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MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi State Legislature
http://www.ls.state.ms.us/
The homeschool statutes are Miss. Code. Ann. 37-13-91(3)(c).
The law states that "..it is not the intention...to impair the primary right and the obligation of the parents...to choose the proper education and training" of their children, and that "nothing in this section shall ever be construed to grant, by implication or otherwise, to the State of Mississippi...authority to control, manage, [or] supervise" the private education of children in Mississippi.
Parents in Mississippi are required to file an annual Certificate of Non-Public Enrollment with the county's school attendance officer by September 15, but if the move to Mississippi occurs after September 15, there is no penalty for late filing, and there is no prohibition of homeschooling for the remainder of the school year. The same certificate of enrollment is required for children attending ANY non-public school. The certificate must be requested from the county of residence (e.g., in Hinds County, contact the District Attorney's office) or might be available from local support groups' conferences (e.g., HECM's August workshop). It must include the names and addresses of parents and children involved, dates of birth of the children, and a simple description of the type of education the children are receiving.
Keep it to one page--it is not necessary to list types of curriculum or correspondence/umbrella schools. In fact, I only list the areas of study in a traditional format.
"Instruction will be given in the following areas, but not limited to Bible, English, history, science, (etc.)...".
There are currently no standardized testing requirements, no portfolio requirements, and no teacher certification requirements for parents. However, the law does define legitimate home schools and other non-public schools as those not operated for the "purpose of avoiding or circumventing the compulsory attendance law".
Curfews exist in some areas, so make sure you discover your county's position on curfews for minors. In some areas, curfews are seasonal.
The above comments authored by Sarah Acker, April 8, 1996
Additional notes. According to state personnel, neither state nor local curriculum guides are made available to homeschoolers. However, you may attempt to secure a copy of the state department's "Curriculum Structure" manual, which is used by MS public schools. Department of Education, 501 Sillers Bldg., Jackson, MS 39201