Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most common frequently asked questions. If you have a question that is not listed below, or part of our Getting Started section, please e-mail us at alliancehomeschool@gmail.com
Can I join AHA if I am enrolled with a public school at home such as Connections Academy or K12?
No, we are an option 3 accountability association. Our role is to keep families homeschooling under option 3 legal in the state of South Carolina. Students can not be enrolled in public/ private school and an accountability association at the same time.
I forgot/did not know I had to register with an option 3 homeschool association and I have been homeschooling. Can I still join AHA?
No, unfortunately we do not accept families that are non-compliant with the law.
Can I join AHA if I do not live in the state of South Carolina?
No, accountability associations are only for SC residents. If you are moving to SC, you may join an association after residence has been established and a valid SC license has been obtained.
Can I switch associations at any point in the school year?
Yes, you may switch associations at any point. AHA does not offer refunds on membership fees.
What age can I enroll my student in AHA?
The student must be 5 on or before September 1st to enroll in AHA. We follow the Compulsory Attendance Law: SC code SECTION 59-63-20
Does South Carolina require any state testing?
SC requires state testing for options 1 & 2. Option 3 does not require state testing.
Can my association legally do random record checks?
Yes, your association can ask you at any time for a copy of your record to ensure you are staying compliant with the law. Therefore, it is very important to keep accurate up to date records. Your records must include: documentation of what is covered during your 180 learning days (lesson plan/journal), attendance records, work samples (3-5 works samples per required subject area), & the semi-annual reports.
Do you provide me with a curriculum?
We offer suggestions on curriculum for no charge.
Can someone else homeschool my child in South Carolina?
​Under option 3 homeschooling, yes you can outsource your child’s education as much or as little as you would like but you cannot outsource the record keeping. Some families use an online homeschool curriculum which records attendance, grades, and provides feedback in the form of progress reports and this is allowed but the parent/guardian that is in charge of record keeping would have to make sure they have a copy of these documents in their files for future reference. You can also hire a tutor for a specific subject or multiple subjects. You can also join a co-op that covers a specific subject area. These are all allowed under option 3 homeschooling in South Carolina.
If I choose to join an online school in a different state, do I need to join an accountability association?
Yes. Out of state online schools do not report attendance to the SC DOE so you will need to register under one of the three options for homeschooling.
If I complete 180 days, can I start counting days for the next grade level?
You can continue to the next level course work but you would keep counting past 180 days. The next day 1 starts in the following accountability year. Your course work level doesn’t need to match your reported grade level. A 7th grader can do 9th grade course work but that doesn’t mean they are a 9th grader.
Can my 7th or 8th grader earn high school credits?
​Yes! There are limitations though. The student cannot earn high school credit for PE, Health and Personal Finance.
Can my student skip grades under AHA?
The families register the student based on their legal grade which is the grade in which they would be in for public school based on their birthday. The student’s coursework does not have to match that legal grade.
For example, if your student is in 8th grade but academically ready for 9th grade material, they can start earning 9th grade material & high school credit. Their legal reported grade is still 8th grade, but their coursework is 9th.
If you have a first-grade student that is academically ready for third grade level work, they can do that, but their legal grade remains first grade.
​Can my high school student repeat 12th grade and have a “Super Senior Year”?
If the student has more than 4 years of high school on their transcript, it will disqualify them for state scholarships. This is a CHE Policy, not an AHA Policy.
​Do field trips count as a learning day?
​Yes, field trips count as a learning day.
How many hours do I have to teach under option 3?
​The South Carolina Code of Law for option 3 does not specify how many hours a day we are required to teach.
Do schools have to accept my students’ credits earned while homeschooling if they decide to return to public school?
No, the schools do not have to legally accept credits or grades completed during homeschooling. They do however legally have to accept your student. The South Carolina Department of Education addresses this question about credits on their website as well.
Can my homeschooled child participate in extracurricular activities such as team sports or clubs through the local school district?
Yes, homeschooled students can participate in extracurricular activities such as team sports and school clubs thanks to the Equal Access to Interscholastic Activities (also known as the Tim Tebow Law) which was passed into law in 2012. This law allows students to not only participate in sports or clubs but music, provides access to speech services, as well as other extracurricular activities. The law states the student has to be homeschooled for one academic year to qualify.