What are the homeschool requirements in Montana?

Montana requires a simple notice to county superintendent of schools (NOT the local school district superintendent) by before the start of the school year, or whenever homeschooling begins if starting mid-year. No standardized testing is required. 7 subjects must be taught.

What paperwork do I need to file in Montana?

You need to submit a simple notice to county superintendent of schools (NOT the local school district superintendent). The deadline is before the start of the school year, or whenever homeschooling begins if starting mid-year. This must be renewed annually.

What records do I need to keep in Montana?

Montana requires you to maintain: attendance records. Records may be reviewed by the district.

Montana Homeschool Requirements Checklist

Q: What subjects are required for homeschooling in Montana?

Montana requires instruction in 7 subjects: English language arts / communication arts, mathematics, science, social studies, arts, health and physical education, career education / technology.

Everything you need to do to homeschool legally in Montana, based on MCA 20-5-109 (Home Schools). Montana is classified as Low regulation.

This is the general checklist for Home School Under MCA 20-5-109, the most common of Montana'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 county superintendent of schools (NOT the local school district superintendent). Deadline: before the start of the school year, or whenever homeschooling begins if starting mid-year.

Deadline: before the start of the school year, or whenever homeschooling begins if starting mid-year

Withdrawal letter recommended

A formal letter isn't required, but it is recommended if your child is enrolled in school. Send it to current school and county superintendent of schools.

Deadline: Before you start (if enrolled)

Ongoing

Required subjects

English language arts / communication arts, mathematics, science, social studies, arts, health and physical education, career education / technology

Meet instructional time requirements

Minimum: 180 days/year. You must track and document hours.

Keep basic records

You must maintain: attendance records. Records may be reviewed by the district.

Renew each year

You must renew your homeschool notice each year by before the start of each school year.

Good news

No testing or assessment required

No standardized testing or assessments required under this pathway.

Filing requirements

What to file: simple notice
Send to: county superintendent of schools (NOT the local school district superintendent)
Deadline: before the start of the school year, or whenever homeschooling begins if starting mid-year
How often: annual

Practical tip: OPI's suggested notification form asks for names and ages of children, address, and parent signature, but these content items are not specified in MCA 20-5-109. Using the OPI form is recommended but not legally required.

MCA 20-5-109 (annual notification to county superintendent)

Ongoing requirements

Required subjects

✓English language arts / communication arts
✓mathematics
✓science
✓social studies
✓arts
✓health and physical education
✓career education / technology

Practical tip: No state-approved curriculum list, no requirement to use particular textbooks or materials, and no review or approval of curriculum content by any authority. MCA 20-5-111 confirms parents have sole responsibility for educational philosophy, curriculum selection, instructional methods, and evaluation.

MCA 20-5-109; MCA 20-7-111 (subjects required of public schools as a basic instructional program)

Instructional time

Varies by pathway. Home School Under MCA 20-5-109: true; Non-Public (Private) School: false

Days per year:: 180

MCA 20-5-109; MCA 20-1-301 (180 days; 720 hours grades 1-3; 1,080 hours grades 4-12)

Recordkeeping

Varies by pathway. Home School Under MCA 20-5-109: true; Non-Public (Private) School: false

✓Attendance records

Records may be reviewed by the district.

Practical tip: In practice, county superintendent inspections of homeschool attendance records are very rare.

MCA 20-5-109 (attendance records; inspection by county superintendent)

Reporting

Varies by pathway. Home School Under MCA 20-5-109: "before the start of each school year"; Non-Public (Private) School: null

Annual renewal: Required by before the start of each school year

MCA 20-5-109 (annual notification to county superintendent)

What you don't need to worry about

No testing or assessment required

No standardized testing or assessments required under this pathway.

Other ways to homeschool in Montana

This checklist covers Home School Under MCA 20-5-109, the most common pathway. Montana offers 2 different ways to homeschool, each with different requirements:

•
Home School Under MCA 20-5-109(this checklist) : You notify your county superintendent annually before the school year starts, teach seven required subjects, and provide 180 days of instruction (720 hours for grades 1-3, 1,080 hours for grades 4-12). No testing required, and while attendance records must be maintained, they are rarely inspected in practice.
•
Non-Public (Private) School : You operate as a non-public (private) school, filing an annual report with the county superintendent. Montana private schools are relatively unregulated — same subject and instructional time requirements apply, but with less individual oversight. Some families form small group schools or co-ops under this pathway.

Our wizard helps you choose the right one. Compare all pathways for Montana

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 Montana checklist

Requirements sourced from MCA 20-5-109 (Home Schools). Verified against primary legal sources. Last verified: March 2026