Idaho Homeschool Laws and Requirements

Homeschooling is legal in Idaho, and Idaho asks less of homeschooling families than almost any other state. There is no form to file, no registration, and no approval to wait for. The statute directs a parent to have the child instructed in the subjects commonly and usually taught in Idaho public schools, and leaves the rest to you. The state department of education says plainly that it does not regulate or monitor homeschool education.

Last Reviewed: August 15, 2026. Reviewed by the Modern Homeschools Editorial Team. Next scheduled review: August 15, 2027.

Idaho Homeschool Requirements at a Glance

What "No Requirement" Actually Means

Idaho families sometimes hear that they should send the district a letter of intent. Nothing in Idaho law requires one. The department's guidance is direct: there is no registration or sign up procedure, and there are no reporting requirements, no list, no monitoring, and no check-ins from the state level.

You may still choose to communicate with your school when you unenroll a currently enrolled child, and that is a sensible courtesy so the school's attendance records are accurate. Treat it as unenrollment paperwork, not as a filing the law demands of you.

What the statute does ask is substantive rather than procedural. Your child is to be instructed in the subjects commonly and usually taught in Idaho public schools. No agency reviews how you do that, and the state has no set curriculum for homeschool education. The published Idaho Content Standards are available if you want a reference point for what public schools cover at each grade, but using them is your choice.

How to Start Homeschooling in Idaho

1. Unenroll from public school, if enrolled. Make sure your child is officially unenrolled so the school stops counting the child as a student.
2. Skip the paperwork. There is no form to submit to the district or the state, and no approval to wait for.
3. Choose your curriculum. All materials and costs are the parent's responsibility, and no program requires state clearance.
4. Cover the usual subjects. Aim at what Idaho public schools commonly teach rather than at a required list, because there is no required list.
5. Start a family record file. Not required, but it is the only record of your student's work that will exist.

Testing, Attendance, and Record Keeping

There is no state testing requirement for Idaho homeschool students, no portfolio review, and no evaluation to schedule. Your student is not part of the state assessment system unless you arrange participation.

No attendance register is filed anywhere, and the department does not maintain records for homeschooling families. That last point is the one worth planning around: if you do not keep the record, no one else has it.

Keeping your own file of attendance, subjects covered, materials used, and completed work is recommended for exactly that reason. It is what supports a transcript, and it is what answers questions if your student later enrolls in a school that applies its own placement and credit procedures. In Idaho this is prudent practice, not a legal duty.

Official Idaho Homeschool Resources

• Idaho State Department of Education, Homeschool
• Idaho State Department of Education, Home School FAQ
• Idaho Code section 33-202, school attendance compulsory

Modern Homeschools provides educational information to help families understand and navigate homeschooling requirements. Because requirements may change, families should confirm current details with the official state sources linked within this guide.