Even though Maine does not highly regulate homeschooling, there are some Maine homeschool requirements you must satisfy when you homeschool:

• Begin homeschooling by age 6.
• File the required notice of intent to homeschool (within 10 calendar days of beginning homeschooling and withdrawal from school), as described above.
• Provide at least 175 days annually of instruction. Note that there is no hourly requirement, per day or per year. Each school year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30.
• Teach the following subject areas: “English and language arts, math, science, social studies, physical education, health education, library skills, fine arts and, in at least one grade from grade 6 to 12, Maine studies. At one grade level from grade 7 to 12, the student will demonstrate proficiency in the use of computers.” While “there are no specific curriculum standards for home instruction,” according to the Maine Department of Education, Maine’s content areas and standards are available for you to review when planning your curriculum.
• Include an annual assessment of the student’s academic progress, as required for submission of the annual notice of intent (see below).
• Using the same link for the original Home Instruction Notice, file the required annual notice of intent to continue homeschooling on or before each subsequent year of home instruction to both the school officials and the commissioner by September 1. Enclosed must be a copy of one of the following forms of annual assessment:
  • Option 1: “A standardized achievement test administered through the administrative unit in which the student resides or through other arrangements approved by the commissioner. If the test is administered through the administrative unit in which the student resides, that administration must be agreed to by the school officials of the administrative unit prior to submission of the written notice of intent to provide home instruction;”
  • Option 2: “A test developed by the school officials of the administrative unit in which the student resides appropriate to the student’s home instruction program, which must be agreed to by the school officials of the administrative unit prior to submission of the written notice of intent to provide home instruction;” 
  • Option 3: “A review and acceptance of the student’s progress by an identified individual who holds a current Maine teacher’s certificate;”  
  • Option 4: “A review and acceptance of the student’s progress based on, but not limited to, a presentation of an educational portfolio of the student to a local area homeschooling support group whose membership for this purpose includes a currently certified Maine teacher or administrator;” or
  • Option 5: “A review and acceptance of the student’s progress by a local advisory board selected by the superintendent of the administrative unit in which the student resides that includes one administrative unit employee and 2 home instruction tutors. For the purpose of this subdivision, a “home instruction tutor” means the parent, guardian or other person who acts or will act as a primary teacher of the student in the home instruction program. This provision must be agreed to by the school officials of the administrative unit in which the student resides prior to submission of the written notice of intent to provide home instruction.”
• File the Request to Update Home Instruction Record form if your child has graduated, has decided to return to public/private school, or has had a mid-year change of address or other correction.
• Stay current with homeschooling laws and requirements.