HOMESCHOOLING IN MISSOURI & HOMESCHOOL LAWS
You may be considering homeschooling in Missouri, but don’t know where to start regarding state regulations and requirements. This guide will walk you through what you need to know to successfully set up your own homeschool program legally in Missouri. We’ll cover the history of homeschooling in Missouri, current homeschool laws in Missouri, required notifications and filings, homeschool curriculum and testing choices, high school transcripts, extracurricular activities, graduation requirements, and special education services.
History of Homeschooling in Missouri
Homeschooling has deep roots in Missouri, with a history dating back to the state’s early days. In the colonial era and throughout the 19th century, many children were educated at home, particularly in rural areas where access to formal schooling was limited. With the growth of public education in the early 20th century, homeschooling declined. However, it experienced a resurgence in the 1970s and 80s, as some parents sought alternatives to traditional schools.
Homeschooling in Missouri was first legalized in 1978, and later the Missouri homeschool law was refined in 1985 after a federal court decision in Ellis v. O’Hara found that the prior homeschool law in Missouri was too vague and allowed for too much discretion in enforcement. This Missouri homeschool law defined a “home school” as a school with the primary purpose of providing private or religious-based instruction. It established the legal right of parents to educate their children at home under Missouri homeschooling laws, setting the stage for growth in the homeschooling movement. Since then, homeschooling has steadily gained popularity in Missouri, with an estimated 30,000+ homeschoolers as of 2020.
Current Missouri Homeschool Laws and Regulations
Navigating homeschooling laws in Missouri requires some attention to the specific homeschooling in Missouri laws that govern education standards and reporting requirements.
Missouri’s compulsory attendance age law requires children between seven years and seventeen years to attend public, private, parochial, or home school. However, the compulsory attendance age law provides an exemption for children who are homeschooled in accordance with Missouri homeschool laws. The school district requires documentation of the child’s age at the beginning of the entire school term.
Missouri homeschooling law directly impacts a home educator who enrolls pupils rather than enrolling in public schools, covering guidelines from Pre-K to high schooler education. To legally homeschool in Missouri under the Missouri homeschool law, home educators must provide a thousand hours of instruction during the school year, with at least 600 hours of instruction covering core subjects: reading, math, social studies, language arts, and science. At least 400 hours of instruction must occur at the home location in accordance with Missouri homeschool laws.
In the Show Me State, once you start homeschooling, it’s important to ensure that your child attends the home school regularly to meet the state’s compulsory attendance requirements. Before you get started homeschooling in Missouri, you will need to submit a written declaration of intent and ensure to attend regularly to all required subjects throughout the school term in accordance with Missouri homeschooling laws.
So long as the requirements are met, homeschooled children are not considered truant. Truancy laws only apply to students who are absent from public school or private school without the knowledge and consent of parents and school officials.
How to Set Up a Homeschool In Missouri
In Missouri, to homeschool legally, you must ensure your child attends regularly and receives at least 1,000 hours of instruction annually, with 600 of those hours in the required subjects or core subjects at the child’s appropriate grade level, to comply with compulsory attendance laws, which apply once the child reaches the compulsory age of seven years. The Missouri Department provides guidelines for MO homeschool laws, which require families to notify their local school district of their intent to home school. Many families explore accredited homeschool programs in Missouri to ensure that their children’s education meets state standards and Missouri homeschooling laws while offering a flexible learning environment. Here are key steps on how to homeschool in Missouri in accordance with Missouri homeschool laws before the school term:
Withdraw your child from their current school, if applicable. You are not required to provide a formal notice of your intent to homeschool under the homeschool law, but notifying school officials can help ensure a smooth transition. This is done annually before September 1st in accordance with Missouri homeschool laws.
Decide whether to homeschool independently or join a private homeschool association. Many families find that associations provide valuable support and can assist with record-keeping ensuring compliance with Missouri homeschooling laws.
If homeschooling independently, familiarize yourself with Missouri homeschooling laws and develop a system for tracking attendance and core instructional homeschool hours.
Select a homeschool curriculum and gather educational materials. Missouri law does not mandate a specific curriculum, so you have flexibility to choose a program that fits your child’s needs. Many quality curricula are available online, through homeschool publishers, or from veteran homeschoolers.
Begin instruction, aiming to meet the 1,000 hour per school year requirement (including 600 core hours) in accordance with Missouri homeschool laws.
