How to Homeschool in Maine (2026 Guide)

The short version

Maine calls homeschooling “home instruction” and governs it through a single statute: 20-A M.R.S. §5001-A(3)(A)(4). The law requires parents to file a Notice of Intent within 10 calendar days of beginning instruction, provide at least 175 days of instruction per year in ten required subject areas, and — starting in the second year — submit evidence of the student’s academic progress from a menu of six approved options. There is no teacher certification requirement, no state-approved curriculum list, and no minimum hours per day. Maine does not issue grades, credits, diplomas, or transcripts for home instruction students. Families fund the program entirely on their own — Maine currently has no state scholarship, voucher, or Education Savings Account program for homeschoolers. What Maine does offer is meaningful access to public school classes, activities, and resources alongside home instruction.

Legal basis

Home instruction in Maine sits inside the state’s compulsory attendance law, codified at Title 20-A of the Maine Revised Statutes. Section 5001-A(1) establishes that children aged 6 and older and under 17 must attend school. Section 5001-A(3)(A) lists the lawful alternatives to public school attendance, and subparagraph (4) sets out the rules for home instruction programs specifically.

Because home instruction is an exemption from compulsory attendance rather than a separate legal category, truancy laws apply. A student who is not lawfully enrolled in a home instruction program — because the required notice was never filed, for instance — is treated under Maine law as a truant, not as a homeschooler.

The Maine Department of Education’s Home Instruction page is the authoritative state resource for current forms, the online filing portal, and policy updates:

Primary DOE resource: Maine DOE — Home Instruction

Requirements and forms: maine.gov/doe/schools/schoolops/homeinstruction/requirements

Frequently asked questions: maine.gov/doe/schools/schoolops/homeinstruction/faq

Governing statute (Maine Legislature): 20-A M.R.S. §5001-A

Notice of intent

Every home instruction family in Maine must file a Notice of Intent to Provide Home Instruction — annually, without exception. The requirement appears directly in the statute at 20-A M.R.S. §5001-A(3)(A)(4)(a) (first year) and (4)(b) (subsequent years).

First year

When you are beginning home instruction for the first time in Maine, the Notice of Intent must be filed within 10 calendar days of the beginning of home instruction. If you are starting at the beginning of the school year, the deadline is September 1. Maine’s school year runs July 1 through June 30.

The first-year notice must include:

Your name, signature, and home address
Your child’s full name and age (or date of birth)
The date the home instruction program will begin
A statement of assurance that the program will provide at least 175 days of instruction annually in the required subject areas (see the subjects section below)
A statement of assurance that the program will include an annual assessment of the student’s academic progress using at least one of the six approved assessment methods

No prior-year assessment is required with a first-year notice.

Subsequent years

On or before September 1 of each year after the first, you file a continuation notice stating your intention to continue home instruction. This renewal notice must include a copy of the prior year’s assessment results attached or uploaded at the time of filing. Notices submitted without assessment documentation will be flagged for follow-up by the superintendent’s office.

Even if your child completes a year of home instruction but you do not plan to continue, you are still required to submit the prior year’s assessment by September 1. Include a note indicating that home instruction has ended and the date it ended.

How to submit

Maine provides an online Home Instruction Portal that handles both first-year and subsequent-year filings through a single submission process. One portal submission serves as notice to both the Maine Department of Education and the resident superintendent, as required by law.

Alternatively, you may submit a paper notice directly to your resident school administrative unit’s superintendent’s office by mail or in person. If submitting by paper, do not send a duplicate copy to the Maine Department of Education — the superintendent’s office handles routing. Attach prior-year assessment documentation to paper submissions.

If you provide a valid email address, the superintendent’s office will send an acknowledgment. You can locate your resident superintendent’s contact information through the Maine DOE’s school directory.

The portal link is available from the main Maine DOE Home Instruction page.

