Massachusetts Homeschooling Law

Quick Overview of requirements

Watch our video presentation on this topic here
Download our Guide to Homeschooling (PDF)

Prior Approval

Although you have the right to homeschool, Massachusetts is an approval state. What this means is that the public school district where you live must have a process to approve your submitted education plan before you officially remove your child from school.

Compulsory Attendance and Minimum and Maximum Ages for Reporting

Massachusetts requires a minimum of 180 days and 900 hours of instruction. These days and hours for homeschoolers do not have to match the public school day or year. Many homeschoolers cover the number of required days and hours in a variety of creative ways.

Massachusetts' compulsory education laws require homeschoolers to submit an education plan for children in the calendar year that they will turn six and through the year they turn 16.

Four things that school officials can (not must) ask homeschooling parents to provide according to the Charles Decision:

• 1. an educational plan

  2. information about the parents' qualifications

  3. a review of texts, but only to determine the type of subjects taught and the grade level of the child

  4. information on academic progress

For more detailed information, click on the links above or review the Ten Points or visit our Public Documents page or the Ed Plan Template .