Homeschooling in Oregon: the law and how to start

Yes. ORS 339.030 exempts children who are being taught at home by a parent, legal guardian or private teacher from compulsory public school attendance, and ORS 339.035 sets out the rules that apply to them.

The two core requirements are a written notice to your education service district (ESD) and periodic standardized testing. Oregon's regional ESDs, not the Oregon Department of Education, receive notices and follow up on test results, so your local ESD is your main point of contact.

Enrolling your child in a private school is another lawful option. Private schools follow their own rules, and the homeschool notice and testing requirements do not apply to their students.

• Send a written notice to your ESD. Most ESDs have a notification form on their website, but a letter with the information they ask for (your child's name and birth date, your address and the date you started) also works. ESD guidance, based on Oregon Administrative Rule 581-021-0026, asks families to notify within 10 days of starting homeschooling or withdrawing from school.
• Withdraw from school if needed. If your child is enrolled in a public school, let the school know you are withdrawing them to homeschool so they are not counted as absent.
• Keep the ESD's acknowledgment. The law requires the ESD to acknowledge your notice in writing, and that letter is your proof that your child is legally homeschooled.
• Notify again if you move to an area served by a different ESD.

Oregon does not tell homeschooling families what subjects to teach, how many days to hold school or how many hours to spend on lessons.

Because your child will sit a standardized achievement test at the end of grades 3, 5, 8 and 10, it makes sense to cover the reading, language and math skills those tests measure. Most families also teach science, social studies, art and physical education.

Homeschooled children must be tested at the end of grades 3, 5, 8 and 10, with all testing finished by August 15. You choose a test from the State Board of Education's approved list, which currently includes the Iowa Tests, the Stanford Achievement Test and TerraNova (the two latest versions of each). The test must be given by a qualified neutral person; the Oregon Department of Education keeps a list of homeschool testers that is updated every spring.

For a child who has never been in school, the first test is due by the end of Grade 3. For a child withdrawn from public school, the first test is due at least 18 months after withdrawal. The tester reports results to you, and you send them to your ESD only if it asks.

If your child's composite score is below the 15th percentile, the law requires another test within a year. If the scores keep declining, the ESD superintendent can require that a licensed teacher chosen (and paid for) by you supervise your child's education, and further declines can lead to stronger measures.

Children with disabilities may be assessed differently. Oregon Administrative Rule 581-021-0029 sets out alternative arrangements for homeschooled children with disabilities, so ask your ESD about this option.

Recent change to watch: HB 3624 (2025) would have required ESDs to offer an approved test free of charge several times a year. It passed the Oregon House in April 2025, but we did not find that it became law, and the Oregon Department of Education still tells families to arrange testing themselves.

Oregon does not issue diplomas to homeschooled students. As the parent directing your teen's education, you decide when high school is complete and can create a diploma and transcript.

Remember that a standardized test is still required at the end of Grade 10. Keep a running transcript from Grade 9 with course titles, credits and grades, and check the admission requirements of colleges your teen may apply to.

Under ORS 339.460, homeschooled students can take part in interscholastic activities at the public school whose attendance area they live in. To qualify, a student generally needs a composite score at or above the 23rd percentile on an approved test taken each year, and the score is submitted to the district before the student participates. A district may agree to an alternative such as a portfolio review in consultation with the parent.

Students must also meet the district's other eligibility rules, and the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) has its own eligibility rules on top of the state's. Read the OSAA's homeschool eligibility checklist before the season starts.

Access to individual public school classes is decided locally. If your child has a disability, contact your district about evaluation and services; ESDs can also explain the testing options for homeschooled children with disabilities.

Oregon has statewide homeschool organizations and many local co-ops, and several ESDs publish homeschool information pages with notification forms and testing guidance.

The Oregon Department of Education's homeschool pages and FAQ explain the notice and testing rules, and list approved tests and testers.