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Withdrawing from public school

How to Withdraw From Public School in Florida

Pulling your child out of public school in Florida starts with a letter to the school. The steps are below, with a free Florida withdrawal letter you can print today and the timing that keeps the district from marking your child absent in between.

How withdrawal works in Florida

If your child is enrolled in a Florida public school, file your notice of intent with the county superintendent within 30 days of starting home education; that establishes your Home Education Program and stops the truancy clock. There's no separate withdrawal form, but keep a dated copy of the notice. If you instead choose the PEP scholarship, you operate as a PEP student rather than a Home Education Program.

Step by step

  1. 1

    Confirm your child is currently enrolled

    This guide is for moving a currently enrolled student to homeschooling. If your child has never attended public school in Florida (a kindergartner you're starting at home, for example), there's usually nothing to withdraw from. A quick call to the school confirms their status.

  2. 2

    Send a written withdrawal letter to the school

    To withdraw your child from public school in Florida, send a written withdrawal letter to the principal or registrar, then file a notice of intent with your local school district so the transition is on record before instruction begins. Rather than hand-writing the withdrawal letter, Homeschool Fox produces a pre-formatted PDF ready to send to the district.

    Get the free Florida withdrawal letter
  3. 3

    File your notice of intent

    Yes, Florida requires you to file notice of your intent to homeschool. You must notify your local school district. You file it once, when you start, rather than every year.

  4. 4

    Keep dated copies for your records

    Save a copy of the withdrawal letter and anything you file, noting the date you sent it. If the district ever asks about attendance, dated proof that you withdrew on time is what closes the question.

  5. 5

    Set up your homeschool

    With the withdrawal handled, the rest is starting your homeschool: planning subjects, setting an hours or days target, and keeping records. The Florida homeschool guide covers what the law asks for from here.

    Read the Florida homeschool guide

Withdrawing for the first time? The guide to withdrawing from public school covers the records request and mid-year timing in any state.

Free Florida printables

Three ready-to-use PDFs for Florida homeschoolers. No account needed.

Templates, not legal advice. Confirm the current rule with your state or district.

What Homeschool Fox tracks for Florida

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Last verified September 2026 by Andy Leverenz against Florida's own published requirements. See the sources.

Source pages last confirmed live on Oct 26, 2026.

Homeschool Fox is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Confirm details with your state or a qualified advisor.

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