Homeschooling in District of Columbia: what the state requires
Parent notifies OSSE before starting and every August 15 after, provides thorough and regular instruction in eight subject areas, and keeps a portfolio OSSE may review up to twice a year.
Checked October 1, 2026 against official District of Columbia sources. State page: Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) — Homeschooling in the District. Compulsory school age: 5 to 18.
Home instruction under OSSE homeschooling regulations (5-A DCMR ch. 52)
Parent notifies OSSE before starting and every August 15 after, provides thorough and regular instruction in eight subject areas, and keeps a portfolio OSSE may review up to twice a year.
For every child
| Notice or registration | Required. 15 business days before starting; by August 15 of each continuing year — Notification of Intent to Homeschool on the OSSE form at least 15 business days before the first day of home instruction (OSSE page; the published rule §5202.1 says '15 days'). Notification of Homeschool Continuation each year. Written notice 15 days before discontinuing (§5203.2). |
|---|---|
| Required subjects | language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, art, music, health, physical education — §5204.1(b). |
| Days | No set number of days; instruction must be 'thorough, regular instruction of sufficient duration' (§5204.1(a)). |
| Hours | No set hours. |
| Testing or evaluation | Not required. No testing required; homeschooled children may take the standardized tests given at the public school they are eligible to attend, free of charge. OSSE may review the portfolio (not more than two reviews per school year, on at least 30 days' written notice); an inadequate program gets a corrective action plan. |
| Records | Required. Maintain a portfolio for each child with evidence of current work in a range of subjects (e.g., writings, worksheets, workbooks, creative materials, assessments); keep it for at least one year and make it available to OSSE on request (§5205). |
| Teacher | Parent must have a high school diploma or its equivalent, or petition OSSE for a waiver with evidence they can provide a thorough and regular education (§5207). |
By grade
No rule in this option changes with the grade.
High school and graduation
Regulations set no homeschool graduation requirements. OSSE does not provide report cards or transcripts; its FAQ points to the GED or National External Diploma Program (NEDP) for a credential.
Official sources:
- OSSE — Homeschooling in the District: Local Requirements
- OSSE — Notice of Final Rulemaking, 5-A DCMR 5200 Home Schooling
- OSSE — DC Homeschool FAQs (12/4/2019)
Not confirmed on an official state page yet: Notice lead time: OSSE page says 15 business days; rule text reviewed says 15 days. Current codified text on dcregs.dc.gov not fetched. Whether a parent-issued diploma is recognized not addressed.
High school: the public-school diploma as a guide
Optional for homeschools in most states, but the credit plan most colleges and employers recognize, and a sound default for a homeschool transcript. Shown in the subject areas this site uses.
| English | 4.0 |
| Mathematics | 4.0 |
| Science | 4.0 |
| Social Studies | 4.0 |
| Foreign Language World Language 2 | 2.0 |
| Fine Arts Art 0.5; Music 0.5 | 1.0 |
| Physical Education & Health | 1.5 |
| Electives | 3.5 |
| Total | 24.0 |
|---|
24 Carnegie units plus 100 hours of volunteer community service; at least two units must be College Level or Career Preparatory (CLCP) courses. Applies to students entering 9th grade in 2007-08 and later. Math includes Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II; science includes three lab sciences; social studies includes World History 1 and 2, US History, US Government, DC History. The State Board is reviewing ('Reimagining') these requirements; OSSE says current requirements remain in effect.
Source: OSSE — Graduation Requirements
After graduation: what to plan for
Suggestions from Homeschool Corral, not state rules. Most families keep the college path open through 10th grade, then narrow.
- 4 English, 4 math (through Algebra II, pre-calculus if they can), 3–4 science with 2 labs, 3–4 social studies, 2–3 years of one foreign language, 1 fine arts
- A one-paragraph description for every high-school course; the parent signs the transcript and diploma
- PSAT in 10th and 11th; SAT or ACT by spring of 11th; dual credit, AP or CLEP where it fits
- A log of activities, service and work from 9th grade; two adults who can recommend them
- A Scholarship Finder profile by 11th grade; FAFSA when it opens in the fall of 12th
- A diploma and transcript with 4 English, 3 math, 3 science, 3 social studies; applied math every year
- Dual-credit career and technical courses in 11th–12th; OSHA 10 and first aid/CPR; a driver’s license
- Real projects and a part-time job logged as credits, with references; visit the union hall about pre-apprenticeships in 11th
- A parent-issued diploma and full transcript, signed and dated; recruiters ask for both
- Strong reading and arithmetic for the entrance test; a practice ASVAB in 11th
- Physical fitness as a logged course; service and leadership; for an academy or ROTC, the college list plus the SAT/ACT early
- The diploma and transcript anyway; personal finance and business basics as credits
- Work experience logged with hours and a reference from 10th grade; typing, spreadsheets, a clear email
- Keep the college path open: a foreign language and Algebra II cost little now
My Homeschool turns these into a checklist for each child, with the credits recorded in Transcripts counted against the plan.
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.
Other states: Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming