Guide to Homeschooling in Mississippi

Resources

Mississippi Homeschool Laws and Requirements

Homeschooling in Mississippi is easier than it is in a lot of states. The Mississippi government doesn’t have much in the way of homeschooling regulation. Since all children between the ages of 6 and 17 are required to be enrolled in some sort of education program, it is important that homeschooling families are appropriately submitting a certificate of enrollment each year with the attendance officer in each family’s county of residence.

In Mississippi, for homeschooling, there are no:

• Parental education minimums
• Standardized testing
• Required curriculum or required subjects
• Requirements for recordkeeping
• Required number of days of instruction

The certificate of enrollment should be submitted to the school attendance officer in the appropriate county by September 15 each year. If you plan to start homeschooling partway through the school year, you need to submit this document as soon as possible.

RECORD KEEPING

Homeschool parents in Mississippi are not required to keep records. However, many parents choose to keep records in the event that something changes or they are ever needed. These documents can be helpful should you ever need to enroll your child in a public school or when your child starts applying to colleges.

MISSISSIPPI STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENTS

Homeschool students in Mississippi are also not required to take standardized assessments to track their progress throughout their education. However, some parents require their parents to take one of the many standardized tests offered in the state to ensure that they are staying on track with their education.

MISSISSIPPI HOMESCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

In Mississippi, a student can earn a high school diploma from their homeschool, and it will have the legal equivalence to a diploma from a public or private school. Homeschools are allowed to set their own graduation requirements. When a homeschooled student meets their graduation requirements, they receive a diploma issued by their homeschool. The transcript and diploma are just as valid as those supplied by a public or private school when students apply to college or jobs after graduating high school.

Resources

Homeschooling Groups & Support in Mississippi

One of the reasons that homeschooling is on an upward trend is the amount of support that is available to homeschooling families. In Mississippi, joining some of these groups ease the isolation that many homeschooling families report.

• • Here are a few of the active homeschool support groups in the state:

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    • Happy Homeschoolers of South Mississippi
    • Jackson County Home Educators
    • DeSoto County, MS Homeschoolers
    • North Mississippi Home Educators Association
    • North Mississippi Homeschoolers
    • Panola Homeschool Connection
    • Starkville Christian Home Educators
    • Pearl River County Christian Home Educators Association

    Homeschool co-ops are more academic-focused than homeschool groups are. These co-ops allow homeschool students to learn alongside each other. Some homeschool co-ops are focused on a specific subject or learning method, while others let religious beliefs drive lessons. No matter what type of homeschool group or co-op you are looking for, you will be able to find one filled with other families that hold the same values and interests as yours. A popular co-op is the Starkville HomeSchool Music Cooperative.

Check out our Power Homeschool Parent Support groups!

• Russell C. Davis Planetarium in Jackson: Explore space without leaving Earth. With a large hemispheric theater, you can see parts of the universe that you’ve never seen before.
• Beauvoir in Biloxi: Beauvoir is the Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library. Explore the Confederate Soldier exhibit and Confederate Memorial Cemetery and learn about both Biloxi and Mississippi histories.
• Grand Village of the Natchez Indians in Natchez: Learn about the unique Natchez Indians by touring three prehistoric Native American Mounds, a home, and a museum.
• Jackson Zoo in Jackson: See a variety of wild animals at the Jackson Zoo. The zoo even has a Wild Learning program that is aimed at teaching people of all ages about wildlife and the environment.
• Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson: The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science offers a variety of education programs on topics such as endangered species, reptiles, fossils, plants, and more.
• Biloxi Shrimping Trip in Biloxi: Take your child on a unique excursion with a shrimping trip. Your child will learn how to catch, cook, and eat shrimp at the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor.
• NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Stennis Space Center: Learn about NASA’s journeys in outer space and see what life is like as an astronaut.
• Museum of the Mississippi Delta in Greenwood: Guided tours at the museum are geared for students of all ages. At the museum, you can see artifacts from Mississippi Native American tribes, learn about the agricultural history of the area, see Civil War artifacts, and see art created by artists in Mississippi. There is also the Children’s Discovery Room for little learners.
• Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson: Tour the Mississippi State Capitol and learn about the history of the buildings, the state government, and laws and legislation in the state.
• Old Capitol Museum in Jackson: The Old Capitol Museum was home to some of the most significant legislative actives that the state has seen. Learn about this National Historic Landmark while seeing some amazing Greek Revival architecture.
• Eudora Welty House & Garden in Jackson: Take a tour of writer Eudora Welty’s home and garden. Welty often wrote of flowers in her works, and you can see where her inspiration came from right here in Mississippi.