How to Start Homeschooling in Montana

Yes. Homeschooling is fully legal in Montana. Under MCA 20-5-109(2), a home school that meets its requirements qualifies its students for exemption from compulsory enrollment under MCA 20-5-102.

You do not need a teaching certificate or a college degree. No one tests your kids, and no one reviews your curriculum. Under MCA 20-5-111, the parent is responsible for the educational philosophy, curriculum, instructional methods, and evaluation of the home school.

Montana's compulsory attendance begins for a child who is 7 years of age or older before the first day of school in a school fiscal year (MCA 20-5-102).

There is no mandatory kindergarten. If your child is 5 or 6, you do not need to file anything. You can teach early if you want, but the law does not require it until age 7.

Under MCA 20-5-102(1), compulsory instruction lasts until the later of your child's 16th birthday or the date your child completes the work of the 8th grade.

Here is how to start homeschooling in Montana.

Step 1: Prepare your notification. MCA 20-5-109 requires you to notify the county superintendent of your child's attendance at your home school, but it does not list what the notice must contain. The Montana OPI website has a suggested form that asks for each child's name and age, your address, and your signature.

Step 2: Send it to your county superintendent of schools. Your notification goes to the county superintendent of schools in the county where your home school is located, not the school district superintendent. In Montana, these are different officials. Find yours through the OPI website.

Step 3: Let the school know (if your child is enrolled). Montana law does not require a withdrawal letter. File your homeschool notification with the county superintendent, and you may let the school know your child is leaving.

Step 4: Plan your course of study. Provide an organized course of study that includes the subjects required of public schools as a basic instructional program under MCA 20-7-111. The Board of Public Education sets that program in its accreditation standards (Administrative Rules of Montana, Title 10, chapter 55). No one reviews or approves your materials.

Step 5: Meet instructional time requirements. Provide at least 720 hours of instruction a year for grades 1 through 3, and at least 1,080 hours for grades 4 through 12 (MCA 20-1-301). Montana sets hours, not a number of days.

Step 6: Keep attendance records. Track your attendance and hours in a simple notebook or spreadsheet. The county superintendent can ask to see these records (MCA 20-5-109(2)(b)).

Step 7: Notify every year. The notice is required in each school fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). This is not a one-time filing. Set a calendar reminder.

Under MCA 20-5-109(2)(a), your one required filing is a notice to the county superintendent of schools of your child's attendance at your home school, made in each school fiscal year.

The statute does not list required contents. OPI provides a suggested form that asks for your children's names and ages, your address, and your signature. No curriculum plans, lesson descriptions, or proof of qualifications are part of the filing.

The school fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30, and the statute sets no specific date. Filing when you begin homeschooling, and again early in each later school fiscal year, keeps you covered.

Under MCA 20-5-109(2)(d), you provide an organized course of study that includes instruction in the subjects required of public schools as a basic instructional program under MCA 20-7-111. The Board of Public Education sets that program in its accreditation standards (Administrative Rules of Montana, Title 10, chapter 55).

Beyond that, you have wide freedom. No approved curriculum list, and no authority reviews your choices. Use traditional textbooks, online programs, unit studies, or project-based learning, and mix and match whatever works for your child.

Montana's statute has separate rules for two kinds of schools outside the public system.

Pathway 1: Home School (MCA 20-5-109(2)). Notify the county superintendent each school fiscal year, keep attendance records, meet the hour minimums, and provide an organized course of study. No testing and no instructor qualifications.

Pathway 2: Non-Public (Private) School (MCA 20-5-109(1)). A nonpublic school keeps attendance and immunization records available to the county superintendent on request, provides the minimum aggregate hours, is housed in a building that meets local health and safety regulations, and provides an organized course of study. Section 20-5-109(1) does not include a notice or testing requirement for nonpublic schools; the annual notice in 20-5-109(2)(a) applies only to home schools.

For a single family teaching at home, the home school rules are the simpler fit.

File with the right office. Your notification goes to the county superintendent of schools, not the school district superintendent. In Montana, these are separate roles. Find yours through the OPI website.

No immunization or building requirements for home schools. Under MCA 20-5-109 as amended in 2025, the immunization record and building requirements apply to nonpublic schools only. Home schools do not have them.

Your child can take part in extracurricular activities. Under MCA 20-5-112, a student in a home school that meets MCA 20-5-109 may not be prohibited from public school extracurricular activities solely because of enrollment status or the number of hours attended. Your child follows the same standards and rules as full-time students, and the educator providing instruction gives a written attestation of academic eligibility. Contact your district to get started.

Look into dual enrollment for college courses. The Montana University System's One-Two-Free program may let your student take college courses. Contact the institution or your resident school district for details.

Prepare for college starting in 9th grade. Build a parent-created transcript with course titles, credits, and grades. You issue the diploma, since Montana has no state homeschool diploma. A parent-issued diploma or certificate of completion is recognized, and the GED or HiSET is available as an alternative credential.

Special needs families: know your options. Your child can be evaluated through the local district under federal Child Find. Ask your district what services, if any, are available to homeschooled students.

Join MCHE for community. The Montana Coalition of Home Educators (mtche.org) is a statewide homeschool organization offering support, resources, and connection with other Montana families.