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From left, Hazel Taylor, 7, Delilah Taylor, 9, Sofia Sarcione, 9, Alita Davis, 10, Deegan Taylor, 5, Wesley Rouillard, 5, and Addy Sarcione, 7, practice jumping in unison in June 2025 at Gooch’s Beach in Kennebunk. The children, who are from Limerick and Biddeford, are all homeschooled. (Derek Davis/Staff Photographer)

Families considering homeschooling in Maine must first choose one of two legal options. Both allow parents to educate their children at home while offering broad flexibility in curriculum, teaching methods and daily schedules.

The primary difference is who assumes responsibility for legal filings, annual requirements and student records, according to information provided by the Maine Department of Education.

Beekeeper Maggie Corlett talks about bees with sisters Ariella, middle, and Evolette Brooks on May 27 at the apiary on the Mountain Valley campus in Mexico. The girls were there on a field trip for homeschooled children as part of a program that works with the Rumford Public Library. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer)

Under option 1, officially called home instruction, the parent directs the child’s educational program and is responsible for meeting state requirements. Families beginning home instruction must file a Notice of Intent within 10 calendar days, and continuing families must submit a continuation notice and annual assessment by Sept. 1 each year.

Homeschoolers from Jay, Wilton and Farmington take part in an apple-picking outing and cider-making activity in Wilton, reflecting an approach to education where learning happens throughout daily life, not only during scheduled school hours. (Rebecca Richard/Staff Writer)

Option 1 families must provide at least 175 instructional days each year. Required subjects include English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, physical education, health education, library skills and fine arts. Students must also complete Maine studies during one grade from grades 6 through 12 and demonstrate computer proficiency during one grade from grades 7 through 12.

Annual assessment options include standardized testing, a review by a Maine-certified teacher and other methods allowed under state law. Parents are also responsible for maintaining educational records and preparing transcripts or diplomas when needed.

Under option 2, a student enrolls in a private school recognized by the state as providing equivalent instruction. These schools are often informally called umbrella schools because they oversee the legal requirements while families provide the day-to-day instruction at home.

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Tirzah Pavese, 11, left, and her brother Abel Pavese, 7, of Winslow explore the banks of the Kennebec River Thursday after being homeschooled by their mother Leah Mikkonen at Fort Halifax Park in Winslow. The pair played a math and spelling trivia game with their mother before walking along the river.
Tirzah Pavese, 11, left, and her brother, Abel Pavese, 7, of Winslow, explore the banks of the Kennebec River in 2024 with their mother, Leah Mikkonen, at Fort Halifax Park in Winslow. The siblings, who are home-schooled, say they played a math and spelling trivia game with their mother before walking along the river. (Rich Abrahamson/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image

The Maine Department of Education maintains an online list of recognized equivalent instruction private schools. Families should compare schools carefully because tuition, services, recordkeeping, graduation requirements and parent responsibilities can vary. The department notes that recognition does not constitute approval or an endorsement of a school’s quality or effectiveness.

Under Maine’s equivalent instruction law, the private school files the required enrollment documentation with the superintendent of the student’s resident school district, helping families satisfy Maine’s compulsory attendance requirements while allowing parents to retain responsibility for their child’s education.

Franklin County homeschoolers from Jay, Wilton, Chesterville, Livermore Falls, Peru and Farmington gather for a shared learning experience, part of regular weekly or monthly meetups often held in local libraries or parks when weather permits. In this photo, families arranged for an educational wildlife presentation by Chewonki, bringing hands-on environmental learning into a community space in Livermore Falls. (Rebecca Richard/Staff writer)

Some families also choose to join the Home School Legal Defense Association, commonly known as HSLDA, for legal information, advocacy and member support. Membership is optional and does not replace the legal requirements of either option 1 or option 2.

Parents withdrawing a child from a public or private school should notify the school in writing, provide the student’s final attendance date and request that academic records be released or transferred to the family’s new educational program. Obtaining attendance, health and special education records at the same time can help ensure a smooth transition.

Once the legal requirements are in place, families can focus on what homeschooling is really about: choosing curriculum, creating meaningful learning experiences and building an education tailored to their child’s interests, abilities and goals.

Rebecca Richard is a reporter for the Franklin Journal. She graduated from the University of Maine after studying literature and writing. She is a small business owner, wife of 33 years and mom of eight...

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