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 Connecticut.

What you need to know:

• The Connecticut Homeschool Law does not require you to inform the school district that you are homeschooling your kid. You must complete a Notice of Intent form within ten days of starting to homeschool each year.
• If you need to remove your kid, you need to submit a withdrawal letter before removing him/her.
• There are no required requirements for the teacher.
• There are no required hours per day or days per year for homeschooling; however, you are asked in your Notice of Intent how many days in the year you will be teaching. An average public school year in Connecticut is 180 days.
• There are seven required academic subjects: reading, writing, spelling, English grammar, geography, arithmetic, and US history and citizenship.
• It would help if you kept a portfolio of your kid’s education.
• Homeschooled learners are not required to participate in yearly testing.
• If you re-enroll your child in a public school, requirements will vary depending on your school. The schools may ask you to submit a portfolio of work or assessments.

Resources

To learn more, check out the CT Homeschool Network, Home School Legal Defense Association – Connecticut, The Education Association of Christian Homeschoolers, and the CT Department of Education – Homeschooling.