How to Homeschool in Alaska (2026 Guide)
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At a Glance
The short version
Alaska is one of the most permissive states for homeschooling in the country. Under the primary independent homeschool statute — Alaska Stat. § 14.30.010(b)(12) — you do not file any notice with the state or your school district, do not submit a curriculum for review, do not maintain records for the government, and are not required to test your child at any grade level. There are no teacher qualification requirements for parents. Once you are teaching your child at home, you are legally compliant.
Alaska also operates state-funded correspondence programs — district-run public school programs designed for home-based learning. These are legally distinct from independent homeschooling. Families who enroll in a correspondence program receive an annual allotment of approximately $2,700 per K–12 student to spend on curriculum, tutoring, technology, and other educational expenses, in exchange for working with a program-assigned advisory teacher, maintaining an Individualized Learning Plan, and participating in state standardized testing. Both paths are legitimate — they just carry different obligations and different benefits.
Legal basis
Alaska’s compulsory attendance law is found in Alaska Stat. § 14.30.010(a), which requires children between the ages of 7 and 16 to receive instruction. The same statute lists multiple exemptions from public school attendance. The one most independent homeschool families use is subsection (b)(12), which exempts a child from public school attendance if the child “is being educated in the child’s home by a parent or legal guardian.”
That single sentence is the legal foundation for independent homeschooling in Alaska. The legislature did not attach notice requirements, testing mandates, or record-keeping obligations to it. The exemption is self-executing: you begin educating your child at home, and you are in compliance.
The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) maintains an Alternative Schooling Options page that distinguishes correspondence programs (district-supported) from homeschooling (without district affiliation). DEED’s own framing makes clear that independent homeschoolers operate outside the department’s jurisdiction.
Alaska also provides additional legal options for home-based education:
- Exempt private school (AS § 14.45.100–200): A parent may operate their home school as a registered exempt private school. This path does require filing an Affidavit of Compliance with DEED, maintaining a 180-day school calendar, and administering a nationally standardized test in grades 4, 6, and 8 (scores are retained at home — not submitted to the state). Most families have no reason to use this option unless they are operating a learning co-op or micro-school serving children from multiple households.
- Private tutor (AS § 14.30.010(b)(1)(B)): A child may be instructed by a state-certified teacher in lieu of public school attendance. The tutor, not the parent, must hold Alaska teacher certification.
- Correspondence programs (AS § 14.03.300): Students enroll in a district-run program and are technically public school students receiving instruction outside a school building. See the Correspondence Programs section below.
For the overwhelming majority of families educating their own children at home, AS § 14.30.010(b)(12) is the applicable law, and it requires nothing beyond the act of teaching.
Notice of intent
Under AS § 14.30.010(b)(12), no notice of intent is required. You do not register with the state, do not contact DEED, and do not notify your local school district before you begin homeschooling.
This is confirmed by DEED’s own guidance and by the Alaska Private and Home Educators Association (APHEA): parents homeschooling under the independent statute are not required to register with the state or submit any filings.
If your child is currently enrolled in a public school: You will need to withdraw them before they begin homeschooling. Written notice to the school is the expected practice — a signed letter stating that you are transferring your child to home education is sufficient. You are not asking for permission; you are informing the school. Keep a copy of that letter for your own records.
You may begin homeschooling on any day of the school year. There is no required start date and no enrollment period.
Required subjects
Alaska law imposes no required subjects on independent homeschoolers under AS § 14.30.010(b)(12). There is no state-mandated curriculum, no list of required courses, no minimum instructional hours, and no required number of school days.
You decide what to teach, how to teach it, when to teach it, and for how long.
Testing
Independent homeschoolers are not required to test their children at any grade level. There is no statewide standardized test requirement, no annual assessment, and no requirement to submit academic performance data to any agency.
Families who choose the exempt private school pathway (AS § 14.45.100–200) must administer a nationally standardized test in English grammar, reading, spelling, and mathematics to students in grades 4, 6, and 8. Test scores under that pathway are retained at the school — they are not reported to DEED or the local school district.
Families enrolled in correspondence programs participate in Alaska’s statewide student assessment as part of their program requirements.
