How to Homeschool in Maryland

Home instruction programs that deliver regular, thorough instruction during the school year in subjects usually taught in public schools to children of similar age, five years old or older and under 16, satisfy Maryland's compulsory school attendance law (subject to amendment July 1, 2015). Annotated Code of Maryland, Education Article §7-301.

Home instruction in Maryland is governed by state regulations that establish the process a local school superintendent uses to ensure a homeschooled child receives consistent and comprehensive instruction similar to that received by public school students of similar age. COMAR 13A.10.01 (A).

A home-based private educational program is not a private school under state law.

Parents or legal guardians must submit a written statement on a consent form prescribed by the Maryland Department of Education at least 15 days before the beginning of a home instruction program. Forms are available upon request to the local school system. COMAR 13A.10.01.

Once home instruction is established, parents must annually thereafter, before the beginning of the school year, verify the continuation of home school instruction for their children with the local school superintendent. COMAR 13A.10.01.01 (2).

Parents or legal guardians must select an entity to supervise the home instruction they provide. That entity may be one of the following: the local school system; a nonpublic school that holds a certificate of approval from the Maryland State Board of Education; a church-exempt nonpublic school; or an education ministry of a bona fide church organization. COMAR 13A.10.01.05.

Such parents or legal guardians must provide regular, thorough instruction in the subjects that are taught in the public schools. Parents or legal guardians may unilaterally select the relevant instructional materials and equipment they wish to use. COMAR 13A.10.01.

Parents or guardians must teach their homeschooled children in the following mandatory subjects: English, mathematics, science, social studies, art, music, health, and physical education. COMAR 13A.10.01.01C. (2).

The parent of a home instruction program must allow a representative of the local school system to review "the portfolio of educational materials, discuss the instructional program, and observe the instruction provided.There are not more than three reviews during a school year." COMAR 13A.10.01 (E).

A parent of a child in a home instruction program may request that the child participate in the regularly scheduled standardized testing that is administered in the public school where the child is eligible to attend. COMAR 13A.10.01.02.

There is no regulation at this time allowing homeschooled students to participate in courses or activities that are offered by a Maryland public school other than the standardized testing program. COMAR 13A.10.01.

Parents or guardians may request that a homeschooled child participate in the regularly scheduled standardized testing programs being given at the child's local public school district. COMAR 13A.10.01.02.

Contact Information

Maryland Department of Education
Certification and Accreditation Division
Nonpublic School Approval Branch
200 West Baltimore St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: 410-767-0407
Fax: 410-333-8963

Maryland Department of Education Student, Family, and School Support Division
The Student Services and Alternative Programs Branch
200 West Baltimore St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: 410-767-0311

Maryland Department of Education
200 West Baltimore St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: 410-767-0100; 888-246-0016
Fax: 410-333-6033
Website: http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE

Source: United States Department of Education - Maryland State Regulations

Each child who resides in Maryland and is 5 years old or older and under 18 shall attend a public school regularly during the entire school year. Education Article, §7-301, Annotated Code of Maryland and COMAR 13A.10.10.01

A child is exempt from the law if he or she “is receiving regular, thorough instruction during the school year in the studies usually taught in the public schools to children of the same age.” Maryland recognizes home instruction as a means for children to receive regular, thorough instruction.

The purpose of these regulations is to establish a procedure to be used by the superintendent of each local school system to determine if a child participating in a home instruction program is receiving regular, thorough instruction during the school year in the studies usually taught in the public schools to children of the same age.

A local school system may not impose additional requirements for home instruction programs other than those in the home instruction regulations.[COMAR 13A.10.01.01F]

Intent to Home School Notification

A parent or guardian who chooses to provide a home instruction program for his or her child must sign a statement on a form prescribed by the Maryland State Department of Education, indicating consent to home instruction requirements. The home instruction regulations specify that the Maryland Homeschool Notification Form must be submitted to the local superintendent or designee at least 15 calendar days prior to beginning home instruction. [COMAR 13A.10.01.01B & COMAR 13A.10.01.05C & D]

A parent can be held responsible for unexcused absences when a child has been withdrawn from public school but the notice of consent has not been filed and instruction has not been initiated.

