by Rita Onyx
This is meant to be a summary and NOT legal advice. It is your responsibility to interpret and understand the laws that you will be homeschooling under.
Homeschooling is becoming increasingly popular. Just in the last years alone, homeschooling rose up by 700%. What was once seen as old-fashioned and outdated is now a modern way to educate the next generation.
There are many benefits to homeschooling; it gives parents freedom in choosing the curriculums and subjects their children learn. Remote learning also ensures their children are kept safe, away from potential dangers like bullying or viruses in public schools. It’s a win-win situation.
Thinking of homeschooling your children too? Then follow this quick guide on how to homeschool your children if you live in Maryland. Know the Maryland homeschool state laws and regulations in your state so you can homeschool properly.
Quick Facts:
There are four ways to homeschool:
- Portfolio option
- Church umbrella
- Church-exempt school umbrella
- State-approved school umbrella
Requirements:
- Children between 5-18 of age must be in school
- There are NO teacher qualifications
- You DO NOT need to be a certified teacher
- There ARE state mandated subjects
- There are NO required assessments or testing
- There are NO immunization requirements
How to Homeschool Under the Portfolio Option
- File a notice of consent form with the superintendent of your local school district
- Subjects must include:
a) Math
b) English
c) Social Studies
d) Science
e) Art
f) Music
g) Health
h) Physical Education
- There are no mandated number of days of instruction, but you must provide a “sufficient duration” of instruction
- Maintain a portfolio of the educational materials that you used and examples of your child’s work
- Be aware that the local superintendent can review your portfolio at a mutually agreeable time and place
How to Homeschool Under a Church Umbrella
- Choose a church umbrella to join
- File a notice of consent form with the superintendent of your local school district
- The church umbrella will now be responsible for the following:
a) Pre-enrollment conferences
b) Reviewing textbooks and lesson plans
c) Parent conferences done periodically
- Verify your church umbrella annually
How to Homeschool Under the Church-Exempt School Umbrella
- Choose a church-exempt school umbrella to join
- File a notice of consent form with the superintendent of your local school district
- The church-exempt umbrella will now be responsible for the following:
a) Pre-enrollment conferences
b) Reviewing textbooks and lesson plans
c) Parent conferences done periodically
- Verify your church-exempt umbrella annually
How to Homeschool Under a State-Approved School Umbrella
- The local school will assign a school-based teacher to assist the homeschool teacher and issue progress reports, mark papers, and grade tests
- File a notice of consent form with the superintendent of the local school district
- Verify your state-approved school umbrella annually
Helpful links:
http://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Pages/DSFSS/SSSP/HomeInstruct/index.aspx
https://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/non-public-education/regulation-map/maryland.html
Contact Information–State and Federal Departments of Education
- 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
- U.S. Department of Education, Maryland