Record keeping
Independent homeschoolers are not required to maintain records for any government agency. No attendance logs, no portfolio, no work samples, and no reporting are required under AS § 14.30.010(b)(12).
Keeping your own records is a practical decision, not a legal one. If your child later returns to public school, the district will determine grade placement through its own process. Personal records — lists of materials used, samples of completed work, notes on topics covered — can ease transitions to public or private school, support college applications, and provide documentation if you ever need to demonstrate educational activity.
Correspondence programs
Alaska’s correspondence programs are district-operated public school programs designed for families who want to educate at home with state financial support and a structured framework. They are not independent homeschooling — when your child enrolls in a correspondence program, they are technically a public school student.
The practical distinction matters because the two paths carry fundamentally different obligations:
| Independent (AS § 14.30.010(b)(12)) | Correspondence Program | |
|---|---|---|
| Notice or enrollment | None | Enroll with the program by fall deadline |
| Advisory teacher | None | Required (monthly contact minimum) |
| Learning plan | None required | Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) |
| State testing | None | Required (Alaska STAR and other assessments) |
| Annual allotment | None | ~$2,700 per K–12 student |
| Oversight | None | Moderate — program and advisory teacher |
How the allotment works: When enrolled in a correspondence program, families receive an annual allotment (approximately $2,700 per K–12 student for the 2025–26 school year, based on DEED-approved funding levels) that can be spent on curriculum, textbooks, school supplies, technology, tutoring, music or activity lessons, and other educational expenses. Many programs manage the allotment through an internal ordering system where vendors bill the program directly, eliminating out-of-pocket costs for families.
Major correspondence programs in Alaska include:
- IDEA Homeschool (Galena City School District) — statewide, ideahomeschool.org
- Mat-Su Central School (Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District) — matsucentralschool.com
- PACE (Raven Correspondence Study School, Bering Strait School District)
- Family Partnership Charter School (Anchorage School District)
Each program sets its own enrollment deadlines (typically in September or October for the current school year), its own vendor approval lists, and its own policies around allotment use. Contact individual programs directly for current enrollment windows and allotment details.
Ongoing legal context: Alaska’s correspondence program allotment system has been the subject of litigation since 2024. In Alexander v. State of Alaska, a lower court initially struck down the statutes permitting correspondence allotments; the Alaska Supreme Court reversed that ruling in June 2024 and remanded for further proceedings, including whether allotment funds may be used to pay private school tuition. As of mid-2026, correspondence programs continue operating normally. Families considering enrollment should monitor DEED communications for any program-level changes resulting from ongoing court proceedings. The allotment for general educational purchases — curriculum, supplies, technology, tutoring — has not been at issue in the litigation.
Withdrawing from public school
If your child is currently enrolled in a public school and you are moving to independent homeschooling, contact the school in writing to withdraw your child. A brief letter is sufficient: include your child’s name, the date, and a statement that you are withdrawing them to begin home education under Alaska law.
You are not required to explain your reasons, submit a curriculum plan, or wait for the district’s approval. The withdrawal is your decision to make. Once you have notified the school, your child may begin homeschooling immediately.
Keep a signed copy of the withdrawal letter. If the school provides written confirmation of the withdrawal, keep that as well.
Moving from a correspondence program to independent homeschooling requires notifying the program that you are disenrolling. Contact your advisory teacher or program office directly. Keep in mind that disenrolling from a correspondence program forfeits the annual allotment — there is no prorated allotment for a partial year in most programs.
Support and community
Alaska has an unusually active homeschool community relative to its population size — the state has one of the highest homeschool participation rates in the country.
Alaska Private and Home Educators Association (APHEA) — aphea.org — is the primary statewide advocacy and support organization for independent homeschoolers. APHEA maintains up-to-date information on Alaska law, legislative developments, and links to local groups.
Alaska State Library Homeschooling Resources — lam.alaska.gov/homeschooling — provides a resource guide developed for both homeschooling families and librarians supporting homeschoolers, including links to state law summaries and program options.
Local co-ops, hybrid programs, and support groups exist throughout the state, including in Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley, Fairbanks, and Juneau. Searching for “[your city or borough] homeschool co-op” or joining Alaska-based homeschool groups through community platforms will connect you with local families.