How to Start Homeschooling in Connecticut

Yes. Homeschooling is legal in Connecticut under C.G.S. Section 10-184.

The statute does not use the word "homeschool." It uses the phrase "equivalent instruction." State law has no registration system and no approval process, and it does not require testing.

There is one more protection worth knowing. C.G.S. Section 10-184b says the Commissioner of Education may not use waiver powers to limit parents' authority to provide equivalent instruction under Section 10-184.

Connecticut's compulsory education law covers children five years of age and over and under eighteen (C.G.S. Section 10-184).

You have an option for young children. A parent of a five-year-old may choose not to send the child to school until age six, and a parent of a six-year-old may wait until age seven. To use this option, you personally appear at the school district office and sign an option form. The district gives you information about its educational opportunities at the same time.

Connecticut's range runs until eighteen, so plan for instruction through the teen years.

Learning how to homeschool in Connecticut starts with understanding that state law asks for very little paperwork. Here is what to do, step by step.

Step 1: Decide. State law does not require permission or a notice to homeschool. Your obligation is to provide equivalent instruction and be able to show it.

Step 2: Withdraw your child, if enrolled. Connecticut law does not require a withdrawal letter. If your child is in public school, let the school know your child is leaving for home instruction, and ask what they need from you. Keep a copy of anything you send. If your child was never enrolled, skip this step.

Step 3: Choose your curriculum. Connecticut does not prescribe textbooks or methods. Make sure you cover the subjects in C.G.S. Section 10-184, listed below.

Step 4: Start teaching. State law sets no start date or schedule for home instruction.

Step 5: Keep records. State law does not require recordkeeping, but records are how you show equivalent instruction if anyone asks. Keep work samples, instruction logs, and the curricula you use. For high school students, build transcripts as you go.

C.G.S. Section 10-184 says all parents shall instruct their children, or cause them to be instructed, in:

• Reading
• Writing
• Spelling
• English grammar
• Geography
• Arithmetic
• United States history
• Citizenship, including a study of the town, state, and federal governments

The same section requires "equivalent instruction in the studies taught in the public schools." You choose the methods and materials. Whether you use a boxed curriculum, library books, or hands-on projects, make sure those subjects are covered.

A few things that will make a real difference as you start homeschooling in Connecticut.

Know the statute by name. If a district contacts you, it helps to know that C.G.S. Section 10-184 is the law that allows equivalent instruction elsewhere, and that state law has no notification requirement. Being able to show your child's instruction, with work samples and records, is the practical way to answer questions.

Special education. Under C.G.S. Section 10-184a, school boards are not required to provide special education programs or services to a child educated at home whose parent refuses to consent to them. If a board does provide services to a child in a private school, they must comply with IDEA. If your child has an IEP, talk with your district about what services are available. Under federal law (IDEA), districts must still locate and evaluate children who may have a disability.

You can issue your own diploma. Parents create their own diplomas and transcripts. Keep detailed high school records.

No credentials needed to teach. State law sets no teacher qualification for home instruction. The requirement is that your child receives equivalent instruction.