Some autistic children do much better learning at home: fewer transitions, less sensory load, a schedule built around their energy and therapy. Florida gives parents a lot of freedom to home educate, and FES-UA scholarship money can help pay for it. The trade-off is that you step outside most of the special education system. This guide compares three ways families do it (home education on your own, home education funded by FES-UA, and hybrid arrangements), and shows how ABA fits into the day.
What does Florida law require to homeschool?
Home education is governed by s. 1002.41, Florida Statutes. A home education program "is not a school district program" and is registered with the superintendent "only for the purpose of complying with the state's attendance requirements." The parent does not need a teaching certificate. The core duties are:
- Written notice. Notify the district school superintendent of your county in writing, signed by you, with the full legal names, addresses and birthdates of each child. File it "within 30 days of the establishment of the home education program." The superintendent must accept it and register the program immediately.
- Portfolio. Keep a log of educational activities "made contemporaneously with the instruction," listing reading materials by title, plus samples of your child's writing, worksheets, workbooks or creative work. Keep it for 2 years. The district may inspect it on 15 days' written notice, but is not required to.
- Annual educational evaluation. Each year, document "the student's demonstration of educational progress at a level commensurate with her or his ability," and file it with the superintendent's office.
- Termination notice. When you stop, file a written notice of termination with the annual evaluation within 30 days.
The district "may not require any additional information or verification from the parent unless the student chooses to participate in a school district program or service" (s. 1002.41(1)(b)), and may not "further regulate, exercise control over, or require documentation" beyond the statute (s. 1002.41(13)).
The annual evaluation: five options
The phrase "commensurate with her or his ability" matters for autistic children. Progress is measured against your child's own ability, not grade level. You choose one of these methods (s. 1002.41(1)(f)):
- review of the portfolio and a discussion with your child by a Florida-certified teacher you select;
- any nationally normed achievement test given by a certified teacher;
- a state student assessment used by the district, given by a certified teacher under district-approved conditions;
- an evaluation by an individual holding a valid, active license under s. 490.003(7) or (8), Florida's psychology licensing chapter; or
- "any other valid measurement tool as mutually agreed upon" by the superintendent and the parent.
Many families of children with significant support needs choose the teacher portfolio review or a licensed psychologist. If you want to use another tool, get the superintendent's agreement in writing first. If the district finds that progress was not shown, you get written notice and 1 year of remedial instruction before a re-evaluation (s. 1002.41(2)).
What happens to my child's IEP if we homeschool?
An IEP is a public school document. Once your child is home educated, the district is no longer providing FAPE through that IEP. The statute leaves some doors open:
- Testing and evaluation: "Testing and evaluation services at diagnostic and resource centers shall be available to home education program students, including, but not limited to, students with disabilities, in accordance with the provisions of s. 1006.03" (s. 1002.41(9)). Those regional centers are the FDLRS network. See FDLRS and Child Find.
- Related services: a district "may provide" ESE related services to an eligible home education student "who enrolls in a public school solely for the purpose of receiving those related services" (s. 1002.41(10)). "May" means it is the district's choice, so ask your district ESE office whether it does this.
- Consent: if a home-schooled child's parent does not consent to an evaluation, the district "may not use the consent override provisions of mediation or due process" (Rule 6A-6.0331). The decision stays with you.
How each district handles equitable services or consultation for home education students varies. Ask the ESE office directly and keep the answer in writing. Before you withdraw, request copies of your child's IEP, evaluations and progress reports; you will want them if you return.
Can FES-UA pay for homeschooling and ABA?
Yes, for eligible students. Section 1002.394(4)(b) lets Unique Abilities funds pay for, among other things:
- "Tuition and fees associated with full-time or part-time enrollment in a home education program";
- specialized services by approved providers, which "may include, but are not limited to: a. Applied behavior analysis services";
- curriculum, instructional materials and assistive technology;
- "Fees for an annual evaluation of educational progress by a state-certified teacher under s. 1002.41(1)(f), if this option is chosen for a home education student"; and
- contracted services or classes from a public school or district, which counts as part-time attendance rather than enrollment.
The statute also confirms that a Unique Abilities student may be enrolled in "a home education program pursuant to s. 1002.41" without breaking the private-school teacher-contact rule (s. 1002.394(6)(d)).
The trade-off is the same as for private school: "When the student receives a scholarship, the district school board is not obligated to provide the student with a free appropriate public education," although the district must still develop an IEP or matrix of services when you request one. ABA paid with FES-UA has to come from an approved provider and meet Step Up's invoice rules. Our FES-UA explainer covers eligibility, amounts and deadlines, and using FES-UA for ABA covers invoices.
What about PEP?
Florida also has a "personalized education program," defined in s. 1002.01(2) as parent-directed instruction "while registered with an eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization pursuant to s. 1002.395." It is a separate track from both ordinary home education and FES-UA, and Step Up's handbook says families must decline UA to switch. Compare them in PEP vs Unique Abilities.
Home education options compared
| Question | Home education (s. 1002.41) | Home education with FES-UA | Hybrid: home education plus district related services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paperwork | Notice, portfolio, annual evaluation | Same, plus Step Up application, renewals and invoices | Same, plus district enrollment for the services |
| Who pays for curriculum and therapy | You, or your health plan for covered therapy | Scholarship funds for approved uses; insurance where it applies | District for the related services it agrees to provide |
| District FAPE duty | No, while home educated | No, while on the scholarship | Limited to services the district chooses to offer |
| Flexibility | High | High, within authorized uses | Moderate: district schedule for services |
| Can you go back to public school? | Yes | Yes; full-time enrollment ends the scholarship | Yes |
How does ABA fit into a homeschool day?
Homeschooling gives you scheduling freedom that school-age families rarely have. Some patterns families use (examples, not a prescription):
- Morning ABA, afternoon academics: an RBT works on communication, routines and self-care while your child is fresh, and you teach academics later.
- ABA built into lessons: your BCBA helps you embed goals such as requesting breaks, waiting or following multi-step directions into reading or math time.
- Community sessions: sessions at the library, grocery store or park work on real-world skills that a classroom rarely practices.
- Parent training as teacher training: the strategies your BCBA teaches you in weekly parent training carry straight into your teaching.
Keep in mind that ABA is not a replacement for an education program; it supports one. Insurance plans authorize ABA hours based on medical necessity, and some plans have rules about where sessions happen. Read can ABA replace school? before planning a full day around therapy.
Decision checklist
- Do you have the time and support to teach and to coordinate therapy?
- Which annual evaluation method fits your child, and who will do it?
- Will you apply for FES-UA, and are you comfortable giving up the district's FAPE duty while your child is on it?
- Does your district offer related services to home education students, and on what schedule?
- How will your child get time with peers: co-ops, classes, sports or community programs?
- Have you collected copies of all school records before withdrawing?
These are family decisions, and the right answer can change from year to year.
How Hope Center helps homeschooling families
Hope Center provides ABA at home, at our centers, and in the community, so sessions can follow your homeschool schedule. Programs are written by BCBAs, delivered by RBTs, and include weekly parent training, which many homeschooling parents use to bring strategies into lessons. To talk through scheduling and coverage, contact us or call 561-337-8865 for a free consultation and free benefits check.