Homeschooling in Maine: what the state requires
The rules for homeschooling in Maine, in plain English, from the state’s own sources.
Checked October 1, 2026 against official Maine sources. State page: Maine Department of Education — Home Instruction. Compulsory school age: 6 years of age or older and under 17 years of age.
Home instruction (equivalent instruction)
Parents file a notice of intent with the local school unit and the Commissioner, teach required subjects for at least 175 days, and file an annual assessment with each year's notice.
For every child
| Notice or registration | Required. First year: within 10 calendar days of the beginning of home instruction. Each subsequent year: on or before September 1. — Written notice of intent filed simultaneously with school officials of the administrative unit where the student resides AND the Commissioner of Education. Contents: parent name, signature and address; student name and age; program start date; assurance of at least 175 days of instruction in the required subjects; assurance of annual assessment. Renewed each year (subsequent-year notice filed with the annual assessment). |
|---|---|
| Required subjects | English and language arts, math, science, social studies, physical education, health education, library skills, fine arts, Maine studies — Maine studies in at least one grade from grade 6 to 12. At one grade level from grade 7 to 12 the student must demonstrate proficiency in the use of computers. |
| Days | 175 days — At least 175 days annually of instruction. |
| Hours | Maine DOE: there is no hourly requirement, per day or per year. |
| Testing or evaluation | Required every year. Annual assessment of academic progress, filed on or before September 1 with the subsequent-year notice, by ONE of: (a) standardized achievement test; (b) test developed by local school officials, agreed in advance; (c) review and acceptance by a Maine certified teacher; (d) review by a homeschool support group that includes a Maine certified teacher; (e) review by a local advisory board (selected by the superintendent, incl. an administrative employee and 2 home instruction tutors). No score threshold stated in the statute. |
| Records | No record-keeping or retention requirement stated beyond what is needed for the annual assessment. |
| Teacher | No parent qualification requirement. |
By grade
Subjects by grade: Maine studies in at least one grade from grade 6 to 12. At one grade level from grade 7 to 12 the student must demonstrate proficiency in the use of computers.
High school and graduation
Maine DOE: the state does not issue grades, credits, diplomas or transcripts for home instruction students; the parent sets requirements and issues the diploma.
Official sources:
- 20-A M.R.S. §5001-A — Compulsory attendance (HTML)
- 20-A M.R.S. §5001-A — Compulsory attendance (PDF)
- Maine DOE — Home Instruction Requirements, Forms & Laws
- Maine DOE — Home Instruction FAQ
Not confirmed on an official state page yet: Statute is silent on consequences of an inadequate assessment (not confirmed). Immunization rules for home instruction not checked.
Private school recognized by the department as providing equivalent instruction
A private school that does not seek state approval can be recognized as providing equivalent instruction by reporting its students; DOE provides no oversight of curriculum or quality.
For every child
| Notice or registration | Required. DOE guidelines: within two weeks after the opening of school or by October 1, whichever comes first (annual). — Person in charge files a certificate/roster with the name, residence and attendance of each student with local school officials; DOE guidelines also call for an annual letter to the Department. |
|---|---|
| Required subjects | — DOE: no legal restrictions on curriculum for non-approved schools. |
| Days | 175 days — DOE equivalent-instruction guidelines: school in operation a minimum of 175 days or 875 hours. |
| Hours | 175 days, or 875 hours under DOE guidelines. — 875 hours is an alternative to 175 days in DOE guidelines. |
| Testing or evaluation | Not required. No state testing; DOE guidelines mention academic progress reports at least 4 times annually. |
| Records | Required. Attendance certificate/roster as above. |
| Teacher | No certification requirement found. |
By grade
No rule in this option changes with the grade.
High school and graduation
DOE: no legal restrictions on these schools' use of terms such as course, credit or diploma; the school issues its own diploma.
Official sources:
- 20-A M.R.S. §5001-A(3)(A) — exceptions incl. private school recognized by the department
- Maine DOE — Private Schools Recognized by the Department as Providing Equivalent Instruction (explanatory statement, 4.6.2026)
- Maine DOE — Equivalent Instruction Guidelines
Not confirmed on an official state page yet: Whether a single family teaching only its own children can qualify as a recognized private school (e.g. a minimum number of students/unrelated families) could not be confirmed on an official source. The undated DOE guidelines (175 days/875 hours, reporting deadline) could not be confirmed as current.
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 | 2.0 |
| Science Science, including at least one year of laboratory study 2 | 2.0 |
| Social Studies | 2.0 |
| Fine Arts | 1.0 |
| Total | 11.0 |
|---|
State law sets minimum years of study ("or the equivalent in standards achievement"), not a total credit count; values above are years. Districts set total credits and any additional requirements. Applies to diplomas granted beginning January 1, 2019 (last amended P.L. 2023, c. 247).
Source: 20-A M.R.S. §4722 — High school diploma standards
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.
Maine also lists 'a private school approved for attendance purposes' as an exception; it requires state approval and is not a typical parent-at-home option, so it is omitted.
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 · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · 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