What you really need to know about homeschooling in Florida
A practical guide covering legal requirements, setting up a learning space, and crafting a flexible daily routine
1. Know the Legal Requirements
My kids are very specific about which space in the treehouse is there’s and I think my oldest might have gotten the best seat… but don’t tell the others.
Florida is a homeschool-friendly state, but there are a few legal steps to follow:
- File a Notice of Intent with your local school district within 30 days of beginning. This means registering with the county that your child would attend school if enrolled at the local public school.
- Maintain a Portfolio with samples of work, reading logs, and educational activities.
- Annual Evaluation is required using an approved message, for those registered with the county this is an annual teacher evaluation of their yearly portfolio).
- Keep Records for two years in case the district requests to see your portfolio.
Other options do exist in Florida, you can use an umbrella school, or you can register as a PEP (Personalized Education Plan) student where you register with the state through a scholarship funding organization. Check out my blogs about PEP/UA to find out what scholarships exist for homeschoolers in Florida.
2. Create a Learning Space that Works for You
No need for a Pinterest-perfect classroom—just focus on function and comfort. To be honest, most days, my children and I spend our time reading in our tree house and then doing our other work at one of our picnic benches. Sure, some days, we are inside at the table or even lounging on our couch, but the point is that there needs to be a space. Curriculum storage is important, and while you don’t need your own classroom, you do need some space.
- Choose a work area like the kitchen or the living room, or if you’re anything like us, pick a spot outdoors for days with semi-decent and better weather.
- Keep supplies accessible: pencils, books, paper, storage bins (I have some favorites…)
- Design the space to reflect your child’s needs—some need quiet, others need movement. Mine don’t like to be in one place, so we make our way from place to place depending on what we are working on. You’re homeschooling, so kids don’t need to sit still all day!
3. Build a Routine, Not a Rigid Schedule
Homeschooling allows for flexibility and freedom. Give yourself permission to figure out what works for you.
- Time blocking (e.g., mornings for reading, afternoons for hands-on learning).
- Weekly rhythms (like field trips, library days, or co-ops).
- Planned rest time to recharge and avoid burnout.
My children have a four-day lesson schedule, and Fridays are our days for field trips or fun activities. At the same time, we sometimes have events on Mondays, so we do lessons on Friday that week. Allowing yourself to have a “free” day will help you shift things around when something doesn’t go along the stricter schedule.
It’s not nearly as hard as I thought, but it takes intentionality. If you’re feeling like maybe public and private schools aren’t meeting your child’s individual needs, or maybe like us, God made it clear to you that this was the direction you needed to go, then take the jump. The homeschool community is incredible, and people share many resources.
You're ready to begin once you know the legal steps, have a functional space, and a flexible rhythm. Homeschooling isn’t about recreating school at home; it’s about creating something that fits your child, family, and values.
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Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links. This means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through those links. I only recommend products I genuinely love and think will be helpful on your homeschooling journey. Thank you for supporting my work!