HOMESCHOOLING IN MONTANA & HOMESCHOOL LAWS
You may be considering homeschooling in Montana, but don’t know where to start regarding Montana homeschool laws and requirements. This guide will walk you through what you need to know to successfully set up your own homeschool program under Montana law. We’ll cover the history of homeschooling in Montana, current Montana homeschool laws and regulations, required notifications and filings, curriculum and testing choices, high school transcripts, extracurricular activities, graduation requirements, and special education services.
History of Homeschooling in Montana
In the state of Montana, there are no mandatory testing requirements for a Montana homeschool child, providing a parent with the flexibility to tailor their homeschool curriculum to the individual needs and learning styles of the child. Montana homeschool laws recognize Montana homeschooling as a legitimate form of private instruction and grant the home educators the authority to choose curriculum and assessment methods that best suit the family’s educational philosophy and goals for their Montana homeschool.
In 1895 and 1903, the legislature formally recognized Montana homeschooling as a valid educational option for a child. However, in 1980, Attorney General Mike Greeley issued an opinion stating that the Montana law enacted in 1971 had effectively abolished home education, creating a challenge for Montana homeschooling. Consequently, numerous Montana families found themselves compelled to seek recourse under the homeschooling laws in Montana to safeguard their right to a Montana homeschool arguing that the state’s actions infringed upon their parental rights and freedoms to begin homeschooling. Responding to this situation and the concerns raised by the Montana homeschooling community, the legislature passed Montana homeschooling laws providing a legal framework for families who chose to educate their children at a Montana homeschool further solidifying the legal status under the laws for Montana homeschooling.
Today, Montana homeschooling is widely accepted and continues to grow in popularity as more families recognize the benefits of a personalized, family-centered approach such as a Montana homeschool. An estimated 4-5% of K-12 students in the state were enrolled at a homeschool in Montana as of the early 2020s, reflecting the increasing acceptance and support for this educational alternative for a child. As Montana homeschooling continues to thrive, it is likely that even more families will embrace this option, taking advantage of the favorable Montana homeschool laws and the opportunity to provide their children with a unique, tailored educational experience at their Montana homeschool.
Current Montana Homeschool Laws and Regulations
Montana has intentionally maintained a very relaxed regulatory environment for families and Montana homeschool requirements. Montana state law requires:
Compulsory Laws: Children between ages 7-16 must be enrolled in a public school, private school, or home school in accordance with Montana homeschool laws.
Homeschool Notification: Home educators must provide basic notification of their intent to homeschool in Montana to the county superintendent of the local school board.
Subject Requirements: Homeschools must provide instruction to their child in the subjects of reading, writing, arithmetic, civics, history, literature, and science.
Assessment: Montana does not require any form of standardized testing or assessment.
Qualifications: There are no specific teacher certification or qualification requirements for homeschool instructors in Montana.
Overall, Montana law grants broad rights and responsibility to direct their Montana homeschool, while demanding minimal oversight and reporting from the state.
How to Set Up a Homeschool In Montana
Here are the key steps for Montana homeschool groups to legally establish a homeschool in Montana and start homeschooling:
Maintain disease immunization and attendance records of the student and make them available to the county superintendent of the school district on request.
Provide at least the minimum aggregate hours of student instruction in accordance with Montana homeschool laws.
Be housed in a building that complies with applicable local health and safety regulations in accordance with state law.
Provide an organized course of study that includes instruction in the subjects required of public schools as a basic instructional program pursuant to Montana homeschool laws. These include English language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, health, arts, career ed.
Notify the county superintendent of schools of the county in which the home school is located in each school year of the student’s attendance records at the school.
The notification procedure is the main legal requirement under Montana homeschool laws to start homeschooling. Once submitted, you can enroll your child in the homeschool in Montana without any further state approval needed under Montana homeschool laws.
Maintaining Your Montana Homeschool
One of the benefits of homeschooling in Montana is the minimal ongoing paperwork and requirements according to the homeschool laws. You can maintain a homeschool in Montana simply by:
Continuing to provide instruction in the required subjects. Montana homeschool laws are flexible on curricula, schedules, teaching approaches, etc.
Resubmitting the “Notification of Intent to Homeschool” paperwork. This is the only regular filing required.
Optionally keeping basic records like attendance, grades, lesson plans, samples of work, etc.
According to homeschool laws, Montana takes a very hands-off approach to monitoring your child’s progress once notification has been filed initially.
