Source: http://www.schools.pima.gov/schools/home-school-information
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 18:03:26+00:00

Document:
Find information about homeschooling in Pima County.
This information was compiled by homeschool educators to help new and existing parents comply with Arizona laws for homeschooling. Please read through carefully and let the Pima County Superintendent’s Office know if you need any help.
Affidavit of Intent is accepted for children six (6) to sixteen (16) years of age. Arizona Revised Statute (A.R.S.) §15-802 (A) says, "Every child between the ages of six (6) and sixteen (16) shall attend a school and shall be provided instruction in at least the subjects of reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies, and science. The person who has custody of the child shall choose a public, private, charter, or homeschool to provide instruction." Parents who do not wish their children to attend school until the age of eight (8) must file an Affidavit of Intent with the county school superintendent stating that they do not desire to have the child attend school as required in A.R.S. §15-802 (B) (3).
Please return the completed, signed and notarized Affidavit of Intent and the required proof of the student's age and identity to the Pima County School Superintendent's Office. A DATE-STAMPED COPY OF THE Affidavit of Intent WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU. The Pima County School Superintendent's stamp on the copy of the Affidavit of Intent is your proof that the affidavit for your child was filed with this office. If you submit original documents, such as your child's original birth certificate or baptismal certificate with the affidavit, we will return it to you with the date-stamped copy of the affidavit. Report any change of address, phone number, or school attendance to this office on the change of information form.
The laws that govern homeschooling are found in A.R.S. § 15-745, A.R.S. §15-763, A.R.S. §15-802, A.R.S. §15-802.01, and A.R.S. §15-828.
"Homeschool"; means a nonpublic school conducted primarily by the parent, guardian, or other person who has custody of the child or instruction provided in the child's home.
An Affidavit of Intent stating that the child is attending homeschool must be filed with the county school superintendent. The Affidavit of Intent shall include the child's legal name, date of birth, and the names, telephone numbers, and addresses of the persons who currently have legal custody of the child. Affidavits need only be filed once, within thirty days of the beginning of home instruction. The county school superintendent must be notified within thirty days of the termination of instruction of homeschool. If homeschool instruction is resumed, another Affidavit of Intent must be filed within thirty days of the resumption. The affidavit may be obtained from the Pima County School Superintendent's Office, downloaded from this website, or requested from the Superintendent's Office of the county in which you reside if you live outside Pima County.
Other reliable proof of the pupil's identity and age, including the pupil's baptismal certificate, an application for a Social Security number, or original school registration records AND an affidavit explaining the inability to provide a copy of the birth certificate.
The child's name on the Affidavit of Intent must be the child's full legal name and must match the child's name listed on the birth certificate. If the child's name on the Affidavit of Intent does NOT match the name on the birth certificate, then a copy of the legal papers showing the name change is required. The affidavit will not be accepted until it has the child's legal name. If the parent's name has changed since the birth certificate was issued, a copy of the legal papers (marriage license, divorce papers, or court papers showing the name change) is also required. The Affidavit of Other Reliable Proof which must accompany all identity documents except the child's birth certificate can be downloaded from this website or requested from the Pima County School Superintendent's Office.
A Diploma is awarded by the homeschool educator.
Nothing in this article shall be construed to require the testing of children who are instructed in a homeschool program while they are receiving homeschool instruction.
The State Board of Education allows homeschooled students to take the AzMERIT test, at no charge but does not require them to do so. Check with the homeschooled groups in the area for testing options besides AzMERIT.
1. Whether the student is receiving a passing grade in each course or subject being taught.
2. Whether the student is maintaining satisfactory progress towards advancement or promotion.
B. A child who is homeschooled and who was previously enrolled in a public, private or charter school shall be ineligible to participate in interscholastic activities for the remainder of the school year during which the child was enrolled in a school.
C. A school district shall not contract with any private entity that supervises interscholastic activities if the private entity prohibits the participation of homeschooled children in interscholastic activities at public, private or charter schools.
Once the required Affidavit of Intent and proof of age and identity are received in this office, a date-stamped copy of the affidavit will be sent to you. The date stamp on the copy is proof that your child has been enrolled in homeschooling and that the affidavit has been filed with the Pima County School Superintendent's Office. You will want to keep this affidavit, even after your child enters the public school system, so you'll have a record of your child's education. If you need another copy of the Affidavit of Intent you will need to request a duplicate affidavit by mail. Only the parent(s) or guardian(s) named on the affidavit may receive a copy of the affidavit. If a non-custodial parent or parent whose name does not appear on the affidavit is requesting a copy of the affidavit, then the person must prove that he/she is the parent/legal guardian of the child. (A copy of the child's birth certificate or divorce papers showing that the person has a right to the child's educational information is required.) The parent/guardian who filled out the affidavit will be notified that another person has made a request for a copy of the affidavit and will have the right to refuse a copy to the other person if the parent can show legal proof that the other person's rights have been legally severed.
A.R.S. §15-763 requires districts and charter schools which receive federal money for special education services for homeschooled or parentally placed private schooled students to provide special education services to both groups in the same manner. Call your school district to find out specifically what services your child might be entitled to and how they might be provided.
Eighth grade promotion certificates and high school diplomas are not issued by the Pima County Superintendents Office for students instructed in homeschooling. Please see legislation around diplomas in ARS 15-701.01. This state, any political subdivision or agency of this state and any other governmental entity shall recognize and treat all diplomas and transcripts associated with schooling options as described in section 15-802 in the same manner. School districts may evaluate the transcripts of transfer students for the assignment of credit pursuant to section 15-701.01.
A child who enrolls in a kindergarten program or grades one through twelve after receiving instruction in a homeschool program shall be tested pursuant to this article in order to determine the appropriate grade level for the educational placement of the child.
Unless otherwise exempted in A.R.S. §15-802 or A.R.S. §15-803, a parent of a child between six (6) and sixteen (16) years of age or person who has custody of a child, who does not provide instruction in a homeschool and who fails to enroll or fails to ensure that the child attends a public, private, or charter school pursuant to these sections is guilty of a class 3 misdemeanor. A parent who fails to comply with the duty to file an Affidavit of Intent to provide instruction in a homeschool is guilty of a petty offense.

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