Required subjects

Under 20-A M.R.S. §5001-A(3)(A)(4)(a)(iv), a home instruction program must provide at least 175 days of instruction per year covering the following subject areas:

English and language arts
Mathematics
Science
Social studies
Physical education
Health education
Library skills
Fine arts
Maine studies — required in at least one grade from grade 6 through grade 12
Computer proficiency — the student must demonstrate proficiency in computer use at at least one grade level from grade 7 through grade 12

There is no hourly minimum per day — the 175-day requirement is the only quantity standard. Maine law does not specify a curriculum, textbook series, or instructional method for any of these subjects. According to the Maine DOE FAQ, “there are no specific curriculum standards for Maine home instruction.”

If a child begins home instruction mid-year, the days already spent in school before withdrawal may be credited toward the 175-day requirement.

The local school district may, upon request and subject to availability, lend textbooks to home instruction students (20-A M.R.S. §5021(7)). The district is not required to provide other instructional materials such as workbooks, lesson plans, or computers.

Annual assessment

Maine requires an annual assessment of each student’s academic progress beginning in the second year of home instruction. The assessment is not administered by the state or the local school district on the state’s behalf — it is selected and arranged by the parent from the following six approved options under 20-A M.R.S. §5001-A(3)(A)(4)(b):

Standardized achievement test through the local school district — The district administers a standardized test or arranges for one. If you want to use this option, you must contact the district and make a plan before submitting your Notice of Intent for that year.
Test developed by the local school district — School officials develop a test suited to the student’s home instruction program. Again, this requires prior agreement with the district before filing your notice.
Review and acceptance by a Maine-certified teacher — A person who holds a current Maine teacher certificate reviews the student’s progress and provides a written acceptance of that progress. This is the most commonly used option and does not require any district involvement.
Portfolio review by a homeschool support group — The student’s work is presented to a local homeschooling support group whose membership includes at least one currently certified Maine teacher or administrator. The group reviews the portfolio and accepts the student’s progress. Many families find this option to be both thorough and community-building.
Review and acceptance by a local advisory board — A review panel selected by the district superintendent, consisting of one administrative unit employee and two home instruction parents (the statute calls them “home instruction tutors”), evaluates the student’s progress. This option requires district coordination before the notice is filed.
Standardized achievement test arranged through other commissioner-approved means — Any nationally normed standardized achievement test is currently accepted under this provision. Parents provide or administer the test (not the district) and submit results. This option gives families the most flexibility in timing and test selection.

Assessment results are submitted to the superintendent’s office alongside the annual continuation notice — they are not sent to the Maine DOE separately. Keep the original documentation; submit a copy.

Maine does not establish any score threshold for assessment results. The requirement is that an assessment takes place and that evidence of it is filed — not that the student achieves a particular outcome.

Record keeping

Maine does not impose a statutory record-keeping requirement on home instruction families. The statute does not require portfolios, attendance logs, lesson plans, or curriculum documentation to be retained and made available to the state or the district.

As a practical matter, most families find it useful to keep the following:

Copies of every Notice of Intent and any acknowledgment received — these are your legal proof of compliance
The original assessment documentation each year (teacher review letters, test score reports, or portfolio acceptance letters)
A running attendance log or calendar marking instructional days, to demonstrate the 175-day minimum if ever questioned
Course descriptions, reading lists, and work samples for any student approaching high school age, since Maine issues no transcripts or records and post-secondary institutions will ask the family to document prior learning

None of this must be submitted to anyone on a routine basis. Its value is in protecting the family and supporting the student.

Scholarships and funding programs

Maine currently has no state-funded scholarship, voucher, or Education Savings Account (ESA) program for home instruction students.

In 2025, the Maine Legislature considered LD 220, the Hope and Inclusion Scholarship Program, which would have allowed homeschool families to access 90 percent of the state and local per-pupil funding that would otherwise flow to the local public school district. The funds would have been held in “hope accounts” usable for homeschool materials, tutoring, standardized testing fees, and other qualified education expenses. The bill was defeated on a near-party-line vote in May 2025 and did not become law. No ESA-equivalent program for homeschoolers is currently in effect in Maine.