Maintain records of completed coursework, attendance, and grades to comply with the homeschool law. A parent who is home schooling a child must maintain the following records: a plan book, diary, daily log, or other written record indicating core subjects taught and the activities engaged in with the student; a portfolio containing samples of the student‘s academic work; and a record of evaluation of the child‘s academic progress in accordance with Missouri homeschool laws. According to MO homeschool laws, homeschool students must submit records to their local school district at the end of each school year. In the Show Me State, school districts and public schools strongly recommend that home educators keep detailed records of their child’s academic work.
It’s important to note that Missouri homeschool laws do not require homeschool parents to have specific teacher credentials. Any parent can legally home school their child by meeting Missouri homeschool laws baseline requirements. In Missouri, a high school student who is homeschooled at a regular home school location is not required to submit high school records to the school district.
If you are moving to Missouri from another state and plan to home school, the process is largely the same under the homeschool law. You are not required to provide notice when transitioning from homeschooling in another state to homeschooling in Missouri under Missouri homeschool laws. However, it’s a good idea to keep records from your previous homeschool in case they are ever needed. In the Show Me State, home educators have the flexibility to tailor the school experience of their child to meet individual needs and learning styles while complying with the homeschool law.
The Families for Home Education (FHE) provides a detailed guide to getting started with homeschooling in Missouri, which can be found at: Getting Started Checklist | Families for Home Education (fhe-mo.org)
Maintaining Your Missouri Homeschool
One of the benefits of the laws for homeschooling in Missouri requirements is the low level of government regulation. Beyond meeting the basic instructional hour requirements, Missouri homeschool laws do not require any specific filings or paperwork from homeschool families.
That said, maintaining good records is still crucial for homeschool success. Careful record-keeping provides evidence of completed coursework, which can be important if your child transitions to a traditional school, applies to college, or seeks certain scholarships.
In accordance with Missouri homeschool laws, key records to maintain include:
Daily log or plan book showing fulfillment of required instructional homeschool hours.
List of core subjects/courses completed each school year such as language arts and social studies.
Samples of your child’s work.
Grades and/or periodic assessments of the child’s academic progress.
High school records (for college bound students)
In addition to recordkeeping, there are a number of best practices that can help your homeschool run smoothly:
Set clear daily/weekly schedules and objectives and keep a daily log.
Designate a space in your home for learning.
Take advantage of online resources and local homeschooling groups for support.
Provide regular opportunities for socialization and extracurricular activities.
Be flexible and adapt your approach as needed based on your child’s learning style and needs.
By staying organized and connected with the homeschooling community, you’ll be well-positioned to provide a quality home education in accordance with Missouri law.
Missouri Homeschool Reporting Requirements
One area where Missouri differs from some states is in its reporting requirements – or lack thereof. Homeschooling parents are not required to submit any documentation, test scores, or periodic reports to state or local education officials under the homeschool law.
While this affords considerable educational freedom, some parents still choose to have their children participate in standardized testing as a means of benchmarking progress. But any such testing is strictly voluntary under Missouri law.
So in practice, homeschooling in Missouri is largely a private endeavor between the parent and child. The state trusts parents to ensure their children are receiving an adequate education by meeting the instructional time requirements under Missouri law.
That said, if an issue ever arises where you need to demonstrate fulfillment of homeschooling requirements under the homeschool law, having good attendance and records are important. The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) provides information on recordkeeping and dealing with any homeschool disputes that may arise.
Homeschool Testing In Missouri
As noted above, Missouri homeschool students are not required to participate in any standardized testing. The state does not mandate testing for public school students until grade 3, and these requirements do not extend to homeschoolers under the homeschool law.
However, some homeschool parents find value in periodic testing as a way to objectively assess their children’s academic progress and identify any areas needing additional support. The Stanford-10 and Iowa Tests of Basic Skills are two nationally normed tests commonly used by homeschoolers.
If you do choose to have your child tested, there are a few options in Missouri:
Order tests through a provider like Seton Testing Services and administer them at home.
Participate in testing sessions organized by local homeschool groups/co-ops.
Arrange testing through a local private school or educational service.
Test scores can provide valuable feedback and also may be required for certain scholarships or college admissions. However, it’s important to remember that testing is just one measure of academic success. Homeschooling offers the flexibility to evaluate a child’s academic progress in multiple ways, including projects, presentations, and real-world applications.
Funding Your Missouri Homeschool
As in most states, Missouri does not provide direct financial assistance for homeschooling expenses. The costs of curricula, supplies, field trips, and extracurricular activities are the responsibility of parents.
