As a result of COVID-19, homeschooling is on the rise. For some, this is a short-term arrangement, and others have discovered that homeschooling is perfect for their family. In case you don’t know, homeschooling is simply the practice of educating your kids from home. Some families choose to collaborate through homeschooling cooperatives and extracurricular leagues to enrich the home school experience.

Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, including the District of Columbia. When exploring the homeschooling route, please be aware that the laws and policies that govern homeschooling differ by state. If you wonder if homeschooling is a good fit for your family, you probably have questions about how to begin the process and what resources are available. Because of this, we created a series entitled, How to Start Homeschooling. In each installment, we will discuss homeschooling rules and resources for each state. In today’s installment, we will discuss homeschooling in Massachusetts.

What you need to know:

• Massachusetts requires that you get approval from your local school district and may reject your request. You might need to provide your education plan, your requirements to instruct, your educational content, and information on your kid’s educational process.
• If you need to remove your kid, you should submit a withdrawal letter before starting homeschooling.
• There are no particular requirements for homeschool teachers.
• There are no minimum hours per day required for homeschool instruction.
• There are no required academic subjects for homeschool learners; however, local school officials can review your educational content to determine what you should teach.
• No required records to be kept for homeschool learners; however, your school district might ask to see information about your kid’s educational process.
• Massachusetts does not require homeschool learners to participate in testing. Still, your school district can require an assessment or evaluation, such as a portfolio review or an assessment by a professional educator.
• If you re-enroll your kid in a public school, your school district requires notification within 30 days of your intent to switch back. Public high schools don’t accept homeschool credits.

Resources

Find out more at the Home School Legal Defense Association – Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Home Learning Association, and the Massachusetts Homeschool Organization of Parent Educators (MassHOPE).