The parent or guardian should contact his or her local school system for a copy of the applicable form and COMAR 13A.10.01 (the home instruction regulations).

Annual Notification

Once a home instruction program has begun, the parent or guardian must annually verify its continuation with the local school system or nonpublic school or institution that is supervising the program. In addition, the parent or guardian must notify the local school system or supervising entity if any change in status occurs during the school year.[COMAR 13A.10.01.01B & COMAR 13A.10.01.05C & D]

Curriculum

A parent or guardian who chooses to provide a home instruction program for his or her child is responsible for selecting the curriculum and/or instructional materials to be used. The home instruction regulation outlines certain aspects of the program that must be present, but also reserves for the parent or guardian a certain amount of flexibility to create a program that meets the needs of the child. The home instruction program is not required to be aligned with Maryland’s College- and Career-Ready Standards.

Required Subjects

The home instruction program shall include instruction in English, mathematics, science, social studies, art, music, health, and physical education. Given that these subjects are to provide regular, thorough instruction in the studies usually taught in the public schools to children of the same age, they need not be offered more frequently than would be expected in the public schools.[COMAR 13A.10.01.01C(1)(b)]

Cooperative Instruction

Some families may seek to utilize a co-op arrangement, in which a group of parents and guardians come together to provide instruction to all of their children in certain subjects or on certain days, either by dividing teaching duties among them or by collectively hiring a tutor. While this may be used to supplement a home instruction program, a co-op cannot provide regular daily instruction to an organized group of students who are not in the same family because this may constitute an unapproved nonpublic “school.” In that event, the Nonpublic Approval Branch of the Maryland State Department of Education may take action against the operator(s) of the co-op under COMAR 13A.09.09.[COMAR 13A.09.09.02B(12)]

Attendance Requirements

The home instruction regulation only requires that the home instruction program take place on a regular basis during the school year and be of sufficient duration to implement the instruction program.[COMAR 13A.10.01.01C(1)(c)]

Portfolio Reviews

A parent or guardian who chooses to provide a home instruction program for his or her child must submit to portfolio reviews by the local school system or be supervised by one of the following entities:
1) a nonpublic school that holds a Certificate of Approval from the Maryland State Department of Education;
2) a church-exempt nonpublic school; or
3) an institution (education ministry) offering an educational program operated by a bona fide church organization. This is the list of Maryland Nonpublic Entities Registered to Supervise Home Instruction. [COMAR 13A.10.01.01E COMAR 13A.10.01.05]

The reviewer from the local school system may ask to see materials that demonstrate the parent or guardian is providing regular, thorough instruction during the school year in the required subject areas. Some items that the parent or guardian may provide include instructional materials, reading materials, and examples of the child’s writing, worksheets, workbooks, creative materials, and tests. This is not an exhaustive list, though, and thus the parent or guardian may provide other materials that he or she finds relevant, so long as they are sufficient to demonstrate regular, thorough instruction.

Portfolio reviews occur at the end of each semester. No more than three reviews can occur during a school year. Although the parent or guardian must agree to permit a representative of the local school system to review the portfolio and discuss the instructional program, the local school system can only conduct its reviews at a time and place mutually agreeable to both parties.[COMAR 13A.10.01.01D & E]

Deficient Homeschool Program

If the local school system deems the home instruction program deficient, the local superintendent or designee shall notify the parent or guardian in writing of any deficiencies in the program. Within 30 calendar days of receipt of the written notification, the parent or guardian must provide evidence that the deficiency has been or is being corrected. If sufficient evidence is not provided, the child shall be promptly enrolled in a public or nonpublic school.[COMAR 13A.10.01.03]

Instructors

Home instruction is not limited to a parent or guardian teaching his or her child at home. As the provider of a home instruction program, the parent or guardian is ultimately responsible for complying with the home instruction regulations, but he or she may design a program that utilizes a variety of instructors and locations of instruction for his or her child. While the home instruction regulations refer to “child” in the singular, other adults may also provide regular daily instruction to siblings in the same family.[COMAR 13A.09.09.02B(12)]

