How to Homeschool in Kansas (2026 Guide)
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At a Glance
The short version
Kansas takes a notably light-touch approach to homeschooling. The state does not use the word “homeschool” in its statutes at all — instead, every family that educates at home operates as a non-accredited private school (NAPS). Once you register your school with the Kansas State Board of Education (a free, one-time online filing), your obligations are minimal: provide instruction from a competent instructor for roughly the same amount of time public schools are in session, and notify your child’s previous school when you withdraw. There are no required subjects, no state-mandated testing, and no annual renewal. Kansas does not have a universal ESA or voucher program for homeschoolers; the one scholarship program that exists is income-limited, requires prior public school enrollment in grades K-8, and is restricted to accredited schools — meaning most homeschool families do not qualify.
Legal basis
Kansas does not have a statute that specifically authorizes “home instruction” or “homeschooling.” As KSDE states directly in its official fact sheet: “Kansas does not specifically authorize ‘home instruction’ or ‘homeschooling’ by state statute. However, Kansas does recognize Non-Accredited Private Schools.”
The legal framework rests on two sets of statutes:
K.S.A. 72-4345 through 72-4347 — Non-Accredited Private Schools
These statutes define what a non-accredited private school is, establish the registration requirement, and govern how pupil records work. Under K.S.A. 72-4345(a), a “private elementary or secondary school” is “an organization which regularly offers education at the elementary or secondary level and attendance at which satisfies the compulsory school attendance laws of this state, but which is not accredited by the state board of education.” Every homeschool in Kansas operates under this definition.
K.S.A. 72-4346 requires the official custodian of every non-accredited private school to register the school’s name and physical address with the Kansas State Board of Education. K.S.A. 72-4347 addresses pupil records and the transfer of records when a student moves to another school.
K.S.A. 72-3120 — Compulsory school attendance
This statute establishes the age range covered by compulsory attendance (children who have reached age 7 and are under 18) and specifies that parents satisfy the law by enrolling their child in “a private, denominational or parochial school taught by a competent instructor for a period of time which is substantially equivalent to the period of time public school is maintained in the school district.” Your registered NAPS, taught by a competent instructor, fulfills this requirement.
K.S.A. 72-3120(h) also guarantees that homeschool students enrolled in a NAPS may request part-time enrollment in their local public school district to access courses, programs, or services the district offers, subject to age eligibility and the district’s published part-time enrollment policy.
Primary DOE resource: KSDE — Homeschooling in Kansas (Non-Accredited Private Schools)
KSDE’s contact for homeschool questions is (785) 368-7088 or homeschool@ksde.gov.
Registration
Registration is required and is a one-time filing. Under K.S.A. 72-4346, the official custodian of every non-accredited private school must register the school with the State Board of Education before operating. The registration is completed online through KSDE’s Non-Accredited Private Schools form at apps.ksde.org/naps_form. There is no fee.
The registration asks for:
- The official name of your school
- The school’s physical street address (a post office box is not acceptable)
- The county
- The name and address of the official custodian of records — for a family homeschool, this is typically a parent
What registration does and does not mean: KSDE is explicit that “registering a school does not mean the school has been ‘approved’ by the State Board of Education.” Registration is an administrative record, not a license or endorsement. The state does not review your program, inspect your home, or evaluate your instructors.
You register only once. You do not renew annually. If you move, change the school’s name, or close the school, update your registration through the same online form using the “Update” or “Inactive” option.
No confirmation will be sent automatically. KSDE recommends making copies of your registration for your own records and for the school from which your child is withdrawing. If you need a copy of your registration letter after the fact, KSDE provides a Google Form for that request (linked from the NAPS page).
Required subjects
Kansas does not mandate any specific subjects for non-accredited private schools. KSDE’s official guidance states that NAPS are “responsible for acquiring their own books and curriculum materials” and that “no books, curriculum materials, guidelines, or technical assistance on curriculum development are available from the State Department of Education for non-accredited private schools.”
