• What is homeschooling and why do people practice it?

Homeschooling is an educational alternative in which parents or legal guardians assume responsibility for educating their child(ren). Parents are responsible for deciding the scope and sequence of the material their child should learn and how they will learn it.

There are many reasons why people begin homeschooling. Some families extend the preschool time they spend with their children into a way of life. Other families become disillusioned with traditional school systems and decide that homeschooling is a better option for them. Some families find that homeschooling is a natural part of their religious faith. There are as many individual stories of when, why, and how families begin homeschooling as there are homeschooling families.

• Is homeschooling legal in Puerto Rico?

Yes, it is. Puerto Rico is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. and Puerto Rico Constitutions. The right to homeschool is a constitutionally protected right under the 14th Amendment (Freedom Clause) (U.S.) and Article 2, Section 5 (PR). If you are homeschooling with genuine religious conviction, then you are also protected under the 1st Amendment (Free Exercise Clause) (U.S.) and Article 2, Section 3 (PR).

There is an exemption from the requirement to attend public school for those receiving instruction in a school established under non-governmental auspices (Article 2, Section 5 PR Const.). While it is unlikely that homeschooling was considered in the creation of that exemption, it is reasonable to assume that homeschoolers fall under that distinction. Please visit our Legality page  for more details.

• Do we need to notify anyone that we will be homeschooling?

If your child is not enrolled in school (public or private), you do not need to notify anyone that you will be homeschooling.

The Department of Education has a formal procedure ( current Circular Letter ) established for homeschoolers leaving the regular school system; however, there is still much confusion among many school principals regarding how to handle cases of students leaving the school system to begin homeschooling. This is a reality for students receiving Special Education. Nevertheless, the following is more or less the accepted procedure so far.

If your child is enrolled in school (public or private), you must notify the principal in writing that your child will be transferring to a private school. If the school has a transfer form available, you will sign it.

You can request your child's academic transcript. Your child's medical certificates, birth certificate, and immunization records should also be returned to you.

Ignorance of the legality of homeschooling on the part of some school principals, district superintendents, and school social workers has caused problems for some families who want to transfer their children to homeschooling. If you are facing any problems, please feel free to  contact us  for assistance.

• Can my child enter or re-enter school after being homeschooled?

If your child attends the public school system, yes. If your child was homeschooled under an umbrella school (i.e., a distance learning program) that included grade reporting, a transcript of those grades must be submitted along with the registration. If your child was not homeschooled under those circumstances, please visit [website/contact information missing] first.

Submit the required documents to your Department of Education's Regional Equivalency Office (see the Homeschooling Orientation 101 section ) to receive a provisional placement certificate, which you must present to the school your child will be attending. The school will administer diagnostic tests for each subject. ( Department of Education Circular Letter )

Private schools have the right to refuse homeschooled students, although most do accept them. If you are considering enrolling your child in a private school at some point after homeschooling, it is advisable to first check whether your preferred school accepts homeschooled students and what their admission requirements are. 

• How do I begin?

Just as there's no single way to homeschool, there's no single way to begin either. Even so, a good starting point is to begin researching the different  teaching methods  available. The flexibility inherent in homeschooling allows families to explore various teaching styles to meet their educational needs, using what works and discarding what doesn't. They adapt their teaching style to each child's age,  learning style  , and personality, the subject being taught, the family's lifestyle, available resources, and so on. For example, a family might find that Unit Studies works best for teaching several children of different ages simultaneously. Often, parents find themselves teaching in an eclectic way, using elements from various teaching methods to meet their needs. For instance, they might find that the Traditional Style works best for teaching math, and the Living Books Style works best for teaching history.

The most common teaching methods are:  Traditional  (Textbooks), Eclectic, Classical  (Dorothy Sayers),  Study Units  (thematic),  Life Experiences and Living Books  (Charlotte Mason),  Unschooling  (John Holt),  Delayed Studies (Raymond Moore),  Waldorf ( Rudolf Steiner  ),  Montessori  (Maria Montessori).

Meeting with other homeschoolers in a  local support group  or at   Puerto Rico's homeschooling forums is an invaluable help to both those just starting out and veterans.

• What if I don't feel qualified to teach a specific subject?

Homeschoolers have many resources available to them: internet searches, online courses, teachers, professional tutors, college students, support groups, etc.

• Will my child receive an official transcript and high school diploma?

If you use an umbrella school that keeps your children's records and issues grades, then yes. If you are not using this service, then no. It's important to remember that a high school transcript or diploma is not essential to apply to colleges (see the next question). However, it's important to remember that while a high school diploma isn't required to apply to all colleges, most colleges require a transcript, portfolio, and affidavit. Homeschoolers should keep their own records and then compile them into a college-acceptable transcript (you can visit the Record Keeping and Portfolio page). There are  websites and books  that can help you with this.

• Can a homeschooled student get into college?

Yes. Many universities, including the University of Puerto Rico, Inter-American University, and the Polytechnic University, have admissions policies tailored to homeschooled students. These policies are tailored in that the universities understand that homeschooled students may not have a typical transcript or high school diploma, and therefore have been creative in finding ways to assess applicants (e.g., portfolios, College Board scores).

• Where can I learn more about homeschooling?

Along with this website, there are many other  useful websites and books on the Internet  about homeschooling.