Compare homeschool laws by state

Alabama does not have one simple direct homeschool filing path for every family. Most families homeschool by enrolling in a church school umbrella, while others use a private school setup or a certified private tutor. The rules depend on which option you choose.

Alaska offers several legal ways to homeschool, including the direct parent-or-guardian option, a certified private tutor, a correspondence program, or a religious or private school option. The direct parent option is the simplest because it does not require notice, approval, testing, or teacher credentials.

Arizona is one of the less regulated states for homeschoolers. Families generally file a one-time affidavit of intent with the county school superintendent, submit proof of the child’s birth, and then teach the required basic subjects without ongoing testing or routine state reporting.

Arkansas is generally homeschool-friendly. Families usually file a notice of intent each year with the local superintendent and can then homeschool without routine testing, teacher certification, or a detailed statewide hour requirement.

California offers several legal ways to homeschool, including filing as a home-based private school, using a private school satellite program, or hiring a credentialed private tutor. The most common independent route is the private school affidavit option, which brings annual filing and basic private-school recordkeeping.

Colorado gives families real freedom over curriculum, but the standard homeschool statute comes with several rules: send a notice of intent, teach the required subjects for 172 days averaging 4 hours a day, keep records, and submit test or evaluation results in certain grades. The independent-school and certified-teacher options can work differently and may reduce some of those requirements.

Connecticut is one of the less regulated states for homeschoolers. State law requires parents to provide instruction in certain subjects, but it does not require families to file paperwork before they begin homeschooling. The state has optional homeschool guidelines that mention a notice of intent and an annual portfolio review, but those steps are not required by law.

Delaware allows homeschooling as a single-family homeschool, a multi-family homeschool, or a single-family homeschool coordinated with the local school district. The usual single-family and multi-family options require annual reporting to the Delaware Department of Education, including enrollment at the start of the school year and attendance at the end of the year. Delaware does not require teacher certification or standardized testing for these homeschool options.

The District of Columbia requires a yearly notice of intent, a parent with a high school diploma or equivalent unless OSSE grants a waiver, instruction in a list of required subjects, and a portfolio showing thorough and regular education. Standardized testing is not generally required, but OSSE may request to review the portfolio up to two times per year if it has reason to question whether a thorough and regular education is being provided.

Florida is generally homeschool-friendly, but parents still need to file a notice of intent, keep a portfolio, and complete an annual evaluation.

Georgia is fairly manageable for homeschoolers, but families do have to file a declaration of intent, teach the required subjects for the required time, keep attendance, write annual progress reports, and complete standardized testing every three years after a certain grade.

Hawaii has a direct homeschool process rather than a private-school-style workaround. Families generally notify the local public school principal, provide a structured educational program, and turn in an annual progress report showing the student made educational progress.

Idaho does not require routine notice, approval, testing, or parent teacher certification for independent homeschooling. Families are generally expected to provide instruction comparable to what is taught in public school, but the state gives homeschoolers broad day-to-day freedom.

Illinois is one of the less regulated states for homeschoolers. Families do not usually file paperwork with the state, but they should provide instruction in English and cover the branches of education taught to children of similar age and grade in public school.

Indiana does not require a standard notice of intent, state approval, mandated testing, or parent teacher credentials for independent homeschooling. Families should provide real instruction equivalent to what public schools provide during the school term and should run the homeschool in an organized way as a nonpublic school.

Iowa offers multiple homeschool pathways, including Independent Private Instruction, an opt-out route, homeschooling with annual assessment, homeschooling with a supervising teacher, and participation in a Home School Assistance Program. Some options require no routine filing, while others require Form A paperwork, at least 148 days of instruction, immunization documentation for first-time competent private instruction students, and sometimes assessment or teacher supervision.

Kansas is generally a low-regulation homeschool state. Families usually homeschool by registering a nonaccredited private school name and address with the State Board of Education once, using competent instructors, providing planned and scheduled instruction for about the same length of time as public schools, and testing students periodically.

Kentucky appears to treat a homeschool as a private school for legal compliance. The captured HSLDA source says families should send an annual private school notice of attendance, keep attendance and scholarship reports, teach at least 1,062 hours over at least 170 days, and cover specific subjects in English.

