Homeschooling in Mississippi? Here’s your plan.
low requirements- No standardized testing required
- Education savings available: Up to $8,421 for the 2026-27 school year, paid quarterly as reimbursement of documented expenses (Mississippi Department of Education)./student through Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Act (ESA)
Homeschooling in Mississippi comes down to one yearly form. Under Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91, a legitimate home instruction program satisfies compulsory attendance. You complete a certificate of enrollment and return it to the school attendance officer where your child lives on or before August 15 of each year.
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Mississippi homeschool requirements include conditions and exceptions. Compare the pathways below and read the conditions alongside each supported requirement.
Source: Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(3)(c). Last reviewed October 2026. Current through the Mississippi legislative session that ended July 17, 2026. State education department page checked for changes October 27, 2026.
- Regulation level
- Low
- Compulsory ages
- 6–17
- Notification required
- Yes — simple notice to School attendance officer where the child resides On or before August 15 of each year
- Assessment required
- No
- Required subjects
- None mandated
- Primary statute
- Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(3)(c)
- A child who is 5 on or before September 1 and enrolled in full-day public kindergarten is also of compulsory school age (Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(2)(f)).
Conditions and exceptions
Age rules
- A child who is 5 on or before September 1 and enrolled in full-day public kindergarten is also of compulsory school age (Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(2)(f)).
Legitimate Home Instruction Program
- Send a new certificate of enrollment to the school attendance officer where the child resides (Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(3)). The statute does not require a letter to the public school.
- Nonpublic schools, which by definition include home instruction programs, set their own term: the number of days the school requires for promotion from grade to grade (Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(2)(e), (2)(i)).
Non-Public School
- The nonpublic school's appropriate school official (principal or headmaster) completes the certificate of enrollment, not the parent (Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(2)(h), (3)).
- The nonpublic school's certificate of enrollment goes to the school attendance officer (Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(3)). The statute does not require a letter to the public school.
- Nonpublic schools, which by definition include home instruction programs, set their own term: the number of days the school requires for promotion from grade to grade (Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(2)(e), (2)(i)).
- Your child's school (its principal or headmaster) completes the certificate of enrollment and returns it to the school attendance officer where your child lives by August 15 each year (Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(2)(h), (3)). You do not file it yourself.
The essentials under the Legitimate Home Instruction Program
- 1Notification requirements vary by pathway
- 2Reporting requirements vary by pathway
Mississippi offers 2 options. See all below.
What to know about homeschooling in Mississippi
The certificate of enrollment is a short form prepared by the Mississippi Department of Education. By law it asks only for:
- Your child's name, address, telephone number, and date of birth
- Your name, address, and telephone number as parent, guardian, or custodian
- The school district where your child lives
- A simple description of the type of education your child is receiving
- Your signature and the date signed
You return it to the school attendance officer where your child lives on or before August 15, and you file a new one each year. Mississippi's school attendance officers are employed by the Department of Education. The Department's home school page says you may also email the completed form to homeschool@mdek12.org. Keep a copy for your records.
Mississippi's law sets no subjects, testing, instructional time, teacher qualifications, or record requirements for home instruction. It also says the state has no authority to control or supervise how a legitimate home instruction program is run. The Department of Education recommends, but does not require, reviewing the Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards and keeping a portfolio of each child's work.
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Every fact checked against official state law
- Facts backed by official law
- 66 / 66
- Quoted word for word from the law
- 64
- Confirmed not required by law
- 2
Explore the individual claims and cited sources behind this state's requirements.
21
source records linked
Additional reference links: 3 sources including the state DOE and HSLDA.
Review status
Last reviewed October 2026. We check Mississippi's official sources for changes twice a week.
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How homeschooling works in Mississippi
Mississippi offers 2 options to homeschool. The most common is highlighted.
Mississippi has two pathways under Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91. Under the Legitimate Home Instruction Program, the parent completes and returns the certificate of enrollment. Under the Non-Public School pathway, your child attends a nonpublic school, and the school's principal or headmaster completes the certificate of enrollment and returns it to the school attendance officer by August 15. In both cases, the law sets no state rules for subjects, testing, or teacher qualifications.
Legitimate Home Instruction Program
Notification
Varies by pathway
Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(3)(c) (Certificate of Enrollment for home instruction) ·
Required subjects
See curriculum requirements in the cited source
Testing / assessment
None required
Instructional time
See instructional-time requirements in the cited source
Sourced from Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(3)(c). Last reviewed October 2026 · 29 individual claims tracked
Non-Public School
Notification
simple notice to School attendance officer where the child resides On or before August 15 of each year
Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(2)(a) (non-public school registration) ·
Required subjects
See curriculum requirements in the cited source
Testing / assessment
None required
Instructional time
See instructional-time requirements in the cited source
Sourced from Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(2)(a). Last reviewed October 2026 · 26 individual claims tracked
Forms and filings
Legitimate Home Instruction Program Notice of Intent
Issued by: school attendance officer of the resident school district
When due: September 15 of each school year
Non-Public School Notice of Intent
Issued by: state
Mississippi-specific tips
Practical guidanceMark August 15 on your calendar. The certificate of enrollment is due on or before August 15 every year.
Leaving public school mid-year. If your child is enrolled in public school, you may later move to home instruction and send the certificate of enrollment to the school attendance officer. A separate withdrawal letter to the public school is not required by state law.
Respond to any notice quickly. If a school attendance officer sends you written notice that something is missing, the law gives you 10 days to comply.
Keep a simple portfolio. The Department of Education recommends keeping samples of your child's work, a log of books and materials, and any national test results. It is optional, but it helps if your child returns to public school or applies to college.
Special needs ESA. Mississippi's Education Scholarship Account program is for students who have had an active IEP within the past three years. Check the Mississippi Department of Education for current terms before you apply.
Education savings / school choice programs
Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Act (ESA)
Up to $8,421 for the 2026-27 school year, paid quarterly as reimbursement of documented expenses (Mississippi Department of Education).: Children who live in Mississippi, have had an active IEP from a public school district within three years of applying, and have been accepted into an eligible private school. Not available while homeschooling: a home instruction program under Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91 is not an eligible school, and the parent agrees not to file a home instruction certificate of enrollment while in the ESA (Mississippi Department of Education).
Explore Mississippi homeschool guides
How to Start
Step-by-step guide to getting started in Mississippi
Compliance Checklist
Every requirement in one checklist
Documents & Templates
Forms, letters, and what to file
Deadlines & Calendar
Filing dates and assessment deadlines
Assessment Requirements
Testing rules and what scores mean
High School
Transcripts, diplomas, and college prep
Special Needs
IEP services, therapy access, and rights
Compare with Another State
Side-by-side law comparison for relocating families
Mississippi homeschool news
View all updates for Mississippi →Your independent resources
Official sources and independent organizations are listed separately below. Check the source and effective date before relying on an unresolved requirement.
State Law
Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(3)(c)State DOE
Mississippi Department of EducationLast reviewed October 2026 · How we verify