| MARYLAND HOMESCHOOL LAW
Compulsory School Age: 5 -16 Maryland state law offers two legal homeschooling options: 1) operate a homeschool or 2) provide home instruction under the supervision of a nonpublic school. -
The first option is to operate a homeschool. A notice of intent must be filed with the local superintendent 15 days prior to the beginning of homeschooling. Each following year, the superintendent must be notified whether or not homeschooling will continue. There is no required minimum number of days or hours for attendance; however, Maryland statute states that instruction must occur regularly throughout the school year and "be of sufficient duration to implement the instruction program." This same statute declares that homeschools must "provide regular, thorough instruction in the studies usually taught in the public schools to children of the same age;" required subjects include English, mathematics, science, social studies, art, music, health, and physical education. A portfolio containing important and "relevant materials" should be maintained and made available for review by the local school superintendent at the end of each semester. There are no requirements regarding parent/teacher qualifications or testing. -
The second option is to provide home instruction under the supervision of a nonpublic school. A notice of intent must be filed with the local superintendent 15 days prior to the beginning of homeschooling. The supervising school will verify the continuation of the homeschool program each year and must be notified of any status changes. Students under this option must adhere to the guidelines and regulations set by the supervising program for required attendance, subjects, recordkeeping, and testing. There are no regulations specifying parent/teacher qualifications. Find a homeschool group in Maryland. View these websites for more information about Maryland homeschool laws: Please note: This is a brief summary of Maryland homeschool law and is presented for informative purposes only and not as legal advice. |
