How to Start Homeschooling in Minnesota

Yes. Homeschooling is fully legal in Minnesota. The law says so clearly.

Under Minn. Stat. 120A.22, home instruction counts as meeting compulsory attendance. Minn. Stat. 120A.24 covers reporting and testing. This is not a loophole. Minnesota treats home education as a real, legitimate option.

Minnesota does regulate more than some neighbors like Iowa. You file paperwork each year. You teach set subjects. You test annually. But you pick your own curriculum. You set your own pace. And you do not need a teaching license. A rule in the law lets any parent teach as long as your child shows progress on a yearly test. That is genuinely good news.

Minnesota requires education for children ages 7 through 17 (Minn. Stat. 120A.22). The duty ends at 17 or when your child graduates, whichever comes first.

Age 7 is later than most states. Many start at 5 or 6. This means you are not required to file any homeschool paperwork for a 5- or 6-year-old. You can start teaching early if you want. But the legal clock starts at 7.

File your first report with the superintendent by October 1 after your child turns 7. Starting mid-year? File within 15 days instead.

Here is how to start homeschooling in Minnesota. Most families use the Non-Qualified Instructor with Testing Alternative. This pathway lets any parent teach. Follow these steps.

Step 1: Write your annual report. Call your superintendent's office first. Ask if they have a form. Many districts do. If not, write a letter. Include the names, ages, and addresses of each child. Add your name as instructor. State that you will use the testing alternative (Minn. Stat. 120A.22, Subd. 11). List all seven required subjects. Name the standardized test you plan to use, or name your evaluator.

Step 2: Mail it to your superintendent. Send the report to the superintendent of your resident school district. Not the state education department. Bookmark this deadline: October 1 each year. Starting mid-year or just moved? You have 15 days to file.

Step 3: Withdraw from school (if enrolled). Write a short letter to your child's school. State your child's name, grade, and withdrawal date. Note that your child will receive home instruction under Minn. Stat. 120A.22 and 120A.24. Deliver it to the school office. Keep a copy in a folder. Then file your homeschool report with the superintendent within 15 days. Do not let this window slip. A late filing could trigger a truancy referral.

Step 4: Teach seven subjects. Cover reading and writing, literature, fine arts (music and visual arts), math and science, history and geography, government and citizenship (including the U.S. Constitution), and health and physical education. Include the effects of chemical abuse in health. Teach in English. Beyond that? Total freedom. Pick your own textbooks, methods, and pace. You do not need to follow state academic standards.

Step 5: Test your child each year. Choose a nationally normed test. Iowa Assessments, Stanford, CAT, MAT, and Woodcock-Johnson all work. Or arrange an assessment with a Minnesota-licensed teacher or superintendent-approved evaluator. Under this pathway, your child needs a 30th percentile score or higher. That means scoring better than roughly three in ten students. It is an achievable bar. Send results to the superintendent.

Step 6: Renew every October 1. File an updated report each fall. Renewals are simpler. Note any changes to children, instructors, subjects, or test plans. Same person, same deadline. Put it on every calendar you own.

Your one required document is the annual report. It goes to the superintendent of your resident school district.

Call the office first and ask about their preferred format. Your initial report needs these details: names, ages, and addresses of children; your name as instructor; a note about instructor qualifications or the testing alternative; subjects you will teach; your chosen test or evaluator; and immunization information.

Renewal reports are shorter. Just note what changed from last year. Same deadline: October 1.

You also submit test results each year (Minn. Stat. 120A.24, Subd. 2). These go to the same superintendent. Some families send scores with their renewal report. Others send them when results arrive. Either way works.

If your child is in school now, take two steps at once.

Write a withdrawal letter to the school. Include your child's name, grade, and the withdrawal date. State that your child will receive home instruction under Minn. Stat. 120A.22 and 120A.24. Hand it to the school office. Keep a copy for yourself.

Then file your homeschool report with the superintendent within 15 days (Minn. Stat. 120A.24, Subd. 1). This deadline is firm. Missing it can lead to a truancy referral. That creates stress you do not need.

You can withdraw at any point in the school year. September or March, the process is the same. File on time and you are on solid ground. This is your right.

Build your curriculum around seven subjects required by Minn. Stat. 120A.22, Subd. 9:

• Reading and writing
• Literature
• Fine arts (music and visual arts)
• Mathematics and science
• History and geography
• Government and citizenship (including the U.S. Constitution)
• Health and physical education

Minnesota asks for more subjects than most states. Do not skip fine arts or physical education. They are in the statute. Weave in music, drawing, or crafts for fine arts. Add outdoor time, swimming, or family walks for PE. These count.

For health, cover the effects of chemical abuse -- alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. Work it in naturally.

All teaching must be in English. You can add other languages, but English is the requirement. Beyond these rules, breathe easy. No approved textbook list. No mandate to follow state standards. Choose whatever materials fit your child best.

Annual testing is a key part of Minnesota homeschool law. Every home-educated student must be assessed each year (Minn. Stat. 120A.24, Subd. 2). Do not skip this step.

You have two options. Option one: your child takes a nationally normed standardized test. Iowa Assessments, Stanford, CAT, MAT, and Woodcock-Johnson all qualify. Other nationally normed exams work too. Option two: a qualified evaluator assesses your child. That means a Minnesota-licensed teacher or someone the superintendent approves.

Under the most common pathway, your child must score at or above the 30th percentile. That means doing better than about three in ten students nationally. Most children clear this bar.

What if scores fall below? Your child does not get forced into public school. But the superintendent may ask for a plan to address the gap. Submit all results to the superintendent each year. Pair them with your annual report or send them when scores come in.

Minnesota gives you two pathways. Pick the one that fits your family.

Pathway 1: Non-Qualified Instructor with Testing Alternative (most common). Any parent can teach. No degree needed. No license needed. Your child takes a yearly standardized test and must score at or above the 30th percentile. This pathway falls under Minn. Stat. 120A.22, Subd. 11. Most Minnesota homeschool families use it.

Pathway 2: Qualified Instructor. The teaching parent holds a bachelor's degree, a valid Minnesota teaching license, or teaches under the direct supervision of a licensed teacher. Testing is still required each year. But the 30th percentile minimum score may not apply. If you already have a college degree, this pathway is simple.

Both pathways use the same annual report, the same seven subjects, and the same test submission process. The only difference is your qualifications and the score threshold. A third option exists too: enrolling in an accredited private school program that provides home-based instruction.

Here are the details and opportunities that make Minnesota a strong state for homeschooling.

Get your child into public school sports and clubs. Under Minn. Stat. 123B.49, Subd. 4, your child has a statutory right to join extracurricular activities at the local public school. Sports, band, drama, clubs -- all of it. The school cannot say no. Your child follows the same eligibility rules as enrolled students. Reach out to the school's activities coordinator to sign up.

Use PSEO for free college courses. Minnesota's Post-Secondary Enrollment Options program (Minn. Stat. 124D.09) lets 10th through 12th graders take college classes at no cost. Tenth graders can take one career and technical education course. Juniors and seniors get broader access. Homeschooled students are fully eligible. Contact the college's PSEO office to apply.

Claim your tax benefits. Minnesota was the first state to create education tax credits and deductions. Under Minn. Stat. 290.0674, you may qualify for a tax credit on curriculum, textbooks, tutoring, testing fees, and supplies. Income limits apply. Under Minn. Stat. 290.0625, a separate deduction covers education expenses regardless of income. File for both on your Minnesota taxes. Do not leave this money unclaimed.

Tap into shared-time special education. Home-educated children do not get a full IEP from the school district. But under Minn. Stat. 125A.18, your district must provide shared-time special education services. Speech therapy, occupational therapy, and more are available. Minnesota's protection here is stronger than most states. Contact your resident district to set up services.

Build your transcript starting in 9th grade. You issue the diploma. Minnesota has no state homeschool diploma or transcript template. Create a transcript with course titles, credits, and grades. The University of Minnesota and Minnesota State schools have homeschool admissions processes. Strong ACT or SAT scores help. Connect with MACHE (mache.org) for guidance and community.

Always file with the superintendent, not the state. Your report goes to the superintendent of your resident school district. If you move, file a new report with the new superintendent within 15 days. This is the most common filing mistake Minnesota families make. Get it right and everything else flows smoothly.