How to start homeschooling in Delaware
Everything Delaware asks of a homeschool family, in order, from the state’s own sources, checked October 1, 2026. Each step links to a free tool that does it, and there’s a checklist to print at the end.
Step 0: choose how you’ll homeschool
Delaware gives families 3 legal ways to homeschool. Each has its own steps below. Choose one to see its steps.
Single-family homeschool: step by step
Make sure this option fits your family
Parent educates their own child mainly at home. A homeschool is a nonpublic school: the family registers with the Department of Education and reports enrollment each fall and attendance each summer.
Required school ages in Delaware: 5 to 16. Teacher qualification for this option: No parent qualification requirement found.
If your child is in school now, withdraw in writing
Send the school a dated withdrawal letter saying your child will be educated at home, and keep a copy. Delaware also asks for a notice under this option (the next step); file it by its deadline.
File your notice
Required.
When: Enrollment statement no later than September 30 each year; end-of-year attendance on or before July 31 each year (14 Del. C. § 2704).
What it includes: Register the homeschool with the DDOE (EdAccess account + nonpublic school application), then submit annual enrollment and end-of-year attendance reports through the Nonpublic School Application. Enrollment reporting window for 2026: August 11 – September 30.
Delaware names its own form, affidavit or filing for this. Use that where it’s required; our letter can go with it as a cover letter or a record.
Plan your school year: days and hours
Delaware doesn’t set a number of days or hours for this option.
DDOE: 'The DDOE does not require a specific number of days for nonpublic schools to be open during a school year.' Attendance report gives total days open and attendance days per student.
Planning about 180 days, as schools do, gives the year a shape and makes a move to another state easier.
Cover the required subjects
Delaware doesn’t list required subjects for this option.
14 Del. C. § 2703 exempts homeschooled students under § 2703A; DDOE does not provide, approve or monitor curriculum. (The 'regular and thorough instruction in the subjects prescribed for the public schools' standard is stated for private schools in § 2703(a) and for the district-coordinated homeschool type.)
Testing or evaluation
Not required under this option.
DDOE does not administer state assessments to nonpublic school students.
Keep the records the state asks for
Required.
Annual enrollment and attendance reports to DDOE (§ 2704). DDOE keeps no student records and advises parents to keep an academic portfolio (grades, attendance, test scores).
Start teaching
Put your books on a lesson schedule, and the planner spreads the lessons across your school days and moves them when a day is missed. Log attendance in a tap, and keep grades, a portfolio and a transcript as you go.
High school and graduation
DDOE does not issue diplomas for any nonpublic school; acceptance of a homeschool diploma is up to colleges/employers.
Official sources for this option
Not confirmed on an official page: Enrollment deadline: statute and DDOE homeschool page say September 30, but DDOE's Annual Reporting page says the window closes October 5 (count as of last school day in September); use September 30 to be safe. Check these points with the state or your local school district before you rely on them; everything else above comes from the official sources listed.
Multi-family homeschool: step by step
Make sure this option fits your family
Parents educate children who are not all siblings, mainly in one or more residences or other facilities; one person acts as liaison to DDOE for enrollment and attendance reporting for all families.
Required school ages in Delaware: 5 to 16. This option sets no teacher qualification.
If your child is in school now, withdraw in writing
Send the school a dated withdrawal letter saying your child will be educated at home, and keep a copy. Delaware also asks for a notice under this option (the next step); file it by its deadline.
File your notice
Required.
When: Enrollment by September 30; attendance by July 31 (14 Del. C. § 2704).
What it includes: Same registration and annual reporting as a single-family homeschool, filed by the designated liaison for all families.
Delaware names its own form, affidavit or filing for this. Use that where it’s required; our letter can go with it as a cover letter or a record.
Plan your school year: days and hours
Delaware doesn’t set a number of days or hours for this option.
No state minimum.
Planning about 180 days, as schools do, gives the year a shape and makes a move to another state easier.
Cover the required subjects
Delaware doesn’t list required subjects for this option.
Testing or evaluation
Not required under this option.
DDOE does not administer state assessments to nonpublic school students.
Keep the records the state asks for
Required.
Annual enrollment and attendance reports (§ 2704).
Start teaching
Put your books on a lesson schedule, and the planner spreads the lessons across your school days and moves them when a day is missed. Log attendance in a tap, and keep grades, a portfolio and a transcript as you go.
High school and graduation
DDOE does not issue diplomas for nonpublic schools.
Official sources for this option
Single-family homeschool coordinated with the local school district: step by step
Make sure this option fits your family
Parent teaches mainly at home using a curriculum approved by the local superintendent, who determines in writing that the child receives regular and thorough instruction in the subjects prescribed for public schools.
Required school ages in Delaware: 5 to 16. This option sets no teacher qualification.
If your child is in school now, withdraw in writing
Send the school a dated withdrawal letter saying your child will be educated at home, and keep a copy. Delaware also asks for a notice under this option (the next step); file it by its deadline.
