Nova Scotia

Parents are required to give notice prior to homeschooling. There are no qualifications, required hours, or required subject areas. Parents are required to submit June progress reports however standardized testing and evaluations are not needed unless requested by the Minister.

Notice:

Section 83 (1a) of the Education Act outlines that parents must provide notice to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development each academic year prior to September 20th for each child who will be home schooled. The Home Schooling Registration Form  may be sent by mail to: 

Regional Education Services, 
P.O. Box 578
Halifax, NS B3J 2S7 
Or via email to: homeschooling@novascotia.ca

Qualifications:

None

Days or Hours:

None 

Subjects:

Although not legally required, home education programs are expected to include Science, Mathematics, English Language Arts, and Social Studies. 

Bookkeeping:

It is recommended that parents keep records of student work. 

Assessments:

Education Act 83 (b) requires parents to provide progress reports to the Minister of Education  
Section 83 (4) of the Education Act allows that the Minister may require evidence of  a student’s educational progress. Accepted evidence could consist of: 

• Results of a standardized test
• An assessment from a qualified assessor
• A portfolio of the child’s work

If further evidence is required, the Minister may appoint an independent assessor to evaluate the child’s educational progress, adequacy of the homeschooling program in addressing the child’s needs, and whether the child’s needs would be better served by a public school program. A parent may also request an assessment to evaluate the quality of their home education program.

Intervention:

Section 84 (1) of the Education Act gives the Minister the power to terminate a home education program in the case that the Minister makes an evidence-based determination that the home education program does not meet the requirements of the Education Act or, if the child is not making reasonable progress.

Before terminating the program, the minister must notify the parent of the intention to end the program.  Parents will be given an opportunity to provide a written explanation detailing why the home education program should be continued. 

If a person has concerns that a homeschooled child is not receiving an adequate education, concerns may be addressed to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.  
Phone: 902-424-4305

Services Available:

Part-time enrollment:

With approval of the school board, a home educated child may attend courses offered by the school board. 

Correspondence learning: 

Students who are 16 or older may take one or more  courses online through correspondence learning. Students are permitted to complete each course at their own pace.
Correspondence courses meet the learning outcomes expected of students at each grade level. Parents of homeschool students enrolled in correspondence learning retain the responsibility of ensuring that the educational needs of the student are being met. 

Extracurricular activities: 

Sports and other extracurricular activities are not available to students who are not enrolled in the public school system. Some school boards may make exceptions.

Links

• Homeschooling Registration Form 
• Roles & Responsibilities
• Information About Correspondence Learning
• Nova Scotia Curriculum Documents
• Framework for Essential Graduation Learnings 
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Homeschool Forms