Homeschooling in Manitoba

Yes. The rights and responsibilities of homeschooling parents are set out in Part XIV of The Public Schools Act and the Homeschooling Notification Regulation. If you homeschool a child aged 7 up to 18, you must follow those provisions.

Homeschooling is overseen by the Homeschooling Office within Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning, not by school divisions.

• Complete the Student Notification Form for each child. It's available online from July 1, or on paper from the Homeschooling Office.
• Returning families notify by September 1. If you are starting partway through the year – for example after withdrawing your child from school – notify within 30 days of starting.
• Include an outline of your program for the year.

Once you notify, you are connected with a Homeschooling Liaison Officer, whose role is to support you and help you meet the requirements of the Act.

You must notify for each child every school year until they enrol in a public or independent school, turn 18, or earn the Manitoba High School Diploma.

For a child who was homeschooled the previous year, the Homeschooling Office won't process a new notification form until it has received both the January and June progress reports, so keep those up to date.

Your program must be comparable to what a child would receive in public school. Manitoba's planning guidance lists four core areas – Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies – and you can add others such as physical education, music, art, languages or religious studies.

You may use Manitoba curricula, but you don't have to. Liaison Officers can help you plan a program of studies.

• January progress report: submit between January 1 and 31.
• June progress report: submit between June 1 and 30.

Manitoba's guidance suggests reports describe what your child is doing well, what they are finding hard, what needs work and your next steps. Keeping notes and work samples through the term makes these quick to write.

The Homeschooling Office doesn't grant high school credits or issue transcripts. Only public or funded independent schools grant credits.

To receive the Manitoba High School Diploma, a student must be registered in a school, taking Manitoba curricula courses taught by a Manitoba certified teacher. Teens who want the diploma usually enrol for some or all of their high school courses, including through distance learning options offered by Manitoba Education.

Public schools aren't legally required to allow part-time participation by homeschooled students, though Manitoba encourages them to. Ask your local school early if you're considering a blend.

Manitoba doesn't provide funding to homeschooling families, so you cover your own resources.

If your child has additional needs, talk to your Liaison Officer about planning, and to your local school division if you're considering school-based support.

Manitoba's homeschool community includes the Manitoba Association for Schooling at Home (MASH) and local co-ops and support groups, many in and around Winnipeg.