File your notice
Required.
What it includes: Curriculum approval and written determination by the local superintendent or designee.
Plan your school year: days and hours
Delaware doesn’t set a number of days or hours for this option.
Planning about 180 days, as schools do, gives the year a shape and makes a move to another state easier.
Cover the required subjects
Delaware doesn’t list required subjects for this option.
Regular and thorough instruction in the subjects prescribed for the public schools of the State, suitable to the child's age and stage of advancement.
Testing or evaluation
Not required under this option.
Keep records anyway
Delaware doesn’t require records under this option.
Our suggestion: keep attendance, a reading log and a few work samples each year. A move to another state, a college, or a question from the district is much easier with them.
Start teaching
Put your books on a lesson schedule, and the planner spreads the lessons across your school days and moves them when a day is missed. Log attendance in a tap, and keep grades, a portfolio and a transcript as you go.
High school and graduation
The state sets no graduation requirements for homeschools under this option; you set them as the school’s administrator and issue the diploma.
Official sources for this option
Not confirmed on an official page: Whether this type also files DDOE enrollment/attendance reports was not confirmed; DDOE pages do not describe this type. Check these points with the state or your local school district before you rely on them; everything else above comes from the official sources listed.
Your Delaware checklist
Homeschool Corral · How to start homeschooling in Delaware · homeschoolcorral.com
- Read Delaware’s rules for “Single-family homeschool”
- Withdraw from school in writing (if enrolled), and keep a copy
- File the notice (Enrollment statement no later than September 30 each year; end-of-year attendance on or before July 31 each year (14 Del. C. § 2704))
- Set the first and last day, school days and breaks
- Choose curriculum for each required subject
- Start the required records from day one
- Make a first-week plan and start
- Read Delaware’s rules for “Multi-family homeschool”
- Withdraw from school in writing (if enrolled), and keep a copy
- File the notice (Enrollment by September 30; attendance by July 31 (14 Del. C. § 2704))
- Set the first and last day, school days and breaks
- Choose curriculum for each required subject
- Start the required records from day one
- Make a first-week plan and start
- Read Delaware’s rules for “Single-family homeschool coordinated with the local school district”
- Withdraw from school in writing (if enrolled), and keep a copy
- File the notice
- Set the first and last day, school days and breaks
- Choose curriculum for each required subject
- Start a simple attendance log and reading log
- Make a first-week plan and start
Questions Delaware parents ask
Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in Delaware?
Single-family homeschool: Yes. When: Enrollment statement no later than September 30 each year; end-of-year attendance on or before July 31 each year (14 Del. C. § 2704). What to file: Register the homeschool with the DDOE (EdAccess account + nonpublic school application), then submit annual enrollment and end-of-year attendance reports through the Nonpublic School Application. Enrollment reporting window for 2026: August 11 – September 30.
Multi-family homeschool: Yes. When: Enrollment by September 30; attendance by July 31 (14 Del. C. § 2704). What to file: Same registration and annual reporting as a single-family homeschool, filed by the designated liaison for all families.
Single-family homeschool coordinated with the local school district: Yes. What to file: Curriculum approval and written determination by the local superintendent or designee.
How many days or hours do homeschoolers need in Delaware?
Single-family homeschool: DDOE: 'The DDOE does not require a specific number of days for nonpublic schools to be open during a school year.' Attendance report gives total days open and attendance days per student.
Multi-family homeschool: No state minimum.
Single-family homeschool coordinated with the local school district: Delaware doesn’t set a number of days or hours.
Do homeschoolers have to take tests in Delaware?
Single-family homeschool: No. DDOE does not administer state assessments to nonpublic school students.
Multi-family homeschool: No. DDOE does not administer state assessments to nonpublic school students.
Single-family homeschool coordinated with the local school district: No testing is required.
Do I need a teaching certificate to homeschool in Delaware?
Single-family homeschool: No parent qualification requirement found.
Multi-family homeschool: No teacher qualification is set.
Single-family homeschool coordinated with the local school district: No teacher qualification is set.
What subjects are required in Delaware?
Single-family homeschool: Delaware doesn’t list required subjects.
Multi-family homeschool: Delaware doesn’t list required subjects.
Single-family homeschool coordinated with the local school district: Delaware doesn’t list required subjects.
What records do I need to keep in Delaware?
Single-family homeschool: Annual enrollment and attendance reports to DDOE (§ 2704). DDOE keeps no student records and advises parents to keep an academic portfolio (grades, attendance, test scores).
Multi-family homeschool: Annual enrollment and attendance reports (§ 2704).
Single-family homeschool coordinated with the local school district: Delaware doesn’t require records. Keeping attendance, a reading log and work samples is still wise.
Keep going
This is a plain-English summary of the state’s official sources, checked on the date shown. It is not legal advice, and laws change. Read the linked official pages, and check with the state or your local school district if anything is unclear.
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