Homeschool benefits and savings in Charlotte, Collier, Lee, Hendry, and Glades counties
Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) lets home-educated students in grades 6-12 take college classes with tuition, lab fees, and textbooks free, saving the $113.36 per credit hour a Florida resident pays. Your child must live in Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, or Lee County, have college-ready placement scores, and file an annual Home Education Articulation Agreement. Other options include library educator cards and resources.
Florida SouthWestern State College home-education accelerated pathway
Who qualifies
Lives in FSW's five counties
FSW accepts home education students only from Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties.
Meets the GPA rule
FSW's FAQ lists a 3.0 unweighted GPA, plus two recommendation letters for grades 6-10. Florida law bars a high school GPA requirement for home education students who show college-level skills on placement tests, so ask FSW which rule applies.
Has college-ready placement scores
Every course needs a college-level reading score, and math, writing, and science courses need the matching scores. Your child can take the PERT or Accuplacer up to three times, 30 days apart.
Files the annual agreement
Each year, submit the Home Education Articulation Agreement plus a current Home Education Affidavit from your county or a current Personalized Education Program (PEP) scholarship award notice.
What it is worth
FSW charges Florida residents $113.36 per credit hour in tuition and fees for associate-level courses.
- One class (3 hours)
- $340.08
- Grades 6-10 term limit (9 hours)
- $1,020.24
- Grades 11-12 term limit (15 hours)
- $1,700.40
- Academic year (30 hours)
- $3,400.80
You still provide transportation to campus, and official transcripts cost $5 each.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you apply
Attend orientation
Complete the required Accelerated Pathways orientation, and consider one of FSW's parent and student information workshops.
- By Nov. 20, 2026
Apply for spring 2027
Submit the FSW application and placement scores. The fall 2026 application deadline was July 15, 2026.
- Before registering
Send the agreement
Once your child meets the score requirements, send the 2026-2027 Home Education Articulation Agreement and affidavit or PEP letter to Dual.Enrollment@fsw.edu.
- From Oct. 29, 2026
Register for classes
New students with fewer than 30 credits register starting October 29 for spring classes, which begin January 11, 2027.
- Each term
Keep a 2.0 college GPA
Hold at least a 2.0 college GPA each term and keep meeting the high school GPA requirement, and renew the agreement every year.
What it pays for
Covered
- Tuition
- Lab fees
- Textbooks
Not covered
- Transportation to campus
- Official transcripts at $5 each
Who to contact
The Accelerated Pathways office handles dual-enrollment applications, home education agreements, and registration questions.
Dual.Enrollment@fsw.edu 239-732-3101 Contact page
Collier County Library homeschool educator card
Who qualifies
Home school parent in Collier
The Educator card is for teachers, home school parents, and activity directors in Collier County.
Shows ID with a local address
Bring a valid photo ID with your current Collier County street address, or add proof of residency or property ownership if your ID shows another address.
Applies in person
Cards are issued, replaced, and renewed in person at any of the library's ten locations.
What the card gives you
The limits come from Collier County Public Library's card types table and its library policies.
- Books, audiobooks, and music CDs out
- No limit
- Videos out
- 10
- Holds at a time
- 10, up to 5 interlibrary loans
- Book loan period
- 3 weeks, 8 renewals
- Overdue book fine
- $0.25 a day, $10 maximum
- Card replacement
- $1
The library page does not list the homeschool proof it accepts for an Educator card, so ask the Headquarters Library what to bring before your visit.
How to get the card
- Before you go
Gather proof
Bring a photo ID with your Collier County address, and call 239-252-7350 to ask what homeschool proof the library accepts.
- At a branch
Ask for an Educator card
Apply in person at any of the ten Collier County Public Library locations.
- Each checkout
Return or renew in 3 weeks
Renew books online through My Account or by calling the automated renewal line at 239-920-7474.
- By Aug. 31 each year
Renew the card
Educator cards last one year and expire on August 31, so renew in person for the new school year.
What it includes
Included
- Books and audiobooks
- Music CDs and videos
- Holds and interlibrary loan requests
Not included
- Fines and lost-item charges
- R-rated or unrated videos for cardholders under 18
Who to contact about the card
The Headquarters Library answers questions about Educator cards, accounts, and borrowing rules.
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Florida
You must file the initial written notice with the county superintendent within 30 days of starting. You must file a termination notice and the annual evaluation within 30 days of ending the program.
Florida sets these rules:
- Subjects: Parent-directed instruction; Florida law does not prescribe a specific curriculum for a home education program.
- Testing: Provide an annual educational evaluation using one statutory method; a portfolio review is one option, and an alternate method requires agreement with the district superintendent.
- Records: Keep a portfolio with an activities log made as instruction occurs, reading-material titles, and work samples. Preserve it for two years and make it available for inspection on 15 days’ written notice.
- Teachers: Florida does not require a teaching certificate or degree to homeschool your own child.
Florida also has two education savings accounts that home-educated students can use.
- The Personalized Education Program funds a Florida K-12 student's approved education costs through a scholarship organization, with income and priority rules. It is separate from registering a home education program with your district.
- The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities funds approved education and disability costs for a student with a qualifying disability, including one in a registered home education program. The award depends on the disability and its services.
Read the Florida homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Florida
Questions parents ask
- Can a homeschooled child take FSW dual-enrollment classes?
- Yes. FSW says home-schooled students have the same dual enrollment and early admissions access as public school students, once they file the annual agreement and an affidavit or PEP award notice.
- What do we still pay for in FSW dual enrollment?
- Transportation to campus and any official transcripts you order, at $5 each.
- Can a homeschool parent get a Collier County Public Library Educator card?
- Yes. Collier County Public Library lists home school parents in Collier County as eligible for the free Educator card.
- What happens if a book on the Collier Educator card is never returned?
- An item not returned within 28 days of its due date is considered lost. You pay its cost plus a $5 processing fee, and the library does not accept a replacement copy.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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