Massachusetts Homeschool Laws and Requirements
Aug 14, 2026Massachusetts is an approval state, and the approval is local. State law excuses a child who is being otherwise instructed in a manner approved in advance by the superintendent or the school committee. There is no statewide form and no state agency that signs off. Two decisions of the Supreme Judicial Court set the boundaries of what a district may ask for, which is what makes this manageable rather than mysterious.
Last Reviewed: August 15, 2026. Reviewed by the Modern Homeschools Editorial Team. Next scheduled review: August 15, 2027.
Massachusetts Homeschool Requirements at a Glance
| Topic | What applies in Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Compulsory attendance ages | The statute applies to children between the minimum and maximum ages established for school attendance by the board of education, so confirm the current range with your district |
| Notification or registration | Approval, not notification. Home schooling requires advance approval by the district in which the child lives, under the policy the school committee has adopted |
| Legal pathway or homeschool definition | A child otherwise instructed in a manner approved in advance by the superintendent or the school committee, under chapter 76, section 1 |
| Parent or instructor qualifications | No teaching license is required. A district may consider the competency of the parents as one factor in reviewing a plan |
| Required subjects | The studies required by law for public schools, drawn from the standards in chapter 71 |
| Instructional time | No statewide number. Duration and frequency of instruction are among the factors a district reviews in your plan |
| Testing or evaluation | No statewide test. Evaluation is one of the factors reviewed, and the method is settled as part of the approved plan |
| Required records | Whatever your approved plan provides for. Nothing academic goes to the state |
| Responsible government agency | Your superintendent or school committee approves the plan. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does not approve home schooling plans or oversee district policies |
What a District May Properly Review
The standard is thoroughness and efficiency: whether instruction in all the studies required by law equals in thoroughness and efficiency the instruction in the public schools. Working from that, districts typically examine the content of your program, your instructional materials, the duration and frequency of instruction, your methods of instruction, how you will evaluate progress, and whether the plan enables your child to make adequate progress.
The Supreme Judicial Court set this framework in Care and Protection of Charles in 1987, confirming that parents may educate their own children with approval and pointing districts to the subject standards in chapter 71.
Just as important is a limit the court drew later. In Brunelle v. Lynn Public Schools in 1998, the court held that home visits are not presumptively essential to protect the state interest in approving a home education plan, and may not be required without parental consent as a condition of approval. If a district treats a home visit as mandatory, that request goes beyond what the case law supports.
Statewide Law Versus District Procedure
Set by state law and the courts. The approval requirement itself, the thoroughness and efficiency standard, the factors that may properly be reviewed, and the limit on compelled home visits. These apply everywhere in Massachusetts.
Set by your district. The form of the plan, what the school committee's adopted policy asks for, the submission timeline, who reviews it, and how often progress information is shared. The department directs families to their local district precisely because these vary. One district's packet is not statewide law, so ask your own district for its policy before you write your plan.
Districts are expected to communicate a decision, preferably in writing, within a reasonable period after receiving your plan.
How to Start Homeschooling in Massachusetts
- Ask your district for its home schooling policy. The school committee adopts it, and it tells you what the plan should contain and where to send it.
- Write the plan around the reviewable factors. Subjects, materials, duration and frequency, methods, and how you will evaluate progress.
- Propose your own evaluation method. Bringing a workable proposal is easier than responding to one.
- Submit and wait for the decision. Approval comes in advance, so build in time before you intend to begin.
- Keep the approved plan. It is the document that defines what you agreed to do.
Official Massachusetts Homeschool Resources
- Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Home Schooling
- Massachusetts law about home schooling, Trial Court Law Libraries
- Massachusetts General Laws chapter 76, section 1
Beginning Your Homeschool Journey?
Your First 30 Days of Homeschooling provides a practical path for establishing your priorities, planning your next steps, and creating a rhythm that works for your family.
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.