Letter of Intent to Homeschool

Letter of Intent to Homeschool

Last updated February 3rd, 2024

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A letter (notice) of intent to homeschool is written by a parent or guardian to inform the local school district that their child will be homeschooled. This simple letter identifies each child, their homeschool teacher, and the courses they will be taking. Most states require that a parent send in a letter of intent before withdrawing their child from public or private schooling.

Contents

How to Write

The contents of a letter of intent to homeschool will vary depending on the state (and sometimes school district) requirements. Some states use a specific government form for the LOI, while others don’t require any communication from the parents at all. That said, most jurisdictions want to receive a letter with the following information:

  • Child information. The child’s information, including name, gender, date of birth, and residence.
  • Homeschool teacher information. The homeschool teacher’s information, including their name, email, phone number, and the address of where they’ll be homeschooling.
  • Homeschool curriculum. The subjects that will be included in the homeschooling curriculum.
  • Parent/guardian information. The parent or guardian’s information, including their name, email, and phone number.
  • Instructional days/hours. The total number of hours and days during which the child will be homeschooled throughout the school year.

Requirements: By State

LEGEND:

  • – Required
  • X – NOT required
  • N/A –  Not applicable
STATE REQ? WHEN RECIPIENT
FORM
AL X N/A N/A N/A
AK X N/A N/A N/A
AZ Within 30 days of beginning homeschooling County/resident school superintendent Affidavit of Intent to Homeschool
AR August 15th County/resident school district Notice of Intent
CA X N/A N/A N/A
CO At least 14 days before beginning homeschooling Any Colorado school district N/A
CT X Within 10 days of beginning homeschooling (not mandatory) School district (not mandatory) Intent to Homeschool (optional)
DE X N/A N/A N/A
FL Within 30 days of beginning homeschooling County/resident school superintendent N/A
GA Within 30 days of beginning homeschooling/every following year by September 1st Georgia Department of Education Online application (OR Declaration of Intent)
HI N/A District school principal Form 4140 (optional)
ID X N/A N/A N/A
IL X N/A N/A N/A
IN X N/A N/A N/A
IA X N/A N/A N/A
KS X N/A N/A N/A
KY No later than 2 weeks after the beginning of the public school year County/resident school superintendent N/A
LA * Within 10 days of beginning homeschooling Former public school N/A
ME Within 10 days of beginning homeschooling County school superintendent (and commissioner of education, upon request) Notice of Intent to Provide Home Instruction
MD At least 15 days before beginning homeschooling County/resident school superintendent Maryland State Home School Notification
MA N/A County/resident school district N/A
MI X N/A N/A N/A
MN By October 1st or within 15 days of withdrawing student from public school County/resident school superintendent Initial Registration Form / Letter of Intent to Continue to Provide Instruction
MS Every year by September 15th Local school attendance officer Certificate of Enrollment
MO X N/A N/A N/A
MT N/A County/resident school superintendent N/A
NE X N/A N/A N/A
NV Before homeschooling begins, within 10 days of withdrawing from school, or within 30 days of becoming state resident County/resident school superintendent Notice of Intent to Homeschool in Nevada
NH Within 5 days of beginning homeschooling County/resident school superintendent, Commissioner of Education, or the principal of a non-public school Notification of Commencement of a Home Education Program (optional)
NJ X N/A N/A N/A
NM Within 30 days of beginning homeschooling and by August 1st every following year New Mexico Public Education Department or online N/A
NY Within 14 days of beginning homeschooling or by July 1st every year County/resident school superintendent or to the Department of Education’s Office of Home Schooling for families living in New York City Letter of Intent for Home School (NYC) or online (for returning students/siblings of enrolled students)
NC N/A North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education or online N/A
ND At least 14 days before beginning homeschooling or within 14 days of moving into a new school district, and once every following year County/resident school superintendent Statement of Intent Home Education
OH No later than the first week of the start of the district public school, within 1 week of moving into a new district, or within 1 week from the child’s withdrawal from school County/resident school superintendent Home Education Notification Form
OK X N/A N/A N/A
OR Within 10 days of beginning homeschooling or withdrawing from public school Local ESD (Education Service District) N/A
PA Before beginning homeschool and by August 1st every following year County/resident school superintendent Affidavit of the Supervisor of a Home Education Program
RI Before beginning homeschooling Resident school committee Home School Letter of Intent
SC X N/A N/A N/A
SD Within 30 days of beginning homeschooling Department of Education or local school district Notification for Public School Exemption Certificate
TN Before the start of the school year County/resident school superintendent Notice of Intent to Home School
TX X N/A N/A N/A
UT Before beginning homeschooling Local school board Model Affidavit and Exemption Certificate for Home School Instruction (optional)
VT Before beginning homeschooling Secretary of Education Home Study Form A OR online application
VA Every year by August 15th County/resident school superintendent Sample Notice of Intent to Provide Home Instruction
WA Every year by September 15th or within 2 weeks of the beginning of a school quarter, trimester, or semester County/resident school superintendent N/A
WV On or before the date homeschooling begins County/resident school superintendent or board Homeschool Notice of Intent
WI On or before October 15th, annually Department of Public Instruction Online application
WY X N/A N/A N/A

*Only required if the student attended public school before homeschooling.


Sample

Download: PDFWord (.docx)OpenDocument

HOMESCHOOL LETTER OF INTENT

[MM/DD/YYYY]

[SENDER NAME]
[SENDER STREET ADDRESS]
[SENDER CITY, STATE, ZIP]

[RECIPIENT NAME], [RECIPIENT TITLE]
[SCHOOL DISTRICT]
[RECIPIENT STREET ADDRESS]
[RECIPIENT CITY, STATE, ZIP]

This letter of intent is to notify the [AUTHORITY] that the child(ren) specified below will be receiving homeschooling instead of enrolling in a public or private school.

Name: [NAME] Gender: [GENDER] Date of Birth: [DATE OF BIRTH]
Name: [NAME] Gender: [GENDER] Date of Birth: [DATE OF BIRTH]
Name: [NAME] Gender: [GENDER] Date of Birth: [DATE OF BIRTH]
Name: [NAME] Gender: [GENDER] Date of Birth: [DATE OF BIRTH]

Residence: [RESIDENCE]

The child(ren) will be homeschooled by [INSTRUCTOR]  at [HOMESCHOOL ADDRESS]. The child(ren) will be taught the following subjects over the course of [#] days [#] hours) of teaching throughout the school year: [SUBJECTS]

Signature: ___________________
[INSTRUCTOR NAME]

As the parents/legal guardian of the child(ren) identified in this letter, we hereby declare our intent to homeschool said child(ren) in accordance with the terms established herein.

Signature: ___________________
[PARENT/GUARDIAN NAME]

Signature: ___________________
[PARENT/GUARDIAN NAME]