Your child's attendance record will be due at the end of the academic year or on grade level completion, whichever comes first. We'll email you a reminder near the end of the academic year.
- How do we submit attendance records?
Attendance records may be mailed, emailed, or attached to one of our submission forms.
