Homeschooling in Rhode Island: what the state requires
Parents must have an at-home instruction plan approved by the school committee of the town where the child lives before they begin. Attendance must be substantially equal to public school, required subjects taught in English, and attendance registers kept.
Checked October 1, 2026 against official Rhode Island sources. State page: Rhode Island Department of Education — Homeschooling. Compulsory school age: 6 to 18 (every child who has completed or will complete 6 years of life on or before September 1, through age 18).
At-home instruction approved by the local school committee (R.I. Gen. Laws §§16-19-1, 16-19-2)
Parents must have an at-home instruction plan approved by the school committee of the town where the child lives before they begin. Attendance must be substantially equal to public school, required subjects taught in English, and attendance registers kept.
For every child
| Notice or registration | Required. Before at-home instruction begins — Approval (not just notice) by the local school committee before beginning. The plan must show attendance substantially equal to public school, thorough and efficient teaching of required subjects, and an agreed method of evaluating progress. New residents must register/enroll the child in the new district before homeschool approval. Denials may be appealed to the RIDE Commissioner. |
|---|---|
| Required subjects | reading, writing, geography, arithmetic, history of the United States, history of Rhode Island, principles of American government — Statute (§16-19-2) lists these subjects, taught in English substantially to the same extent as in public schools (other languages may supplement). RIDE adds that law also requires civics, health and physical education. |
| Days | Period of attendance must be substantially equal to that required by law in public schools; RIDE: public schools provide 1,080 hours, the equivalent of a 5½-hour day for at least 180 days. |
| Hours | Statute: substantially equal to public school. RIDE cites 1,080 school hours per year (5½ hours x 180 days) as the public-school minimum. |
| Testing or evaluation | Required every year. No statewide test. Parent and school committee agree on a method of evaluating progress in all required subjects (e.g., testing at regular intervals); location and method by mutual agreement. |
| Records | Required. Attendance register kept and submitted as required (statute: registers open to school committee/state); RIDE: submit attendance records and progress reports/test scores (if agreed) to the district's home instruction contact. |
| Teacher | No parent qualification requirement stated. |
| Other | Districts must loan approved textbooks free; FAPE for eligible special-education students as with parentally placed private-school students; extracurricular participation at district discretion. H 8531 (2026) proposed letting school committees defer or deny approval in truancy cases; heard May 19, 2026 — enactment not confirmed. |
By grade
No rule in this option changes with the grade; testing applies every year.
High school and graduation
No state homeschool graduation requirements. RIDE: some districts issue a certificate of completion of the homeschooling program, others certificates for individual courses; GED available.
Official sources:
Not confirmed on an official state page yet: Annual re-approval is not stated in statute or RIDE pages (practice varies by district). Status of 2026 bill H 8531 not confirmed.
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 | 3.0 |
| Social Studies | 3.0 |
| Electives Additional courses (may include Physical Education, Health, Arts, Technology, Foreign Language) 6 | 6.0 |
| Total | 20.0 |
|---|
20 courses minimum through the class of 2027, plus proficiency in six core areas and one performance-based diploma assessment. Readiness-Based Secondary Regulations (200-RICR-20-10-2) take effect with the class of 2028 (20-credit minimum retained; adds proficiency in civics, computer science, arts and financial literacy).
Source: RIDE — The Rhode Island Diploma System & 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.
§16-19-1 also allows attendance at an approved private school; not a separate home option.
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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