Under federal law, families may use 529 savings plan funds for qualified K–12 education expenses including homeschool curriculum materials and tutoring, up to the federal annual limit per beneficiary. The federal Coverdell Education Savings Account also allows tax-free withdrawals for qualified K–12 homeschool expenses up to $2,000 per year in contributions. Consult a tax professional regarding current federal and Maine state tax treatment before withdrawing funds.

Home instruction is funded entirely by the family. According to the Maine DOE, “home instruction is funded exclusively by the parent.”

Public school access rights

Maine law under 20-A M.R.S. §5021 gives home instruction students meaningful access to public school resources, even while not enrolled full-time. A school administrative unit must provide the following to eligible home instruction students:

Enrollment in individual classes — A student may enroll in specific public school courses if space is available and the student meets the same prerequisites as enrolled students. Credit may be awarded.
Participation in cocurricular and extracurricular activities — Home instruction students may participate in school-sponsored activities and try out for extracurricular programs, including athletics, if specified conditions are met.
Special education services — Home instruction students are eligible for special education and related services at the resident public school. The school’s obligation to provide services exists only if the student participates in public school classes, and extends only to services required by the student’s disability. See Chapter 101 of the Maine Department of Education’s Special Education Regulations (Section IV.4.H) for details.
Textbooks and library books — Subject to availability, home instruction students may borrow school textbooks and library books.

A school administrative unit may also receive state subsidy for any home instruction student who takes one or more on-site public school courses, making partial enrollment financially feasible for districts.

Withdrawing from public school

If your child is currently enrolled in public school and you intend to begin home instruction, the process is:

Decide before the school year begins, if possible. For students starting in the fall, filing a Notice of Intent by September 1 aligns with both the statutory deadline and the natural rhythm of the school calendar.
Notify the school in writing that you are withdrawing your child to begin home instruction. You do not need the school’s permission. Keep a copy of any written communication.
File your Notice of Intent with the resident superintendent — via the Home Instruction Portal or by paper — within 10 calendar days of the start of home instruction. For a fall start, September 1 is the effective filing deadline.

If your child has an active Individualized Education Program (IEP) and is currently receiving special education services, contact the district’s special education office before withdrawing. As noted above, the public school’s obligation to provide special education services to home instruction students is more limited than for enrolled students. Understanding the change in service delivery before withdrawal lets you plan appropriately.

If home instruction is discontinued while your child is still of compulsory school age, your child must be enrolled in a public school or an approved equivalent. The receiving school determines placement. At the secondary level, the principal evaluates the value of prior home instruction experience toward meeting the learning standards under 20-A M.R.S. §6209. Maine does not guarantee that a specific number of high school credits will transfer, so maintaining documentation of coursework gives families the best position in those placement conversations.

Support and community

Maine has an active home instruction community with statewide and regional organizations:

Maine Home Education Association (MHEA) — mainehea.org — the primary statewide advocacy and support organization, with a detailed guide to Maine home instruction law, co-op directories, and community connections. MHEA’s “How to Homeschool in Maine” resource is widely used by families navigating their first year.
Maine DOE Home Instruction page — maine.gov/doe/schools/schoolops/homeinstruction — official state resource for forms, the filing portal, FAQs updated by the department, and contact information for the DOE and local superintendent offices.
Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) — hslda.org — membership-based legal advocacy that provides Maine-specific guidance, sample notice letters, and legal support if a family encounters difficulty with a local superintendent.
Local homeschool co-ops operate throughout Maine, particularly in the Portland/Southern Maine, Bangor, Kennebec Valley, and Midcoast regions. Many groups are discoverable through MHEA’s directory and local library community boards.

The Maine DOE encourages families to connect with their local superintendent’s office for questions specific to their school administrative unit. The department email for general home instruction questions is schoolquestions.doe@maine.gov.