KSDE does publish Kansas Curricular Standards as a reference — but explicitly notes on its NAPS page: “The standards are not the curriculum.” Non-accredited private schools are not required to follow state standards.
Instructional time is the operative requirement. Under K.S.A. 72-3120(a)(2), instruction must be provided “for a period of time which is substantially equivalent to the period of time public school is maintained in the school district.” Kansas public schools are required to operate for at least 186 days of not less than 6 hours per day, or 1,116 hours per year for grades 1 through 11 (kindergarten: 465 hours). Your NAPS must provide substantially equivalent time.
KSDE has confirmed that “substantially equivalent” is measured in aggregate annual time. You are not required to follow a fixed daily schedule or a September-through-May calendar. A four-day week, year-round instruction with shorter daily sessions, or other flexible approaches all satisfy the standard as long as the annual totals are met.
Teacher qualification: Instruction must be provided by a competent instructor. Kansas statute does not define “competent instructor” and the Kansas Attorney General has confirmed that non-accredited private school teachers are not required to hold state teaching licenses, college degrees, or professional certifications. A parent, a subject-matter expert, or any person the school’s administrator considers capable may serve as a competent instructor.
Standardized testing
Kansas does not require non-accredited private schools to administer any standardized tests. There is no state testing mandate, no required assessment schedule, and no obligation to report scores to KSDE or any local school district.
Families who want to track progress may choose to use standardized tests voluntarily; many use assessments like the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), Stanford Achievement Test, or CAT simply as a personal planning tool.
Record keeping
Kansas does not impose a formal record-keeping requirement on non-accredited private schools by statute. However, KSDE strongly recommends keeping accurate and complete records of your student’s academic progress. The KSDE fact sheet states: “It is in the best interest of students attending non-accredited private schools that accurate and complete records of their progress be kept. These records will be needed if the student transfers to a public or an accredited school, or applies for admission to a college or university.”
Practical records to maintain include:
- Attendance logs (showing instructional days and hours)
- Samples of completed work in core subjects
- Reading and resource lists
- Records of any standardized tests taken voluntarily
- Transcripts and grade records, especially at the high school level
High school transcripts and diplomas: Your NAPS issues its own transcripts and diplomas. Kansas does not issue diplomas on behalf of non-accredited private schools, and NAPS diplomas are not formally recognized by the state as meeting any state graduation requirements. However, this does not prevent students from accessing higher education.
College admission: Kansas Board of Regents universities (including the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University) have established pathways for NAPS graduates. Admission is generally available to students who achieve a minimum ACT composite score of 21, pass the GED, or complete the Kansas Scholars curriculum sequence as documented on an official school transcript. Individual institutions set their own criteria; check with the admissions office of any college your student plans to attend.
Recommended graduation course units (KSDE guidance for NAPS, optional):
| Subject | Units |
|---|---|
| English Language Arts | 4 |
| History and Government | 3 |
| Science | 3 |
| Mathematics | 3 |
| Physical Education | 1 |
| Fine Arts | 1 |
| Electives | 6 |
These are recommended, not required. NAPS are under no legal obligation to follow this structure.
Scholarships and financial support
Kansas has one scholarship program relevant to private school students: the Tax Credit for Low Income Students Scholarship Program (TCLISS), enacted in 2014 under K.S.A. 72-4351 through 72-4357, administered by KSDE’s School Finance division.
Most homeschool families in Kansas do not qualify for TCLISS. To be eligible, a student must meet all of the following:
- Reside in Kansas
- Have a family income at or below 250% of the federal poverty guidelines
- Have been enrolled in kindergarten or grades 1 through 8 in a public school the previous year (or be under age 6 and eligible for public school in the year first applying), OR have already received a TCLISS scholarship in a prior year
Additionally, scholarships under TCLISS may only be used at a qualified school — defined as a nonpublic school that is accredited by the State Board or a recognized national/regional accrediting agency (or actively working toward accreditation). Because non-accredited private schools by definition are not accredited, TCLISS funds cannot be used at a standard home-based NAPS.
