Connecticut Homeschool Laws
Homeschooling in Connecticut
How do I start homeschooling?
Ready to start homeschooling in Connecticut? As suggested by the Connecticut State Department of Education follow these steps.
- Submit a notice of intent to homeschool form to the superintendent of schools in your town within 10 days of starting to homeschool. This form will be effective for one school year.
- Choose the curriculum that is best suited for your family.
- Keep a portfolio of your child’s progress with sample work from your child.
Modify™ can help you with your tracking, portfolio and record keeping. Download the app today.
Enjoying learning together!
Homeschool Laws
To comply with Connecticut’s homeschool law, parents must ensure their children receive instruction in the following required subjects:
- Reading
- Writing
- Spelling
- English Grammar
- Geography
- Arithmetic
- U.S. History
- Citizenship (including a study of Town, State and Federal Government)
- Science (recommended)
The suggested procedures for home instruction in Connecticut include:
- Submit a notice of intent to homeschool form to the superintendent of schools in your town. This must be filed within 10 days of starting to homeschool.
- If your child is or was previously attending public school, you will have to write a letter of withdrawal to the school superintendent before homeschooling.
- Attend an annual portfolio review to ensure that instruction in the required subjects has been given. There is no evaluation for academic progress, standardized test results or curriculum used.
In Connecticut, parents are required to send children aged five to eighteen to public school. Parents can request waivers (by personally appearing at the school district office) to hold a child aged five or six out of school until the following year, and a parent may consent to a seventeen-year-old child’s withdrawal from school prior to graduation by signing a withdrawal form at the school district.
According to Connecticut Education Law, Statute 10-184, a parent may withdraw a child from public school and choose to homeschool as long as “the parent or person having control of such child is able to show that the child is elsewhere receiving equivalent instruction in the studies taught in the public schools.” Parents choosing this option should check with their school district for information on local requirements.
Parents choosing to homeschool may provide instruction themselves, hire someone, or choose to enroll their children in online/virtual schools (which are not accredited by the Connecticut State Department of Education). At the age of 17, homeschooled young adults may register for free Adult Education programs, providing an official withdrawal from the public school (signed by a parent/guardian and a Connecticut high school official) is submitted.
Homeschool Requirements
Connecticut does not highly regulate homeschooling, there are some Connecticut homeschool requirements you must satisfy when you homeschool:
- Begin homeschooling by age 5 (or age 6 or 7 with an approved waiver).
- File the required notice of intent to homeschool each year.
- Teach reading, writing, spelling, English grammar, geography, arithmetic and United States history and in citizenship, including a study of the town, state and federal governments. You may also want to refer to the Connecticut Core Standards for clear expectations of what children should be able to know and do at each level, particularly if you intend to re-enroll your child in public school in the future.
- Stay current with homeschooling laws and requirements.
Record Keeping
The Connecticut State Department of Education suggests that parents maintain the following records:
- Attendance, reflecting days and hours of instruction
- Portfolio for each child containing samples of assignments, activities, projects, and assessments
- Log of books and materials used for instruction
- Results of any national assessments
In addition to the required recordkeeping, we also recommend you do some personal recordkeeping in the event you would need to show some form of educational proof to the state or other legal entities or to prepare for post-secondary pathways. This includes:
- Immunization records
- Correspondence with school officials
- Test and evaluation results
You may find more information on homeschooling in Connecticut through your local school district.
Modify™ offers a easy and reliable place to track the necessary things and keep records for your students.
Graduation requirements
In Connecticut, once a child is getting ready to graduate from homeschooling, a parent-issued diploma and transcript should suffice as proof that the child has been taught in the required subjects. It is important to ensure that your child’s homeschool portfolio also includes dates and times so that proof regarding compulsory attendance is readily available.
Modify™ helps homeschoolers to keep all necessary records and transcripts.
REFERENCE GUIDE:
Homeschool laws can change often, so please check for updates at the Connecticut State Department of Education website.
Note: All information on this site is provided with no guarantee of accuracy. Modify™ is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or outdated information, or for the results yielded through use of this information.
Try Modify™ Free! We'll give you a 30 Day Risk Free Trial.
We are so confident you’ll love the Modify™ app, we are giving you a 30 day free trial. If you love it as much as we know you will, continue to use it for only $4.99/mo.
