Louisiana homeschool requirements
In Louisiana, most families use the BESE-Approved Home Study Program: apply within 15 days of starting and renew each October 1 with evidence of a sustained curriculum at least equal to public schools. No grade-pegged state test.
Last reviewed June 5, 2026 · corrected September 19, 2026 · Sources below
Louisiana homeschool requirements at a glance
- Notice
- RequiredWhere it goes: Louisiana Department of Education (for BESE) — Home Study; or BESE/LDOE — registered nonpublic. When: Within 15 days of starting; annual renewal by October 1.
- Required subjects
- English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies/History
- Instruction time
- 180 days180 days a school year, with no hour-per-day minimum. The 180 days are the Department of Education's: its home study guidelines warn that a child aged 5 through 18 who is not in a school and not participating in an approved home study program for at least 180 days in the school year can put the parents in violation of the compulsory attendance law. R.S. 17:236.1 itself sets no day or hour count, and the yearly home study application asks nothing about attendance; families on the registered nonpublic route do report, sending the school's total attendance as of the thirtieth day of its term to the Department each year under R.S. 17:232(C).
- Testing or evaluation
- Yes — annualBESE Home Study (renewal evidence; the registered-nonpublic pathway has none). Home-study students are not required to take a state test — a test is only one of three acceptable annual renewal-evidence options. The 'grades 4/8/10' testing claim is incorrect.
- Records
- Yes — progress evidence
- Parent qualifications
- Not required
- Compulsory attendance ages
- 5–18
- Ways to homeschool
- Two pathways
- Official source
- doe.louisiana.gov ↗
Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in Louisiana?
Yes. Louisiana requires homeschooling families to file a notice. Where it goes: Louisiana Department of Education (for BESE) — Home Study; or BESE/LDOE — registered nonpublic. How: BESE Home Study application via the EdLink portal. When: Within 15 days of starting; annual renewal by October 1. Home Study is the common pathway; renewal requires evidence of a sustained curriculum at least equal to public schools.
What subjects does Louisiana require homeschoolers to teach?
Louisiana requires instruction in English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies/History. BESE Home Study requires a 'sustained curriculum at least equal to public schools' rather than an itemized list (commonly including Louisiana history, civics, geography). The registered-nonpublic pathway has no subject mandate.
How many days or hours of instruction does Louisiana require?
Louisiana's rule: 180 days a school year, with no hour-per-day minimum. The 180 days are the Department of Education's: its home study guidelines warn that a child aged 5 through 18 who is not in a school and not participating in an approved home study program for at least 180 days in the school year can put the parents in violation of the compulsory attendance law. R.S. 17:236.1 itself sets no day or hour count, and the yearly home study application asks nothing about attendance; families on the registered nonpublic route do report, sending the school's total attendance as of the thirtieth day of its term to the Department each year under R.S. 17:232(C).
Is standardized testing required to homeschool in Louisiana?
Yes. Louisiana requires a test or another accepted form of evaluation. How often: Annual renewal evidence (method is the family's choice). Who this applies to: BESE Home Study (renewal evidence; the registered-nonpublic pathway has none). Accepted options: nationally-normed standardized test, certified-teacher evaluation, and portfolio packet. Home-study students are not required to take a state test — a test is only one of three acceptable annual renewal-evidence options. The 'grades 4/8/10' testing claim is incorrect.
What records do I need to keep to homeschool in Louisiana?
Louisiana requires these records: annual renewal evidence: a standardized test, a certified-teacher evaluation, or a portfolio packet (subject outline, materials list, work samples). How long, or where they go: Annual (submitted each Oct 1). Families choose one evidence method per year and may change it year to year.
Do parents need a teaching certificate or other qualification to homeschool in Louisiana?
No. Louisiana does not set a general qualification for homeschooling parents.
What ages does Louisiana's compulsory attendance law cover?
Louisiana's compulsory attendance law covers children from age 5 to age 18.
What are the ways to homeschool in Louisiana?
In Louisiana, families homeschool under one of two pathways: BESE-Approved Home Study Program and Registered nonpublic school (not seeking approval).
Is homeschooling legal in Louisiana?
Yes. Homeschooling is legal in Louisiana, as it is in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. In Louisiana, most families use the BESE-Approved Home Study Program: apply within 15 days of starting and renew each October 1 with evidence of a sustained curriculum at least equal to public schools. No grade-pegged state test.
How to get started in Louisiana
Sources for Louisiana
Every requirement above comes from our review of Louisiana’s rules, checked against these sources on June 5, 2026 and corrected on September 19, 2026 after re-reading the official source for what changed. Homeschool law changes, and a state can amend its rules between our reviews — read the official source before you file anything or rely on a date here. How we review state requirements.
Our review marks Louisiana’s rules as not fully confirmed: the law here is changing, or we could not confirm every field against a primary source. Read the official source before relying on anything on this page.
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