Mississippi Homeschool Requirements Checklist
Everything you need to do to homeschool legally in Mississippi, based on Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(3)(c). Mississippi is classified as Low regulation.
This is the general checklist for Legitimate Home Instruction Program, the most common of Mississippi's 2 pathways. 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 school attendance officer of the resident school district. Deadline: September 15 of each school year.
Deadline: September 15 of each school year
More details
File a 'Certificate of Enrollment' including child's name, address, date of birth, a statement that the parent is providing a legitimate home instruction program, a brief description of the type of education, and parent signature. Standard form available from local school district or MDE website. Filing is notification only -- district cannot approve or deny.
Send a withdrawal letter
If your child is currently enrolled in school, send a withdrawal letter to the school and the school district attendance officer.
Deadline: Before you start (if enrolled)
More details
Notify the school in writing of intent to withdraw for home instruction. File the Certificate of Enrollment with the attendance officer simultaneously. Request the child's records. If child was never enrolled in public school, only the Certificate of Enrollment is needed.
Ongoing
Renew each year
You must renew your homeschool notice each year by September 15.
More details
The annual Certificate of Enrollment is the only reporting requirement. No progress reports, test scores, or curriculum reviews.
Good news
No specific subjects required
Mississippi law does not prescribe specific subjects. Statute requires only a 'legitimate home instruction program.' Content is entirely at the parent's discretion.
No instructional time minimums
No minimum hours or days of instruction required.
No testing or assessment required
No standardized testing or assessments required under this pathway.
Education savings programs available
Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Act (ESA): $8,007/student (2025-2026, projected) — Students with an active IEP within the past 3 years. Serves all special education disability categories. Legislature has considered expanding eligibility.. Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship: Varies — Students in grades 1-12 diagnosed with dyslexia. NOT available to homeschool students.
More details
Funds deposited into an ESA for approved educational expenses including private school tuition, therapy, curriculum, tutoring, and testing. Homeschool families with a qualifying child may be eligible. Accepting ESA funds may add accountability requirements. Program set to repeal July 1, 2028 unless renewed. Program has been amended multiple times -- verify current details with MDE. Provides scholarships for students with dyslexia to attend approved dyslexia therapy schools or transfer to another public school. Students participating in a homeschool program are NOT eligible for this scholarship. Funds cannot be used for homeschooling, virtual schools, or juvenile detention schools.
Filing requirements
- What to file
- simple notice
- Send to
- school attendance officer of the resident school district
- Deadline
- September 15 of each school year
- How often
- annual
File a 'Certificate of Enrollment' including child's name, address, date of birth, a statement that the parent is providing a legitimate home instruction program, a brief description of the type of education, and parent signature. Standard form available from local school district or MDE website. Filing is notification only -- district cannot approve or deny.
Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(3)(c) (Certificate of Enrollment for home instruction)
Ongoing requirements
Reporting
- Annual renewal
- Required by September 15
The annual Certificate of Enrollment is the only reporting requirement. No progress reports, test scores, or curriculum reviews.
Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(3)(c) (annual Certificate of Enrollment)
What you don't need to worry about
No specific subjects required
Mississippi law does not prescribe specific subjects. Statute requires only a 'legitimate home instruction program.' Content is entirely at the parent's discretion.
No instructional time minimums
No minimum hours or days of instruction required.
No testing or assessment required
No standardized testing or assessments required under this pathway.
Education savings programs available
Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Act (ESA): $8,007/student (2025-2026, projected) — Students with an active IEP within the past 3 years. Serves all special education disability categories. Legislature has considered expanding eligibility.. Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship: Varies — Students in grades 1-12 diagnosed with dyslexia. NOT available to homeschool students.
Other ways to homeschool in Mississippi
This checklist covers Legitimate Home Instruction Program, the most common pathway. Mississippi offers 2 different ways to homeschool, each with different requirements:
- •Legitimate Home Instruction Program(this checklist) : You file a Certificate of Enrollment with your local school district attendance officer by September 15 each year. No required subjects, no testing, no recordkeeping requirements, and no curriculum review — Mississippi gives parents complete discretion over educational content. Your only ongoing obligation is the annual certificate.
- •Non-Public School : You register as a non-public school with the state. This pathway is more suited to micro-schools or co-op settings than individual families, and involves filing with the state rather than the local attendance officer. Most individual homeschool families use the home instruction pathway instead.
Our wizard helps you choose the right one. Compare all pathways for Mississippi
Education savings available
Mississippi offers 2 education savings programs. Learn about ESA programs
Related guides
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.
Get your Mississippi checklistRequirements sourced from Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(3)(c). Verified against primary legal sources. Last verified: March 2026