Louisiana has two different homeschool-style pathways with different rules. The BESE-approved home study option requires an application, annual renewal, a sustained curriculum of quality equal to public schools, and proof of progress at renewal. The nonpublic school not seeking state approval option appears lighter, but it still requires certain notices, annual attendance reporting, and a 180-day school year.

Maine has more paperwork than the least regulated states. Under the home instruction option, parents send a notice of intent when they begin, teach at least 175 days, cover listed subjects, and submit a continuation letter with an annual assessment by September 1 each following year. Maine also allows a private-school pathway, but the raw sources reviewed here give fewer details about how that option works in practice.

Maryland allows homeschooling through several legal pathways, including the portfolio option supervised by the local school system and umbrella-style options through certain nonpublic schools or church-related programs. The common direct route requires a notice of consent, regular instruction in the usual school subjects, a portfolio of work, and periodic reviews.

Massachusetts does not use a simple statewide notice form. Instead, parents usually submit a home education plan to the local superintendent or school committee and get approval before starting. Local districts can review the proposed curriculum, schedule, and method of evaluation, but they cannot impose every public-school rule on homeschool families.

Michigan is one of the less regulated states for families using the homeschool statute. The common direct homeschool option does not usually require notice, testing, or teacher certification, but parents should run an organized educational program covering the required subject areas. Michigan also has a nonpublic school pathway with different considerations.

Minnesota allows parents to homeschool directly, but it is not a no-paperwork state. Families generally need to notify the local superintendent, make sure the instructor is legally qualified, teach the required subjects, keep certain records, and complete yearly testing unless an accreditation-based exception applies.

Mississippi is a low-regulation homeschool state. Families generally file a yearly certificate of enrollment with the local school attendance officer, but the available sources do not show statewide teacher qualification rules, required subjects, required testing, or a homeschool day-count requirement.

Missouri is fairly homeschool-friendly because it does not require routine notice, parent teaching credentials, or statewide testing. The main compliance burden is instruction and records: families generally provide 1,000 hours of instruction each school term, with 600 of those hours in core subjects and 400 of those core-subject hours at the regular homeschool location, and families homeschooling children under 16 keep the records listed in the law.

Montana has a direct homeschool path, but it is more regulated than the lowest-regulation states. Families generally file a notice of intent each school fiscal year, keep attendance records, provide a set minimum number of instructional hours, and teach an organized course of study that includes the basic subjects required in Montana public schools.

Nebraska treats a homeschool as a private, denominational, or parochial school that elects not to meet state accreditation or approval requirements. Based on the raw sources reviewed here, families typically submit exempt-school paperwork to the Nebraska Department of Education, provide proof of the child's identity and age when first homeschooling, file annual assurance and parent-representative forms, report attendance, and provide a sequential program of instruction in language arts, math, science, social studies, and health.

Nevada requires a one-time notice of intent to homeschool with an educational plan covering required subject areas. After that initial filing, families generally do not make routine annual filings unless the parent or child name or address changes. The state does not appear in the reviewed sources to require routine testing, teacher credentials, or state approval of the educational plan.

New Hampshire requires parents to begin with a notice to the commissioner of education, the resident district superintendent, or the principal of a participating approved nonpublic school within 5 business days of starting. Families must teach the listed subjects, keep a portfolio, preserve it for 2 years after instruction ends, and complete an annual educational evaluation through one of several allowed methods.

New Jersey law is short and does not create a heavy filing system for homeschoolers. Parents generally may homeschool without annual approval if they provide an academically equivalent education, but the state gives very little detailed official guidance beyond the statute.

New Mexico generally allows independent homeschooling if the parent has a high school diploma or equivalent, notifies the state within 30 days of starting and again each year by August 1, teaches the main required subjects, keeps immunization records, and provides instruction for about the same number of days as local public schools are in session.

New York allows homeschooling, but families must file paperwork, submit an individualized home instruction plan, keep attendance, and provide quarterly reports.

North Carolina treats a homeschool as a type of nonpublic school. Parents generally file a notice of intent before starting, run the school on a regular schedule for at least nine calendar months, keep attendance and immunization records, and give a nationally standardized test every year.

North Dakota allows direct homeschooling, but families generally need to file a yearly statement of intent, meet parent qualification rules, teach the required subjects, and provide a minimum amount of instruction each year. The state also recognizes a private school option for parents who are state-certified teachers.

