Homeschooling in Kansas: what the state requires
A homeschool operates as a nonaccredited private school: register its name and address with the State Board of Education, use a competent instructor, and teach for a period substantially equivalent to public school.
Checked October 1, 2026 against official Kansas sources. State page: Kansas State Department of Education — Homeschooling in Kansas (Nonaccredited Private Schools). Compulsory school age: 7 to under 18 (K.S.A. 72-3120); 16- and 17-year-olds may be exempted in limited cases (e.g., written parental consent with counseling).
Nonaccredited private school (homeschool) (K.S.A. 72-3120, 72-4345, 72-4346)
A homeschool operates as a nonaccredited private school: register its name and address with the State Board of Education, use a competent instructor, and teach for a period substantially equivalent to public school.
For every child
| Notice or registration | Required. The school's official custodian registers the school's name and address (and records custodian) with the Kansas State Board of Education (online or mail-in). Registration is free and does not mean the school is 'approved.' |
|---|---|
| Required subjects | — No required subjects stated in statute or KSDE materials; schools acquire their own materials. |
| Days | 186 days — Statute: 'a period of time which is substantially equivalent to the period of time public school is maintained.' KSDE: at least 186 days of not less than 6 hours per day, or 1116 hours per year for grades 1-11. |
| Hours | KSDE’s reading of “substantially equivalent”: 186 days of 6 hours, or 1,116 hours (grades 1–11). — KSDE's statement of the public-school equivalent for grades 1-11; the statute itself gives no number. |
| Testing or evaluation | Not required. No testing requirement found. An accredited school receiving a transfer may test the student and need not accept credits. |
| Records | No statutory record-keeping duty found; KSDE recommends keeping accurate and complete progress records. The state board provides the school's registration to a receiving school on transfer. |
| Teacher | 'Competent instructor'; state teacher licensure not required. |
By grade
No rule in this option changes with the grade.
High school and graduation
KSDE: private schools issue their own diplomas; 'These diplomas are not recognized by the State of Kansas.'
Official sources:
- K.S.A. 72-3120 Compulsory attendance
- K.S.A. 72-4345 Definitions
- K.S.A. 72-4346 Registration
- KSDE — Homeschooling in Kansas (NAPS)
- KSDE Fact Sheet — Non-Accredited Private Schools (rev. 2/12/2024)
Not confirmed on an official state page yet: The 186-day / 1116-hour figure is KSDE's interpretation of 'substantially equivalent'; not stated in K.S.A. 72-3120. Immunization rules for homeschools not checked.
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 | 3.0 |
| Science | 3.0 |
| Social Studies History and Government 3; Financial Literacy 0.5 | 3.5 |
| Fine Arts | 1.0 |
| Physical Education & Health Physical Education 0.5; Health 0.5 | 1.0 |
| Electives Advanced Science/Technology/Engineering/Math 1; Electives 4.5 | 5.5 |
| Total | 21.0 |
|---|
Units, class of 2028 and beyond. ELA includes at least 1/2 unit of communications; history and government includes U.S. Government with the U.S. Constitution; science includes at least one lab course. Students must also earn at least two postsecondary 'assets' from an approved list. KSDE fact sheet updated May 2026.
Source: KSDE Graduation Requirements Fact Sheet — Class of 2028 and Beyond
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.
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