Compulsory Attendance

Your child’s age is your first indicator of his or her eligibility for beginning school. Students may start kindergarten if they turn five on or before September 1st. A child does not have to enroll in school at age five, but must be enrolled in 1st grade if he or she is six on or before December 31.  see more >

Required Documentation

Alabama school districts set the requirements for what documentation is required prior to enrolling a student in their district. To get that information, contact the district directly.  

Some legal documents are required for Alabama students to attend school:

• Certified Birth Certificate/proof of identity
• Official copy of records/transcripts from the previous school the child most recently attended
• A shot immunization record (or proof that immunization is not required for the child)
• Click here to view the immunization requirements 
• Proof of home address (for example, a rental agreement or tax statement)

What are Charter Schools?

Charter Schools are tuition-free public schools operated by independent, non-profit governing bodies.

Parents, teachers, and community leaders sign a “charter” or contract with a school district or state agency to create a charter school and give students more educational options than their assigned school. Charter schools have flexibility over classroom hours, curriculum, and employment policies, but are subject to periodic reviews based on student performance. In Alabama, public charter school students are measured against the same academic standards as students in other public schools. Local boards of education monitor the academic and financial performance of charter schools, and, can revoke  or refuse to renew a school’s charter.

Alabama Charter Schools

Only two school districts, Birmingham City and Athens City, are fully registered as charter authorizers in Alabama.

Access Virtual Learning

phone: (334) 242-9594
grades: 9–12

Alabama Virtual Academy at Eufaula City Schools

phone: (334) 689-5059
grades: K–12

Athens Renaissance School

phone: (855) 707-9511
grades: K–12

What makes a school “private”?

Private schools charge tuition, and many have a religious mission. Some private schools offer families assistance to make tuition payments. Click below for the complete list of over 300 private schools across the state.

Private School Review offers free, detailed information on U.S. private schools combined with useful community data (e.g., housing costs) and maps of the surrounding areas.

*Information on non-public school admission requirements should be obtained from the school directly.

George Washington University Online High School is an online college preparatory academy for motivated students who are willing to be challenged to become the best students and persons they can be. Combining award-winning curriculum with small class sizes and intensive college counseling, students receive a flexible, individualized education attuned to their own needs and goals.

International Academy is a K12, Inc accredited, online private school for grades K–12. Students earn a U.S. high school diploma while using award-winning K¹² curriculum

They offer extensive, individualized academic and counseling support keep students on track. The flexibility allows students to explore their passions. Full-time and part-time options are available.

Your options

In Alabama, parents have three options when it comes to educating their children at home. These options are: homeschool with a church school, with a private school, or using a private tutor. Parents in Alabama may choose to homeschool their own children in grades K – 12. Below are descriptions and necessary requirements for each option.  learn more >

With a church school:

A church school offers instruction in grades K–12 or any combination thereof, including preschool, through onsite or home programs, and is operated as a ministry of a local church, group of churches, denomination, and/or association of churches that does not receive any state or federal funding. A home may be the location where a child receives instruction as a student attending a church school. A parent may establish a church school in the home, or the home may be an extension of an existing church school.

• File a church school enrollment certificate with the local public school superintendent.
• Keep an attendance register.
• Comply with any policies established by the church school.

For a list of church schools in Alabama, check out Christian Home Education Fellowship of Alabama.

College Credit

Dual enrollment allows students to receive both high school and college credit for certain career/technical education courses taken through an Alabama Community College System (ACCS) institution while enrolled in high school. Dual enrollment credit is available to students attending, public, private, parochial or church/religious schools pursuant to §16-28-1 of Code of Alabama 1975, or who are receiving instruction from a home school/private tutor pursuant to §16-28-5 of the Code of Alabama. Dual enrollment credit in career-technical education is awarded under State Board of Education Policy 801.03 and 801.04. Scholarship opportunities may be available to students that meet the eligibility requirements to participate in the dual enrollment program.