How to Transfer from Homeschool to Public School? A Complete Guide

We are available to assist all families, including those who have decided to send their children to a traditional school after first homeschooling.

More options than ever before exist for parents and families in terms of education. And occasionally, with so many options, your homeschooled family may decide to change schools in the middle of the year—from homeschooling to a private school or even to public school.

We have some advice to help with the transition, no matter why you’ve chosen to send your homeschooled child to a public or private school.

How to Transfer from Homeschool to Public School?

Read this section carefully if you’ve considered switching to a public school.

Keep Detailed Records

Even if you never intend to enroll your children in a traditional school setting, every home educator should keep thorough records. Homeschooling parents may be required by some states to maintain a daily attendance record and attend school for a set number of hours each day. Some are kinder than others.

However, regardless of what your state mandates, it’s best to keep track of attendance, the curriculum you used each year of school, your grades, and any exam results.

Further Reading:

• Can You Transfer to Harvard from a Community College?
• How to Transfer from Community College to University?
• Do Community College Credits Transfer to a University?

Knowing this information and being able to share it with the public school could mean the difference between your child being placed in the appropriate grade level and needing to repeat a year or two of school.

Prepare for a Classroom Setting

Give your kid practice taking notes and completing various test types. Even though the typical homeschooled student doesn’t need to take a lot of notes, once your child can read and write, it’s important to teach them this skill. If they choose to attend a public school, you’ll both be happy you invested the time in learning note-taking skills.

Instilling test-taking skills in your child is similar. To give your child some experience being tested and learning how to take tests, you might want to make sure that at least one of the curricula you use in your homeschooling has a testing component. A great article about teaching your child to take tests can be found on the HSLDA website.

A yearly standardized test, like the Stanford Achievement Test, might be something else you want to consider having your kid take. Homeschoolers can take exams at many private schools. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can conduct the test at your house. Joining an organization like Homeschool Testing Services is one possibility.

Get the Timing Right

It is better to enroll your child in public school at some grade levels than others. My oldest daughter attended public high school after I decided to try homeschooling her for the first time in the second through eighth grades.

Given that we were not asserting that she had accrued any credits, it was simple to place her in the ninth grade. Her standing among the other incoming freshmen was now equal as a result.

My friends had trouble transitioning their 10th and 11th graders from homeschooling to public school; the process wasn’t easy. Both the parents and the kids found it frustrating that their children had to repeat courses that they had already completed.

No matter if you are enrolling in elementary school or high school, some schools will test you to determine where you should be placed.

When it comes to how to treat students who are coming from unaccredited schools, each school district in Texas—where I homeschool—makes its own decisions. Enrolling your child in an accredited online school is one way to get around this issue so that, if or when you decide to enroll them in public school, their prior work will be recognized.

Smooth the Transition With An Online Public School

If you are certain that you will send your child to public school, you might want to enroll them in an online public school to make the transition easier for them.

Be aware that since online public schools are essentially homeschooling, you should expect the student to attend class on specific days and during specific times, take required tests, and follow other rules that apply to public schools.

Related: How to Transfer from Public School to Online School?

For many families who only intend to homeschool for one or two years, this is a good solution. In general, online public schools are free, but there are fees for accredited institutions.

Get Wisdom from Other Parents

Speak with local parents whose children attended public school after being homeschooled. They’ll have a thorough knowledge of the entire procedure and can give you advice on what worked and what didn’t. Even if they can’t do anything else, they will at least be able to show your support and empathy.

It’s important to surround yourself with people who share your beliefs because your family and friends who don’t homeschool may find it difficult to understand the emotions and stress you and your child are experiencing during this transition.

Preparing Your Child for the Transition

There are many things you can do to make the transition from homeschooling to public school easier for your child, but one of the most important is to let them know what to expect.

Prior to your student’s first day of class, if at all possible, arrange a visit and a facility tour. Some of the stress they feel about the shift might go away if they can picture how their day will go.

Naturally, observing the school environment is just one of the things you can do to prepare your child for his or her new adventure. Making the shift can be aided by using the checklist below as a resource.

• Get in touch with your state’s homeschool association. They frequently can connect you with other parents who have been through the process or provide you with specific information about school re-entry that can be useful.
• Complete any enrollment requirements set forth by the school system, such as obtaining a valid birth certificate and/or completing the necessary paperwork for immunizations, dental and/or vision exams, proving residency, and/or getting all necessary vaccinations.
• Prepare your portfolio for homeschooling, taking into account any records you may have of your standardized test results. Your child’s grade placement can be determined with the aid of this information by the school administrator.
• Your homeschool curriculum, even curriculum from corresponding grade levels, won’t exactly match the school’s curriculum, so be sure to prepare your student for the possibility that he or she may be ahead or behind in some subjects.
• Talk to your child/teen about any feelings they may have regarding school. There are no “wrong” feelings. Encourage your homeschooler about the upcoming experience while validating his or her feelings.
• Spend some time educating your student about some of the novel educational concepts they will encounter in a public school, such as how to interact with peers and the teacher, as well as school safety.
• Remember to emphasize the benefits of attending school, such as meeting new people, taking part in extracurricular activities or sports, and attending school functions.
• If your child or teen has any misconceptions about attending school, dispel them. Discuss possible myths like the idea that all children are bullies or the notion that teachers don’t have time to assist each student individually.

Can I Transfer My Child from Homeschool to Public School During High School?

Yes, you should schedule a meeting with the school. The law does not mandate that you give the high school a transcript if your child is transferring from home to a public or private institution.

Although a school cannot reject a child’s enrollment, they may request to see proof of a student’s progress in order to more accurately judge their abilities. To have their academic performance evaluated, a student may first enroll in an applied stream for a semester.

Wrapping Up: Transfer from Homeschool to Public School

It can be difficult for your entire family to switch from homeschooling to public school, whether it was planned or not. In order for your child to succeed in school, it is crucial to ensure that they have access to their unique learning style.

We wish you luck in making this transition as painless as possible using the advice we’ve provided.

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