Your Guide to Homeschool Laws by State

Approximately 3.7 million children in the US were homeschooled in 2024, more than double the 2019 figure. Homeschool regulations vary significantly by state, covering requirements like filing paperwork, maintaining records, and meeting testing guidelines.

State-by-State Homeschool Requirements

Northeast Region

Maine

• Hours: 175 days per year
• Testing: Annual assessment
• Recordkeeping: Copies of notice and assessment
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

New Hampshire

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Annual evaluation or test
• Recordkeeping: Yearly portfolio
• ESA/Stipend: EFA program available for eligible students

Vermont

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Annual progress report or evaluation
• Recordkeeping: Yearly notice and course of study
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Massachusetts

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Annual assessment or progress review
• Recordkeeping: Education plan and yearly report
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Rhode Island

• Hours: 180 days per year
• Testing: Not required statewide (may vary by district)
• Recordkeeping: Attendance and progress records
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Connecticut

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Optional but recommended
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

New York

• Hours: 900 or 990 hours annually (depending on grade)
• Testing: Annual assessment
• Recordkeeping: Quarterly reports and annual evaluations
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

New Jersey

• Hours: No set daily or annual hours required
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Not required by law
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Pennsylvania

• Hours: 180 days or 900/990 hours per year
• Testing: Standardized testing in grades three, five, and eight
• Recordkeeping: Annual portfolio and evaluation
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Delaware

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Portfolio of materials
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Maryland

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Portfolio review required in some cases
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Mid-Atlantic Region

Virginia

• Hours: Equivalent to 180 days
• Testing: Annual assessment
• Recordkeeping: Yearly documentation
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

West Virginia

• Hours: 180 days per year
• Testing: Grades three, five, eight, and 11
• Recordkeeping: Test results or portfolio
• ESA/Stipend: Hope Scholarship available for eligible students

North Carolina

• Hours: No set daily or annual hours
• Testing: Annual standardized test
• Recordkeeping: Attendance and immunization records
• ESA/Stipend: ESA+ program available for eligible students with disabilities

South Carolina

• Hours: 180 days per year
• Testing: Varies by option
• Recordkeeping: Attendance, lesson plans, and progress
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Southeast Region

Georgia

• Hours: 180 days per year, 4.5 hours per day
• Testing: Standardized testing in grades three, six, and nine
• Recordkeeping: Annual progress reports
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Florida

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Annual educational evaluation
• Recordkeeping: Portfolio for two years
• ESA/Stipend: Education Savings Account available (PEP program)

Alabama

• Hours: 140 days per year (for private tutor option)
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Attendance
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Mississippi

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Yearly certificate of enrollment
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Louisiana

• Hours: 180 days per year
• Testing: Tests or work samples required for home study
• Recordkeeping: Attendance and enrollment records
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Arkansas

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Optional but recommended
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

South-Central Region

Tennessee

• Hours: Four hours per day, 180 days per year
• Testing: Grades five, seven, and nine (independent option)
• Recordkeeping: Attendance and immunization records
• ESA/Stipend: ESA program available for select districts

Kentucky

• Hours: 185 days per year
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Attendance and progress reports
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Texas

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Not required by law
• ESA/Stipend: ESA program begins 2026-27

Oklahoma

• Hours: 180 days per year (recommended)
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Optional
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Midwest Region

Ohio

• Hours: 900 hours per year
• Testing: Annual assessment or standardized test
• Recordkeeping: Curriculum outline and yearly notification
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Michigan

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Not required by law
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Indiana

• Hours: 180 days per year
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Attendance
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Illinois

• Hours: No hours requirement
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Not required by law
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Wisconsin

• Hours: 875 per year
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Recommended
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Minnesota

• Hours: 165 days per year
• Testing: Annual standardized test
• Recordkeeping: Attendance and test records
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Iowa

• Hours: 148 days per year (IPI)
• Testing: Varies by option
• Recordkeeping: Required for supervised CPI
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Missouri

• Hours: 1,000 hours per school term (600 core, 400 at home)
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Plan book, portfolio, and evaluations
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Great Plains Region

North Dakota

• Hours: 175 days per year
• Testing: Grades four, six, eight, and 10
• Recordkeeping: Statement of Intent and test results
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

South Dakota

• Hours: 175 days per year
• Testing: Grades four, eight, and 11
• Recordkeeping: Notification and test records
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Nebraska

• Hours: 1,032 hours (K-8); 1,080 hours (grades 9-12)
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Forms A and B filed annually
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Kansas

• Hours: No set hours (186 days recommended)
• Testing: None required
• Recordkeeping: Attendance recommended
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Mountain Region

Montana

• Hours: 720 hours (grades 1-3); 810 hours (grades 4-12)
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Attendance and immunization records
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Wyoming

• Hours: 175 days per year
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Annual curriculum plan
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Colorado

• Hours: Four hours per day, 172 days per year
• Testing: Grades three, five, seven, nine, and 11
• Recordkeeping: Attendance, test results, immunization records
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Utah

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: One-time affidavit
• ESA/Stipend: Utah Fits All program

Idaho

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: None required
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Southwest Region

Nevada

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: One-time Notice of Intent and educational plan
• ESA/Stipend: Limited ESA access for eligible students

Arizona

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: One-time affidavit and birth certificate
• ESA/Stipend: Empowerment Scholarship Account available

New Mexico

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Not required
• Recordkeeping: Annual intent form and immunization/waiver records
• ESA/Stipend: None available

West Coast Region

California

• Hours: No set hours (except 175 days for tutor route)
• Testing: Not required under PSA/PSP
• Recordkeeping: Attendance, faculty list, courses of study
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Oregon

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Grades three, five, eight, and 10
• Recordkeeping: Test results and notice of intent
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Washington

• Hours: 180 days or 1,000 hours per year
• Testing: Annual standardized test or assessment
• Recordkeeping: Annual test results
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

Alaska and Hawaii

Alaska

• Hours: Not required
• Testing: Not required (independent route)
• Recordkeeping: Optional
• ESA/Stipend: Not available statewide

Hawaii

• Hours: No set hours
• Testing: Required for grades three, five, eight, and 10
• Recordkeeping: Parent-filed curriculum plan and test results
• ESA/Stipend: Not available

About bina

bina is "a fully accredited online global school" offering live, interactive lessons across three time zones with class sizes up to eight students. Bina is "an ESA-approved school" accepting education savings account funds for tuition.