Montana Homeschool Reporting Requirements
Montana has some of the most relaxed reporting requirements for homeschoolers in the nation. There is no required testing or assessment, and no submission of attendance logs, transcripts, lesson plans, or other documentation under Montana homeschool laws.
Households should maintain basic records like attendance, grades, and work samples in case of any questions. However, Montana homeschool laws do not require standardized reporting to any state agency required on an ongoing basis.
Montana essentially trusts a homeschooling family to provide an adequate education once they have established their Montana homeschool by filing the initial notification paperwork.
Homeschool Testing In Montana
There are no state requirements to participate in any standardized testing for homeschoolers in Montana. Test participation is completely optional based on the parents’ discretion under homeschool laws in Montana.
There are no mandatory Montana homeschooling requirements for testing homeschool students. Montana laws recognize Montana homeschooling as a form of private school and grants parents the authority to choose curriculum and assessment methods. While Montana families are required to provide annual notification to the county superintendent of schools, they are not obligated to submit test scores or participate in standardized testing. However, Montana homeschooling parents may choose to administer standardized tests or other assessments to monitor their child’s progress and ensure they are meeting educational goals. Ultimately, the decision to test is at the discretion of the many parents who homeschool in Montana.
When homeschooling, Montana homeschoolers may voluntarily choose to participate in annual standardized testing, like the California Achievement Test, simply as an additional assessment tool and record of academic progress.
Funding Your Montana Homeschool
Homeschooling in Montana is entirely privately funded by parents. However, Montana’s Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings Account program offers families of students with special needs, as defined under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), an account with an annual maximum allocation of up to $8,000. These funds can be used flexibly for educational and therapeutic purposes, such as private school tuition and education-related transportation.
Some Montana homeschooling families may be eligible for federal tax credits and deductions for homeschooling expenses. But within the state of Montana, there are no sources of public funding dedicated to homeschoolers under Montana laws .
Federal Tax Breaks
Montana families may be eligible for certain federal tax benefits to help offset educational expenses. One option is a Coverdell Savings Account, which allows money to grow tax-free when used for qualified education costs. Homeschool parents might also be able to deduct a portion of mortgage interest or rent if part of the home is used regularly and exclusively for homeschooling. Finally, tax credits or deductions could be available for required books, supplies, equipment and curricula used for homeschool instruction. To learn more about these potential tax advantages, Montana homeschooling families should review the information and resources provided by the IRS.
Montana Immunization Requirements
The state of Montana requires that you keep a record of your child’s disease immunizations (or a medical or religious exemption from immunizations). You must make these immunization records “available” to the county superintendent on request.
Montana State Graduation Requirements
There are no state mandated graduation requirements, standardized homeschool curriculum, or required credits for issuing a homeschool diploma under Montana state homeschool laws. Homeschool families have full authority to determine their own graduation criteria and issue diplomas as they see fit.
Some families opt to craft their own rigorous high school graduation requirements to match what is expected from public schools. Others take a more flexible approach. Montana trusts parents to provide an adequate high school education.
When students enter college, employers, or the military after homeschooling, their Montana homeschool diploma and transcripts will be evaluated for entrance requirements on a case-by-case basis by each institution.
Montana Homeschool Charters
Montana does not have any state-funded or state-run homeschool charter schools or online public schools that serve homeschooled students across the state. Montana’s few existing charter school programs cater only to site-based students.
Local Montana Homeschooling Resources
While Montana does not directly fund any statewide programs, co-ops, or support groups for homeschoolers, there are some local and regional resources that can provide support:
Montana Coalition of Home Educators (MTCHE): This non-profit homeschool group membership organization offers activities, sports teams, support groups, curriculum fairs, field trips, and other resources for homeschoolers.
Local Homeschool Co-Ops and Support Groups: Montana homeschool groups often organize field trips to Great Falls, park days, group classes, enrichment classes, and other resources. Many groups maintain online directories and resources for a homeschool in Montana.
Private “Umbrella Schools” and Correspondence Programs: Some organizations like Park Christian School offer recordkeeping services, field trips, curriculum advice, co ops, diplomas, and other resources for a fee.
Montana’s relaxed state law allows many of these independent groups and organizations to fill support roles for homeschoolers in the absence of state involvement in Montana homeschooling. As you launch your journey to homeschool Montana laws will not get in your way.
