Homeschool Owl

How to Start Homeschooling

Homeschooling is legal in every US state, but the process for actually starting looks different depending on where you live. Here's the general process every family goes through, plus the exact steps for your specific state.

The 6 steps

  1. 1

    Learn your state's requirements

    Homeschool law is set entirely at the state level — there's no federal homeschool law. Requirements range from no notice at all to annual notification, standardized testing, and portfolio review. Look up your state before doing anything else, since it determines every other step below.

  2. 2

    Decide on an approach

    Families teach in a lot of different ways — following a boxed curriculum, unit studies built around themes, the classical trivium, unschooling led by the child's interests, or a mix ("eclectic"). There's no single right answer, and most states don't require you to name or register a specific method — just to meet their subject and time requirements.

  3. 3

    Withdraw from your current school, in writing

    If your child is currently enrolled in a public or private school, notify the school in writing that you're withdrawing them to homeschool, effective a specific date. Keep a copy. This applies regardless of what your state requires at the state level — it's about closing out the old enrollment cleanly.

  4. 4

    File any required state notification

    Some states require nothing further. Others require a letter of intent, an affidavit, or enrollment with an umbrella/covering school by a specific deadline. Check your state page for the exact method and deadline.

  5. 5

    Start tracking instructional time and records

    Most states set a minimum number of instructional days or hours per year, even if they don't check in on you regularly. Logging as you go — rather than reconstructing a year of records in May — is the difference between compliance being easy and being a scramble.

  6. 6

    Plan for ongoing requirements

    Depending on your state, this might mean annual standardized testing, a portfolio review by a certified evaluator, or a periodic report to your district. Build these into your calendar at the start of the year, not the week before they're due.

Find your state's specific process

Deadlines, forms, and requirements vary by state. Pick yours for the exact steps.

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

Frequently Asked Questions

Is homeschooling legal everywhere in the US?+
Yes. Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states and DC. What varies enormously is how much paperwork, testing, and oversight each state requires — anywhere from nothing at all to detailed annual reporting.
Do I need a teaching degree or certification to homeschool?+
No. No US state requires parents to hold a teaching credential to homeschool their own children.
Can I start homeschooling in the middle of the school year?+
Yes — you can generally begin at any point in the year. Withdraw from your child's current school effective your start date, and if your state requires notification, file it around that same time rather than waiting for a new school year.
What is an "umbrella school" or "covering school"?+
In some states, families can satisfy notification requirements by enrolling with a private umbrella (or "covering") school, which handles reporting to the state on the family's behalf in exchange for a fee. This is common in states like Florida and California as an alternative to filing directly with the district.
What's the difference between homeschooling and online public school?+
Online/virtual public school is still public school — the district sets the curriculum, tracks attendance, and the student is enrolled the same as any public school student, just remotely. Homeschooling means the parent is legally responsible for education, choosing curriculum and methods themselves, subject to their state's homeschool law rather than public school enrollment rules.
Do homeschoolers need a diploma to get into college or the military?+
Most colleges and the US military accept homeschool transcripts and diplomas issued by the parent or an umbrella school, sometimes alongside standardized test scores or a portfolio. Requirements vary by institution, so it's worth checking directly with schools a student is interested in during the high school years.
Browse all state requirements →State guides by regulation level →Free homeschool tools →

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