Homeschooling in Mississippi Made Easy

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Homeschooling in Mississippi provides many opportunities! Not only are you able to visit some of the most amazing museums and historical locations, but you’ll find you have a lot of freedom in your homeschool decisions. 

Here are some of the things you need to know to start homeschooling in Mississippi this year.

Mississippi Homeschool Laws

Let’s begin with what the law states for homeschooling families (this article is meant to inform, but does not constitute legal advice).

The compulsory school age in Mississippi is 6-17. This means you’ll need to begin homeschooling the year your child turns 6 before September 1st, and continue until they are 17 before September 1st.

In Mississippi, a homeschool is referred to as a “home study program”. The law is fairly simple, as there are basically no requirements to run a home study program, other than needing to file a certificate of enrollment each year.

You’ll send this certificate of enrollment to the attendance officer of your local school district before September 15th of each year. You can find the form from the Mississippi Department of Education here.

There are no testing requirements, and no regulations on subjects, although you may begin with Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards (MCCRS) for guidance on what to teach.

And while there are no record-keeping requirements either, it’s a good idea to maintain a homeschool portfolio with samples of work, any assessments, activities, or artifacts that show learning progress.

Mississippi Home Educators Association (MHEA)

One of the best resources for homeschool families is the Mississippi Home Educators Association (MHEA). They help guide many parents on a variety of subjects, as well as keep them in the loop of any legislative updates they may need to know. 

According to the MHEA website, the goal of the Mississippi Home Educators Association is “to enable, equip, and encourage families committed to teaching their children at home.” MHEA is a faith-based organization with a commitment to tracking MS legislation relating to homeschooling, sponsoring programs that help homeschoolers be better equipped for the challenges of homeschooling, and to encouraging families in their Christian faith.

Mississippi Homeschool Community

One of the best ways to ensure that you will enjoy a homeschool lifestyle is to join a group or co-op of other like-minded families. Not only will you be able to socialize and put that stereotype to rest for good, but you will find the best resources close to you to help your family learn. 

Here are a few groups and co-ops that might be great options for your family:

• DeSoto County, MS Homeschoolers
• Happy Homeschoolers of South Mississippi
• Mississippi Gulf Coast Inclusive Homeschool Group
• North Mississippi Home Educators Association
• North Mississippi Homeschoolers
• Oxford Homeschoolers
• Panola Homeschool Connection
• Pearl River County Christian Home Educators Association
• Starkville Christian Home Educators

Field Trip Opportunities

In the Hills region, there is a wonderful place in Rowan Oak, Oxford. If you want to make an outing but you are on a tight budget, try this! The former home of Nobel Prize winning author William Faulkner has 28 acres of grounds that are free to roam with a house tour for only $5 per person. This would be a great tie-in with a literature unit or even a general Mississippi unit, since most of Faulkner’s works were set in the state.

In the Delta region, you might try the Museum of the Mississippi Delta, Greenwood.  The Museum of the Mississippi Delta focuses on the five “A’s”: art, archaeology, agriculture, antiques and animals. Things you will see when you visit include blacksmith tools, a life-size walkthrough diorama of a MS swamp, and a Civil-war era cannon.

If you are in the Pines region, try visiting the Wade Clock Museum in Starkville. In terms of unique field trip ideas in MS, this is one of the best. It would make a great addition to lessons on time, simple machines, force, or motion. You’ll encounter over 400 timepieces from all over the world dating as far back as the 1700s.

Homeschooling in Mississippi

Homeschooling in Mississippi is one of the best opportunities for you and your family to really enjoy one another. This state has so much history and opportunity to learn- not to mention the wonderful homeschooling community and freedom through more relaxed homeschool requirements. 

Are you homeschooling in Mississippi? I’d love to hear from you in the comments – what are your favorite places to visit? Or your favorite homeschool resource? Let us know!

And if you’d love to have a printable resource to use to keep track of state homeschool requirements, key organizations, activities and field trip plans, and curriculum notes, grab a copy of my Curriculum & Activity Planner below (it’s free!):

FREE Homeschool Curriculum & Activity Planner

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Interested in learning about homeschooling in another state? Check out the Homeschooling in 50 States Series.

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