Homeschooling in Delaware: the law and how to start

Yes. Delaware's compulsory attendance law (Title 14, § 2702) requires children between 5 and 16 to be enrolled in school, but a child who is homeschooled under § 2703A is exempt. The law treats a homeschool as a nonpublic school.

Delaware recognizes three kinds of homeschool:

• Single-family homeschool — one family (or legal guardian) teaches its own children.
• Multi-family homeschool — two or more families teach their children together; one person acts as the liaison who reports enrollment and attendance for the group.
• Single-family homeschool coordinated with the local district — a homeschool that works with the local school district.

Whichever you choose, you need to register with the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE). Using an online curriculum or a virtual program doesn't remove this requirement — DDOE says you must still open a homeschool.

• Register. Complete DDOE's Nonpublic School Application online: enter your contact and demographic details, add each student, and link each student to a parent or guardian.
• Keep your acknowledgement letter. Once registered, DDOE's official Acknowledgement Letter is available under the Records tab of the application.
• Withdraw from public school if needed. If you open a homeschool partway through the school year, DDOE says you must withdraw your child from their public school. Do this in writing and keep a copy, so your child isn't marked absent.
• Diary the two reporting dates described below. Missing the attendance report can get your homeschool closed.

Delaware's homeschool law does not name required subjects or set the number of hours per day. You choose your curriculum, materials and schedule.

You do, however, report attendance each year (see below), so keep a simple attendance log alongside your lesson plans. Many families cover the core areas taught in schools — reading and writing, math, science and social studies — to keep options open for returning to school or college later.

Delaware does not require homeschoolers to take standardized tests or have their work evaluated.

What the state does require is reporting:

• Enrollment report each fall. DDOE says a June 2023 law change moved the deadline from October 5 to no later than September 30 each year. Confirm the current deadline in the Nonpublic School Application, as some older DDOE pages still show October 5.
• Attendance report by July 31. Under § 2704 you report attendance for the school year on or before July 31. DDOE warns that a nonpublic school that doesn't report attendance during the reporting period will be closed and its students withdrawn.

Keep your attendance records, a list of materials used and samples of work. They make the annual report easy and help if your child returns to school.

Because your homeschool is a nonpublic school, you decide the graduation requirements and can issue your own diploma and transcript. Keep a running transcript with courses, credits and grades, plus course descriptions.

Note that compulsory attendance ends at 16 in Delaware, and DDOE says registration isn't required for students 16 or older — but staying registered gives your teen a continuous official record, which some colleges and employers ask about.

Delaware has no law giving homeschoolers a right to join public school classes or sports. The Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) eligibility regulation is written for students who enroll in and attend member schools, so ask DIAA or your local school before assuming your child can try out.

If you think your child may have a disability, contact your local school district. Under the federal IDEA, districts must locate and evaluate children who may need special education, including children who are not enrolled in public school.

Delaware has statewide and regional homeschool groups, co-ops and multi-family homeschools. Local libraries are a good place to find classes and other families.

DDOE's nonpublic school office answers registration and reporting questions, and its FAQ page covers common problems.