Homeschooling with an umbrella school is common in Florida, likely because this was the original method of homeschooling. We encourage families to select this home education option. When registering with an umbrella school, families tend to get personalized support and work directly with their umbrella school, rather than the district, in educating their children. Many umbrella schools do all of the record keeping and students can graduate with a high school diploma. Many umbrella schools also offer the same opportunities that those registered with their district may have, such as free FLVS classes and dual enrollment. Make sure you check the umbrella school prior to registration to make sure that it fits your needs, is registered with the FL DOE (will have a four digit code) and is in compliance with laws that regulate private schools in the state (umbrella schools are legally private schools). The umbrella school must have on file a copy of your students birth certificate, immunization record that is less than 12 months old (or form DH 681), and a health examination form that is less than 12 months old (or waiver). They also must record 180 days of attendance annually for each student. Each umbrella school may have other requirements.

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We recommend Sunshine State Academy K-12 as your umbrella school option. However, there are several secular umbrella schools to select from. Below is a list of secular umbrella schools, listed in alphabetical order. No other comprehensive list of umbrella schools in the state exist. 

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