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The Coalition for Responsible Home Education is a 501(c)3 nonprofit.
© 2013-2024
Stoughton, MA 02072
info@responsiblehomeschooling.org
media@responsiblehomeschooling.org
(617) 765-7096
The Coalition for Responsible Home Education is a 501(c)3 nonprofit.
© 2013-2024
Delaware
Delaware’s homeschool statute states that “a ‘homeschool’ is considered a nonpublic school” and offers three options for homeschooling:
For a definition of each option, see Del. Code Ann. tit. 14 § 2703A. For the entire homeschool statute, see Del. Code Ann. tit. 14 § 2703A and § 2704.
(1) Single-Family Homeschool
Delaware’s homeschool statute states that “a ‘homeschool’ is considered a nonpublic school” and offers three options for homeschooling. The second option, the “single-family homeschool,” is defined as “the education of an individual’s own child, primarily by the parent or legal guardian of the child, mainly in their own residence.” See Del. Code Ann. tit. 14 § 2703(b)(2). For the entire homeschool statute, see Del. Code Ann. tit. 14 § 2703A and § 2704.
Parents or guardians must (1) register with the Department of Education upon initially opening the homeschool, (2) submit a statement of pupil enrollment as of the last day of September on or before October 5th of each year, and (3) report end of the year attendance information on or before July 31 of each year. They are required use forms prescribed by the Department of Education, and they submit the information to the Department of Education rather than their local school districts. This process is now online and requires the name and address of the homeschool and parent and the name, address, date of birth, and grade of each child. See Del. Code Ann. tit. 14 § 2704.
None.
None.
None.
None. However, parents should record attendance in order to submit the required end of the year attendance information. See Del. Code Ann. tit. 14 § 2704.
None.
None. Failure to educate is included in the state’s definition of neglect, but exactly what that includes given the lack of subject requirements in the homeschool statute is unclear. Del. Code Ann. tit. 10 § 901(18)(b)(1)
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(2) Multi-Family Homeschool
Delaware’s homeschool statute states that “a ‘homeschool’ is considered a nonpublic school” and offers three options for homeschooling. The first option, the “multi-family homeschool,” is defined as “the education of children, primarily by the parents or legal guardians of the children mainly in 1 or more residences, or other facilities, when the children are not all related to each other as brother or sister.” See Del. Code Ann. Tit. 14 § 2703A(b)(1). For the entire homeschool statute, see Del. Code Ann. tit. 14 § 2703A and § 2704.
The designated liaison for the purposes of reporting enrollment and attendance must (1) register with the Department of Education upon initially opening the homeschool, (2) submit a statement of pupil enrollment as of the last day of September on or before October 5th of each year, and (3) report end of the year attendance information on or before July 31 of each year. They are required use forms prescribed by the Department of Education, and they submit the information to the Department of Education rather than their local school districts. This process is now online and requires the name and address of the homeschool and parent and the name, address, date of birth, and grade of each child. See Del. Code Ann. tit. 14 § 2704.
None.
None.
None.
None. However, parents should record attendance in order to submit the required end of the year attendance information. See Del. Code Ann. tit. 14 § 2704.
None.
None. Failure to educate is included in the state’s definition of neglect, but exactly what that includes given the lack of subject requirements in the homeschool statute is unclear. Del. Code Ann. tit. 10 § 901(18)(b)(1)
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(3) Coordinated with the Local School District
This option is no longer available. It is only included here because it is still in the state’s homeschool statute. In that statute, a “single-family homeschool coordinated with the local school district” is defined as “the education of a child primarily by the parent or legal guardian of the child, mainly in their own residence, using a curriculum approved by the local superintendent or the local superintendent’s designee.” See Del. Code Ann. tit. 14 § 2703(b)(3). For the entire homeschool statute, see Del. Code Ann. tit. 14 § 2703A and § 2704.
In addition to coordinating with the local school district, the parent or guardian must (1) register with the Department of Education upon initially opening the homeschool, (2) submit a statement of pupil enrollment as of the last day of September on or before October 5th of each year and (3) report end of the year attendance information on or before July 31 of each year. This information must be submitted to the Department of Education on forms prescribed by that department. This process is now online and requires the name and address of the homeschool and parent and the name, address, date of birth, and grade of each child. See Del. Code Ann. tit. 14 § 2704.
None.
As required by the superintendent.
Parents must use “a curriculum approved by the local superintendent” and must provide “regular and thorough instruction by the student’s parent or legal guardian in the subjects prescribed for the public schools of the State and in a manner suitable to children of the same age and stage of advancement.” See Del. Code Ann. tit. 14 § 2703A(b)(3).
As required by the superintendent.
“The local superintendent shall determine in writing that the student is or will be provided with regular and thorough instruction by the student’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s)” in the required subject areas appropriate to the student’s age and development. See Del. Code Ann. tit. 14 § 2703A(b)(3).
As required by the superintendent.
n/a
Services Available to Homeschooled Students
State law neither prohibits nor requires public schools to allow homeschooled students to enroll for individual classes, leaving the matter up to the local school district.
The Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association requires student athletes to be legally enrolled as students at the school for which they participate, thus barring homeschooled students from participation. See DIAA Reg 1008 2.3.
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Homeschooled students are eligible for special needs testing through their local public schools, but not to special needs services offered through these schools.
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Background:
Early homeschoolers sought to operate under the state’s private school law. In 1990, a bill that would have barred homeschoolers from using the private school statute and created a homeschool statute with oversight requirements failed to pass. The legislature finally passed a homeschool statute in 1997, requiring parents to homeschool in affiliation with a homeschool association or under the auspices of the local school district. The state’s current homeschool statute, which classifies homeschools as nonpublic schools with only minimal paperwork needed and dispenses with the requirement to homeschool through a homeschool association or the school district, was passed into law in 2003.
For more, see A History of Homeschooling in Delaware.
Resources:
Here’s how to report educational neglect. Have you reported educational neglect in this state? Please tell us about your experience.
Del. Code Ann. tit. 14 § 2703A and § 2704
Del. Code Ann. tit. 14: 200 Administration and Operations
Nonpublic Schools Overview
Homeschool DOE Overview
Opening a Delaware Homeschool
Delaware, International Center for Home Education Research
This overview is for informational purposes only and does not constitute the giving of legal advice. Page last updated April 2023.