South Dakota Homeschool Deadlines & Calendar
Key homeschool deadlines for South Dakota, based on SDCL Chapter 13-27 (Alternative Instruction, as amended by 2021 SB 177).
These are general deadlines for Alternative Instruction, the most common of South Dakota's 2 pathways. Our free wizard calculates exact dates for your family and sends email reminders.
Key deadlines at a glance
South Dakota's deadlines are relative to when you start homeschooling (e.g., “within 30 days”) rather than fixed calendar dates. See the sections below for details, or use the wizard to calculate your exact dates.
Filing deadlines
- Initial filing deadline
- within 30 days of beginning alternative instruction
- Send to
- South Dakota Department of Education or local school district
SDCL 13-27-7; SDCL 13-27-8
Other ways to homeschool in South Dakota
These deadlines are for Alternative Instruction. South Dakota offers 2 pathways, and each may have different deadlines:
- •Alternative Instruction(this page): You file a one-time notification with the SD Department of Education or your local school district, teach language arts and math for at least 175 days, and that is all South Dakota requires. No testing, no curriculum approval, and no ongoing reporting. One of the simplest homeschool frameworks in the country.
- •Alternative Instruction Program: You operate under a more formalized alternative instruction program structure, with the same basic requirements — language arts, math, 175 days, and one-time notification. This pathway is designed for organized programs rather than individual families. Most families use the basic alternative instruction pathway instead.
Our wizard calculates the right deadlines for your pathway. Compare all pathways for South Dakota
Related guides
Never miss a deadline
Our wizard calculates your exact deadlines and sends email reminders so you never miss a filing date.
Get your South Dakota deadlinesDeadlines sourced from SDCL Chapter 13-27 (Alternative Instruction, as amended by 2021 SB 177). Verified against primary legal sources. Last verified: March 2026