What are the homeschool requirements in Kentucky?

Kentucky requires a simple notice to superintendent of schools of the district in which the school is situated by Within the first two weeks of the school year or within two weeks of withdrawal from public school; resubmit annually. No standardized testing is required.

What paperwork do I need to file in Kentucky?

You need to submit a simple notice to superintendent of schools of the district in which the school is situated. The deadline is Within the first two weeks of the school year or within two weeks of withdrawal from public school; resubmit annually. This must be renewed annually.

What records do I need to keep in Kentucky?

Kentucky requires you to maintain: attendance records, grades. Records may be reviewed by the district.

Kentucky Homeschool Requirements Checklist

Everything you need to do to homeschool legally in Kentucky, based on KRS 159.160. Kentucky is classified as Low regulation.

This is the general checklist for Home Instruction as Private School. Our free wizard customizes this for your family, including grade, pathway, enrollment status, and IEP.

Your compliance checklist

Do first

File your Notice of Intent

Submit to superintendent of schools of the district in which the school is situated. Deadline: Within the first two weeks of the school year or within two weeks of withdrawal from public school; resubmit annually. Conditions: The May 2026 KDE packet supplies the mid-year withdrawal guidance absent from the earlier statutory excerpt. The superintendent may require other facts to administer compulsory attendance and child-employment laws.

Deadline: Within the first two weeks of the school year or within two weeks of withdrawal from public school; resubmit annually

More details

Include: pupil names, pupil ages, pupil places of residence, other facts requested by superintendent. Conditions: The May 2026 KDE packet supplies the mid-year withdrawal guidance absent from the earlier statutory excerpt..

Ongoing

Review curriculum requirements

Check the cited source for curriculum requirements that may be described without a subject-by-subject list. Conditions: No subject list applies to a non-certified homeschool. A private school certified under KRS 156.160(2) must offer instruction in the branches of study required in the public schools (KRS 158.080(1)). A private school certified under KRS 156.160(2) must offer the branches of study required in the public schools (KRS 158.080(1)).

Review instructional-time requirements

Check the cited source for the school-term or instructional-time rule that applies to your pathway. Conditions: No minimum school term applies to a non-certified homeschool; KDE recommends 170 attendance days and 1,062 instructional hours. A homeschool certified under KRS 156.160(2) must meet the KRS 158.070 minimum term (at least 1,062 hours in no fewer than 170 student attendance days) under KRS 158.080.

Testing: what applies to you

Kentucky law sets no testing requirement for homeschools. The Kentucky Department of Education lists independent assessment results only as something families may keep in their records.

Keep basic records

You must maintain: attendance records, grades or evaluations. Records may be reviewed by the district.

Renew each year

You must renew your homeschool notice each year by Within the first two weeks of the beginning of each school year. Conditions: The May 2026 KDE packet supplies the mid-year withdrawal guidance absent from the earlier statutory excerpt. The superintendent may require other facts to administer compulsory attendance and child-employment laws.

Filing requirements

What to file: simple notice
Send to: superintendent of schools of the district in which the school is situated
Deadline: Within the first two weeks of the school year or within two weeks of withdrawal from public school; resubmit annually
How often: annual

Your notice must include:

•pupil names
•pupil ages
•pupil places of residence
•other facts requested by superintendent

Practical tip: There is no state form; a simple letter with the required information is accepted. List the names, ages, and places of residence of the children you are teaching, plus any other facts the superintendent asks for to administer the attendance laws (KRS 159.160). File within the first two weeks of the school year, or within two weeks of withdrawal if starting mid-year.

KRS 159.160 (notification to local board of education)

Ongoing requirements

Recordkeeping

✓Attendance records
✓Grades or evaluations

Records may be reviewed by the district.

Practical tip: Keep these ready for inspection if requested by the Director of Pupil Personnel (attendance officer). (1) Attendance records. (2) Scholarship reports documenting the courses your child completed and the grades awarded. (3) A listing of enrolled students' names and ages. You do not need to submit these proactively.

KRS 159.160 (attendance records, scholarship reports, pupil listing; available for inspection by Director of Pupil Personnel)

Reporting

Annual renewal: Required by Within the first two weeks of the beginning of each school year

KRS 159.160 (annual notification to local board of education)

Education savings available

Kentucky offers Kentucky Education Excellence Scholarship (KEES). Learn about ESA programs

Get your personalized checklist

This is the general checklist for the most common pathway. The wizard customizes it for your family's specific situation, including grade, pathway, and IEP status.

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Requirements sourced from KRS 159.160. Last reviewed October 2026