Nevada compulsory school attendance age
When a child turns 7 and until he or she reaches 18, the child must attend school or comply with the homeschool laws.
HSLDA believes that a parent-issued diploma and transcript should be sufficient to demonstrate that a child has completed a secondary education. However, even if your child is beyond compulsory school attendance age, there may be situations where you would want to continue to follow the requirements of a home education option recognized under Nevada law until your child graduates from high school (filing a home education notice, keeping attendance and other records, etc.). These records may be requested in some situations, such as obtaining a driver’s license if your child is a minor, enlisting in the military, applying to colleges, or demonstrating eligibility for Social Security benefits. If you are a member of HSLDA and would like additional details, please contact us.
Withdrawing your child from his or her current school
If you want to start homeschooling during the school year and your child is currently enrolled in a public or private school, HSLDA recommends that you formally withdraw your child from that school. If you are going to start homeschooling after the school year is over, and your child is considered enrolled for the following year, we recommend that you withdraw your child before the next school year begins, so that the school does not mark your child as absent or truant.
We invite you to become a member of HSLDA to receive specific advice about withdrawing your child from school and starting to homeschool. Local schools may have specific forms or withdrawal procedures. HSLDA members are eligible to receive individualized advice about whether complying with those procedures is advisable or required. HSLDA members can also use the sample letter of withdrawal for Nevada available in Member Resources to correspond with school officials.
We generally recommend that any correspondence with authorities be sent by “Certified Mail—Return Receipt Requested.” Keep copies of the withdrawal letter and any other paperwork or correspondence, and any green postal receipts, for your personal records.
Note: If your child has never attended a public or private school, this section does not apply.
Complying with Nevada’s homeschool law
1. File a one-time notice of intent to homeschool.
File the notice of intent with the superintendent of your local school district. You must file the notice before you start your homeschool program, or not later than 10 days after your child has been formally withdrawn from public school or not later than 30 days after establishing state residency. You do not have to file again, unless your name or address changes after filing, in which case you must file a new notice of intent with the superintendent of your local school district within 30 days.
The Nevada Department of Education provides a standard form for the notice, or you may use the form provided by HSLDA for our members’ exclusive use. The notice must include:
- The full name, age, and gender of your child;
- Your name and address;
- A statement from you, signed and dated, stating that you have control or charge of your child and the legal right to direct his or her education, and that you assume full responsibility for your child’s education while he or she is being homeschooled;
- An educational plan showing that you will be teaching the required subjects (see below)—the plan must be appropriate for your child’s age and level of skill as determined by you;
- If applicable, the name of the Nevada public school your child most recently attended; and
- An optional statement from you prohibiting release of the information you have provided in your notice of intent.
The superintendent should acknowledge your notice with a letter which you must retain in your records as proof of your compliance with the Nevada homeschool law.
2. Teach the required subjects.
Nevada law requires that you teach your children these subjects: English (including reading, composition, and writing), math, science, and social studies (including history, geography, economics, and government).
The importance of recordkeeping
You can find Nevada’s specific recordkeeping requirements, if any, above. Regardless of what state you live in, HSLDA recommends that you keep detailed records of your homeschool program. These records may be helpful if you face an investigation regarding your homeschooling or your student needs to furnish proof of education.