Homeschool funding & ESAs in Delaware

Can I get paid to homeschool in Delaware?

No. Delaware has no ESA or voucher that independent homeschooling families can use. Nationwide grants are listed below, each with its own eligibility rules. Romeschool tracks and organizes what you spend, so a receipt is ready the moment a program asks for one — it never files or submits anything on your behalf. Delaware's homeschool rules require no test or evaluation of their own, so there is nothing on that side to arrange.

What does Delaware require of homeschoolers — and what should I plan for?

Delaware does not require a test or an evaluation, so there is no assessment to arrange. What Delaware asks for — notice, instruction time, testing and records — is set out below, straight from the reviewed rules.

Notice

Yes. Delaware requires homeschooling families to file a notice. Where it goes: Delaware Department of Education (DDOE). How: Register as a nonpublic home school via the DDOE online portal (Single-Family, Multi-Family, or Single-Family Coordinated). When: Register the home school and enroll the child with DDOE before instruction begins — a Delaware public school will not release a student without the Department's acknowledgement letter, and the Department closes its application system from August 1 to August 11 each year while it rolls to the new school year. Two filings follow every year: the statement of pupil enrollment no later than September 30, and the end-of-year attendance report on or before July 31 (14 Del. C. § 2704). October 5 was the old enrollment date; the General Assembly moved it to September 30 in June 2023, so a page still naming October 5 is out of date. Registration is not approval. Failure to file the annual reports closes the school and withdraws the enrolled students.

Testing or evaluation

No. Delaware does not require standardized testing for homeschooled students. No standardized testing, portfolio reviews, or evaluations required.

Days and hours

Delaware's rule: Annual attendance report (average daily membership and average daily attendance) to DDOE on or before July 31, and the statement of pupil enrollment (student name, address, date of birth, grade) no later than September 30 — not October 5, which the 2023 amendment replaced (14 Del. C. § 2704). The Department's own reporting page carries the same two dates and describes the enrollment count as of the last school day in September.

Records

Delaware requires these records: enrollment records (name, address, DOB, grade) and attendance records (ADM/ADA). Submitted annually to DDOE.

Full Delaware homeschool requirements →

Nationwide grants

• ACT Today! Grant · Autism Care Today
  For U.S. families of a child with an autism diagnosis (priority to household income under $100k).
  Open to any family of a child with autism — not homeschool-specific, but useful for therapy costs.
• Dyslexia Services Foundation Grant · Dyslexia Services Foundation
  For low-income U.S. children with dyslexia who cannot otherwise afford treatment (need shown via free/reduced lunch, Medicaid, or SNAP).
  Typically identified through a teacher or provider; not homeschool-specific.
• HSLDA Compassion Curriculum Grant · Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA)
  For HSLDA members with significant financial need (legal custody of a child 6-19, homeschooling 3+ months).
  You must privately fund your homeschool (not receiving ESA or other public funds).
• HSLDA Disaster Relief Grant · Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA)
  For homeschooling families (child 6-19) with physical disaster damage in the past 18 months.
• MyGOAL Autism Grant · MyGOAL Inc.
  For the primary caregiver of a child under 18 with autism, with demonstrated financial need.
  Open to any family of a child with autism — not homeschool-specific.
• Our Military Kids Grant · Our Military Kids
  For children (1-18) of deployed National Guard/Reserve members (60+ days) or of post-9/11 combat-injured service members and veterans.
  Funds organized, provider-led activities (not parent-taught core instruction).
• UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation Grant · UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation
  For U.S. children aged 16 or under with commercial (non-public) health insurance, subject to income guidelines.
  Medical (not education) funding — useful for special-needs homeschoolers' therapy costs.

Full details, amounts and deadlines for every program →