SOUTH DAKOTA HOMESCHOOL LAW

Compulsory School Age: 6 - 16 (by September 1)

South Dakota state law offers one legal homeschooling option, which is to operate a homeschool.  Parents/guardians who wish to homeschool their child  must complete and submit an Application for Public School Exemption Certificate to the local school superintendent.  This application must be submitted each year of the homeschool program.  A copy of each child's birth certificate must be filed at the time of the initial application and a copy must also be kept on file at the child's home (a notarized or witnessed affidavit asserting the child's identity may be accepted in place of a copy of the child's birth certificate).  Students schooling under the homeschool option are required to attend instruction for an amount of time equivalent to that required for the public schools.  Language arts and math are the only required subjects for homeschool students.  Homeschool children are required to participate in standardized testing in grades 2, 4, 8, and 11; test results should demonstrate academic progress.  South Dakota statutes do not specify requirements for parent/teacher qualifications. 

Find a homeschool group in South Dakota.

View these websites for more information about South Dakota homeschool laws:

• Home School Legal Defense Association

• National Home Education Network

• South Dakota Education Code for Homeschooling

• South Dakota Department of Education

Please note: This is a brief summary of South Dakota homeschool law and is presented for informative purposes only and not as legal advice.