However, Missouri does offer a tax-advantaged 529 education savings plan that can be used to save for future college costs. The MOST 529 Plan allows parents to make contributions, which can then grow tax-deferred and be withdrawn tax-free for qualified higher education expenses. While these funds cannot be used for K-12 homeschooling costs, they can still help families prepare financially for the next phase of their child’s education. Learn more at: MOST—Missouri’s 529 Education Plan | MOST 529
Some additional ways to manage the cost of homeschooling include:
Seeking out free/low-cost curricula and learning materials online.
Buying used homeschool curriculum from other homeschool families.
Utilizing free educational resources from libraries, museums, historical sites, etc.
Forming a homeschool co-op to share costs of activities, field trips, and materials.
Applying for need-based scholarships from homeschool organizations.
By being resourceful and connecting with the homeschool community, many families are able to provide a quality home education on a budget.
Federal Tax Breaks
Families may be eligible for certain federal tax benefits to help offset educational expenses. One option is a Coverdell Education Savings Account, which allows money to grow tax-free when used for qualified education costs. Homeschool parents might also be able to deduct a portion of mortgage interest or rent if part of the home is used regularly and exclusively for homeschooling. Finally, tax credits or deductions could be available for required books, supplies, equipment and curricula used for homeschool instruction. To learn more about these potential tax advantages, homeschooling families should review the information and resources provided by the IRS.
Missouri Immunization Requirements
Missouri law does not generally require homeschooled students to be immunized. The state’s immunization requirements only apply to children attending public school, private school, or parochial school.
However, if a homeschooled child wishes to participate in any public school district activities or classes on a part-time basis, they would need to comply with the school’s immunization policy. Some homeschool co-ops and extracurricular programs may also have their own immunization requirements.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services recommends that all children, regardless of school setting, receive standard childhood immunizations per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. These protect against serious diseases like measles, polio, and whooping cough. While not legally mandated for homeschoolers, following the recommended vaccination schedule is an important way to safeguard your child’s health.
If you have concerns about immunizations, it’s best to discuss them with your child’s pediatrician, who can provide personalized medical advice.
Missouri State Graduation Requirements
In Missouri, homeschool parents have the authority to issue their own high school diploma when they determine their student has met high school graduation requirements. The state does not mandate specific courses or credit hours for homeschoolers under the homeschool law.
However, if a high schooler wishes to attend college or qualify for certain jobs, it’s generally a good idea to structure high school coursework to meet or exceed state expectations for high school graduation. Public high school students in Missouri are required to complete a minimum of 24 credits for graduation, including:
English language arts (4 credits)
Math (3 credits)
Science (3 credits)
Social Studies (3 credits)
Fine Arts (1 credit)
Practical Arts (1 credit)
Physical Education (1 credit)
Health Education (0.5 credit)
Personal Finance (0.5 credit)
Electives (7 credits)
Many homeschool families use these state guidelines as a baseline, then tailor coursework to the individual interests and college/career goals of their high schooler.
Homeschool diplomas issued by parents are legally recognized by the state of Missouri. However, college bound students may need to provide documentation, such as transcripts, test scores, and course descriptions, to demonstrate their readiness for higher education.
By understanding state norms and common college admissions expectations, homeschooling parents can ensure their high school plan positions their student for future success.
Missouri Homeschool Charters
Missouri law does not currently provide for homeschool-specific charter schools. Some states, like California and Alaska, allow charters focused on supporting homeschooling families. But in Missouri, charters are only permitted to be sponsored by certain public school districts in St. Louis and Kansas City.
Some Missouri homeschoolers do take advantage of public online schools, which provide curriculum, teacher support, and oversight. However, enrolling in these programs is considered equivalent to attending public school, rather than homeschooling under state law.
Local Missouri Homeschooling Resources
While Missouri may not provide public funding for homeschooling, the state has a vibrant homeschool community with numerous resources for families.
Statewide organizations like Families for Home Education (FHE) and Education Alliance for Christian Homes (EACH) provide information, support, and advocacy for homeschoolers. They sponsor annual conferences, coordinate local support groups, and offer online resources.
Many areas of the state have active local homeschool co-ops and groups that organize classes, field trips, and social events. Here is an example:
Local libraries, museums, community centers, and parks departments also frequently offer enrichment programs open to homeschoolers.
Although Missouri may not provide direct funding, some homeschool-friendly resources include:
By plugging into state and local organizations, taking advantage of community resources, and utilizing online support, Missouri homeschoolers have access to a wealth of educational opportunities. With a little initiative, Missouri homeschooling families can connect with the tools to thrive with the best homeschool curriculum for their family.
