In my state, you can home school, but opt in to certain classes at the public schools, the state will send you a curriculum of grade appropriate expectations, if in the later grades you would not be comfortable teaching Algebra, (I am brain dead in that area, for example), you could send your kid to that class, no need to hire a tutor. You could send your kid to learn an instrument or join chorus, and opt out of everything else. Public school is lacking in areas such as history, literature, social studies, I had to supplement my sons learning in those areas, it was so pitiful. Problem is, at least 50 percent of the families around here use school as a way to be rid of the kids for 6 hours a day, they dont care what they are learning. I would tell anyone to research your options, a school may not be able to opt out of a forced curriculum, but a child must have the option, use religious reasons if they have to. Home schooling is not always a choice. For my sons first 2 grades, a few parents and I got together and hired a teacher for those grades, we knew who was teaching at the local elementary school, and refused to send our kids to her. She was a witch who could not deal with bright active children, and a lousy teacher. There were 5 of us and we pooled our money and got a great private and licensed teacher for those grades.