Ohio’s newer homeschool law is simpler than the old rules. Parents generally give an annual notification, provide at least 900 hours of instruction each school year, and keep their own records, but routine testing and portfolio review are no longer required under the main homeschool option.

Oklahoma does not appear to require routine notice, approval, parent credentials, or statewide testing for independent homeschooling. The main clear legal expectation in the reviewed sources is that children must receive education for the full term the district schools are in session, commonly described by HSLDA as 180 days, and some Oklahoma cases have suggested that home education should be equivalent or comparable to public school education.

Oregon law allows children to be educated at home by a parent, legal guardian, or private teacher, but the family must give written notice to the local education service district and follow the state's testing rules. Students are generally tested in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10, with extra follow-up possible for low or declining scores. The statute also allows different evaluation handling for some students with disabilities.

Pennsylvania allows homeschooling under its home education law, but it is more regulated than many states. Families generally file a notarized affidavit or unsworn declaration each year, teach the required subjects, keep a portfolio, and submit an annual evaluation.

Rhode Island treats homeschooling as approved at-home instruction. Parents usually submit a notice of intent to the local school committee, show that they will teach for about the same number of days as public schools, cover the required subjects, and keep attendance records. Because approval happens locally, requirements can vary somewhat by district.

South Carolina offers three homeschool pathways: district approval under Option 1, enrollment in SCAIHS under Option 2, or enrollment in a qualifying association with at least 50 members under Option 3. All three options require at least 180 instructional days and the core listed subjects, while Option 1 also includes district approval, semiannual reporting, record inspections on reasonable notice, access to library facilities, and annual testing.

South Dakota generally requires families to file a standard notification form within 30 days of beginning homeschooling and again within 30 days after certain transitions, such as moving districts or enrolling in a public or nonpublic school. The available sources describe no statewide testing requirement, no statewide teacher credential requirement, and no general recordkeeping mandate, but they do require instruction in at least language arts and math leading to mastery of the English language.

Tennessee has multiple at-home education pathways. Independent home schools require annual notice to the local school district, a parent-teacher with at least a high school diploma or approved equivalency, and TCAP testing in grades 5, 7, and 9. Church-related umbrella programs do not use the district intent form, but the umbrella school handles its own record-keeping and testing requirements. Accredited online schools are private schools, not Tennessee home schools.

Texas is one of the least regulated homeschool states. Parents generally do not need to file notice, but they do need to run a real educational program using written or printed curriculum materials that cover the core subjects.

Utah requires a one-time initial notification to the local school board or district of residence. The Utah State Board of Education says parents do not need to follow a particular curriculum, are no longer required to provide criminal background information under the 2025 amendment described on the official page, and cannot be required by the local board to maintain instruction or attendance records. The district has no authority over curriculum, assessment, materials, or the time and place of instruction.

Vermont allows homeschooling through its home study law. Families generally file a Home Study Enrollment Notice each year, provide a minimum course of study, and submit an annual progress assessment for each enrolled student. The system is manageable, but it has more ongoing paperwork than the least regulated states.

Virginia offers several legal ways to educate a child at home, including the main home instruction option, which usually requires yearly notice and yearly proof of progress. Because the state has multiple legal pathways, the exact paperwork and qualification rules depend on which option a family uses.

Washington allows independent home-based instruction, but families must qualify to teach, file an annual declaration of intent, cover the required subject areas, provide an average of 1,000 instructional hours each year, and complete a yearly test or assessment.

West Virginia's home instruction statute requires a notice of intent to the county superintendent, assurance of instruction in reading, language, mathematics, science, and social studies, evidence that the instructor meets the minimum educational qualification, and annual assessment. Assessment results must be submitted to the county superintendent at grades 3, 5, 8, and 11 by June 30. Parents must keep copies of each student's academic assessment for three years. County boards may also offer classes, textbooks, and other resources subject to availability and approval.

Wisconsin requires families to file the PI-1206 statement of enrollment each school year, provide at least 875 hours of instruction, and teach a sequentially progressive curriculum in the required subject areas. The state does not require testing or parent teacher credentials for independent homeschooling.

The reviewed 2025 HSLDA Wyoming summary says the main homeschool statute requires a sequentially progressive curriculum in listed subjects but no routine notice, no testing, and no parent teacher credential. Older Wyoming-source materials in the bundle are less clear and still reference a curriculum-submission form, so this draft stays cautious and flags that inconsistency.