Teacher Requirement

The home instruction regulations do not require the parent, guardian, or other instructor to have teacher certification in order to deliver home instruction.[COMAR 13A.10.01.01F]

Testing

A child receiving home instruction receiving home instruction may participate in the regularly scheduled standardized testing programs that are administered in the public school the child is eligible to attend. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to contact the public school that the child is eligible to attend to find out the testing schedule and to make arrangements for participation prior to the testing date.[COMAR 13A.10.01.02]

Extra Curricular Activities

The home instruction regulations do not include a provision to allow children receiving home instruction to participate in courses or activities offered by the local school system other than the standardized testing programs.[COMAR 13A.10.01]

Dual Enrollment College

The home instruction regulations expressly authorize enrollment on a part-time or full-time basis in courses offered by accredited or unaccredited colleges. Actual enrollment is subject to acceptance by the college and payment of any required tuition and fees. A parent or guardian who chooses to enroll his or her child in college courses may elect to provide to the local superintendent or designee a copy of a report card or transcript from the college at the conclusion of each semester in lieu of a portfolio of materials for those courses. Access the Maryland MPSSAA Standards of Competition (PDF) [COMAR 13A.10.01.01C(2) COMAR 13A.10.01.05B; COMAR 13A.06.03.04]

Public School Re-enrollment

The parent or guardian must contact the local school system for specific procedures regarding transferring from home instruction to enrollment in a public school. The local superintendent or designee shall determine by an evaluation the placement of the child and any credits to be awarded toward high school graduation. The evaluation may include administration of standardized tests and examinations and interviews with the child. [COMAR 13A.10.01.04]

Diplomas

A Maryland High School Diploma is a specific kind of high school diploma that can only be issued by public schools, and which can only be issued after a child has met the requirements of COMAR 13A.03.02.09B.

GED

An option is to obtain a Maryland High School Diploma by examination, which requires that a child successfully complete the Maryland GED test.

If a child is 16 years old or over, and is either participating in a home instruction program or has completed such a program, he or she may register for the GED test. If the child has not completed his or her home instruction program, however, and does not achieve passing scores in all subject matters on the GED test, the child must continue to participate in a home instruction program or enroll in school until he or she reaches the compulsory attendance age.

For questions about GED requirements, contact the GED Testing Office of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (DLLR) at (410) 767-0538. You can access more information online at Maryland GED. [COMAR 13A.03.02.09B & D]

Maryland Home Instruction Coordinators

For questions about beginning to provide a home instruction program, portfolio reviews, standardized testing, special education services, and transferring to a public school, contact your local school system directly. The Maryland Home School Contact List (PDF) is a list of local home instruction program coordinators.

Contact Information

Lynne E. Muller
Education Specialist, Student Services Division of Student Support, Academic Enrichment, and Educational Policy
Maryland State Department of Education
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
410-767-3364 (office)
410-333-8148 (Fax)

Jonathan Turner
Lead Specialist for Student Support and Academic Enrichment
Division of Student Support, Academic Enrichment, and Educational Policy
Maryland State Department of Education
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
410-767-0288

Maryland Home Schooling Links

• Maryland Homeschool Notification Form
• Maryland Compulsory Attendance law online.
• Maryland Home Instruction Fact Sheet
• Code of Maryland Home Instruction Regulations
• Maryland COMAR 13A.10.10.01
• Fact Sheet Regarding Maryland Church-Exempt Schools
• Maryland Nonpublic Entities Registered to Supervise Home Instruction
• Maryland Complete COMAR Citation 2019​ (PDF)
• Maryland Video Part 1 Initiating Home Instruction
• Maryland Video Part 2 Components of a Home Instruction Program
• Maryland Video Part 3 Special Topics for High School Aged Students
• Spanish Link: Maryland Home Instruction Video Series
• List of Nonpublic Entities registered to supervise home instruction.

Source: Maryland Department of Education