Scholarships are distributed by certified Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) and may be up to $8,000 per student per school year, covering tuition, fees, and school-provided transportation at a qualified school. (KSDE TCLISS page)
No universal ESA or voucher program exists in Kansas. As of June 2026, there is no state-funded Education Savings Account, universal voucher, or broad school-choice account program that sends public funds to Kansas homeschool families regardless of income.
Federal Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) — expected 2027
Congress established the ECCA (Public Law 119-21) in 2025. Under this program, donors receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit of up to $1,700 for contributions to certified scholarship-granting organizations, which in turn award scholarships to K-12 students — including homeschoolers — for education-related expenses such as curriculum, books, tutoring, technology, and internet access. Kansas has indicated through HB 2468 (2026 session) that it will participate in the federal program beginning January 1, 2027. The annual TCLISS credit cap will also increase from $10 million to $15 million under that legislation. Implementing rules from the U.S. Treasury and IRS were still being finalized as of mid-2026. Monitor the KSDE School Finance page for updates.
Dual enrollment — Kansas Challenge to Secondary School Students Act
High school-age NAPS students may enroll in college courses and earn simultaneous high school and college credit under the Kansas Challenge to Secondary School Students Act. Participating institutions, credit-hour costs, and eligibility procedures vary; contact individual community colleges or state universities directly.
Part-time public school enrollment
Under K.S.A. 72-3120(h), every Kansas school district must allow a NAPS-enrolled child to enroll part-time in the district to attend courses, programs, or services the district offers, provided the child meets age eligibility requirements and the parent requests it. School boards must adopt and publish a part-time enrollment policy and make a good-faith effort to accommodate scheduling requests — though they are not required to adjust every schedule to fit the student’s preferences.
Withdrawing from public school
Registering your NAPS with KSDE does not automatically transfer your child out of public school enrollment. You must take a separate step.
Written notice to the previous school is required. Under KSDE guidance and K.S.A. 72-3120, the parent or guardian must notify the school the child previously attended that the student is transferring to a named non-accredited private school. If this step is skipped, the sending school is legally required to report the student as truant.
The withdrawal notice does not need to follow a specific format. It should clearly state:
- The child’s full name
- The withdrawal date
- The name of the NAPS the child is transferring to (matching the registered name exactly)
Keep a copy of the notice for your records.
Children under age 7: Kansas compulsory attendance begins at age 7. A child who is younger than 7 and not yet enrolled in school has no registration or withdrawal obligation. A child under 7 who is already enrolled in school may be withdrawn by a parent at any time, at which point compulsory attendance requirements do not apply until the child turns 7 or re-enrolls.
Returning to public school: If your student later transfers from your NAPS to an accredited public or private school, the receiving school is not required to accept transfer credits from a non-accredited school. The receiving school may evaluate the student to determine appropriate grade placement or credit recognition. Accurate, organized records from your NAPS will be the most useful tool in this situation.
Support and community
Kansas has an active homeschool community and several long-standing organizations:
- Kansans for Educational Freedom (KEF) — Kansas-based advocacy and legal support organization for homeschool families; monitors state legislation
- Kansas Christian Home Educators (KCHE) — kche.org — statewide organization providing legal information, a curriculum fair, and a network of local support groups
- Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) — hslda.org — national membership organization providing legal consultations and legislative monitoring; Kansas members have access to attorney support for compliance questions
Local homeschool co-ops and support groups operate throughout the state. Searching for a co-op in your metro area (Wichita, Kansas City, Topeka, Manhattan, Lawrence) typically surfaces active groups that organize classes, field trips, and social activities.
KSDE’s homeschool contact:
- Phone: (785) 368-7088
- Email: homeschool@ksde.gov
- Online registration: apps.ksde.org/naps_form