Minnesota homeschool requirements

To homeschool in Minnesota, register with your resident district superintendent by October 1, teach the required subjects, and give an annual nationally-normed standardized test (all grades, results to the superintendent).

Last reviewed June 5, 2026 · Sources below

Moderate regulation Notice required Testing or evaluation

Another state:

Minnesota homeschool requirements at a glance

Notice: RequiredWhere it goes: Resident district superintendent. When: By October 1 each year (or within 15 days of withdrawing mid-year).
Required subjects: Reading, Writing, Literature, Fine Arts, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Economics, Civics/Government, Health, Physical Education
Instruction time: NoneNo minimum hours or days specified.
Testing or evaluation: Yes — annualAnnual testing for all students ages 7–17 (all grades, not grade-pegged). The test/location are mutually agreed; results go to the superintendent. A score at/below the 30th percentile triggers additional evaluation. Accredited homeschools are exempt.
Records: Yes — plan, assessment results
Parent qualifications: Required
Compulsory attendance ages: 7–17
Ways to homeschool: Independent (annual registration/letter to district superintendent)
Law: Minn. Stat. §§ 120A.22, 120A.24
Official source: education.mn.gov ↗

Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in Minnesota?

Yes. Minnesota requires homeschooling families to file a notice. Where it goes: Resident district superintendent. How: Initial registration form (first year), then a letter of intent to continue. When: By October 1 each year (or within 15 days of withdrawing mid-year). Initial registration includes the child's details, instructor name(s), the intended annual test, and evidence of instructor qualification.

What subjects does Minnesota require homeschoolers to teach?

Minnesota requires instruction in Reading, Writing, Literature, Fine Arts, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Economics, Civics/Government, Health, and Physical Education. Per Minn. Stat. 120A.22 subd. 9; instruction in English.

How many days or hours of instruction does Minnesota require?

None. Minnesota does not set a minimum number of instructional days or hours for homeschoolers. No minimum hours or days specified.

Is standardized testing required to homeschool in Minnesota?

Yes. Minnesota requires a standardized test. How often: Annual. What is accepted: Nationally norm-referenced standardized achievement test agreed on with the superintendent. Annual testing for all students ages 7–17 (all grades, not grade-pegged). The test/location are mutually agreed; results go to the superintendent. A score at/below the 30th percentile triggers additional evaluation. Accredited homeschools are exempt.

What records do I need to keep to homeschool in Minnesota?

Minnesota requires these records: class schedules, copies of instructional materials, descriptions of assessment methods, and annual test results. How long, or where they go: Available to show the requirements are met. Accredited homeschools are exempt from the documentation requirements.

Do parents need a teaching certificate or other qualification to homeschool in Minnesota?

Yes. Minnesota sets a qualification for the parent who teaches. The instructor must meet one of: a valid Minnesota teaching license; direct supervision by a licensed teacher; teaching at an accredited school; a bachelor's degree; or passing a teacher-competency exam. (Parents teaching their own children effectively qualify via the assessment route.)

What ages does Minnesota's compulsory attendance law cover?

Minnesota's compulsory attendance law covers children from age 7 to age 17.

What are the ways to homeschool in Minnesota?

In Minnesota, families homeschool under this pathway: independent (annual registration/letter to district superintendent).

Is homeschooling legal in Minnesota?

Yes. Homeschooling is legal in Minnesota, as it is in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. To homeschool in Minnesota, register with your resident district superintendent by October 1, teach the required subjects, and give an annual nationally-normed standardized test (all grades, results to the superintendent).

How to get started in Minnesota

Send an initial registration to your district superintendent

The first year, send it by October 1, or within 15 days of withdrawing your child from school mid-year. It lists your child's details, each instructor's name, the annual test you plan to use, and evidence of the instructor's qualification.

Official resource (education.mn.gov) →

Send a letter of intent to continue each year

After the first year, send the superintendent a letter of intent to continue homeschooling by October 1 each year.

Teach the required subjects

Reading, writing, literature, fine arts, math, science, history, geography, economics, government and citizenship, health, and physical education. Instruction must be in English.

Give a standardized test every year

Every student ages 7 to 17 takes a nationally normed standardized achievement test each year, in every grade. You and the superintendent agree on the test and where it is given, and the results go to the superintendent. If your child scores at or below the 30th percentile, an additional evaluation is required.

Meet an instructor qualification

A parent teaching their own child qualifies as long as the child takes the annual test. Other instructors need a valid Minnesota teaching license, direct supervision by a licensed teacher, a bachelor's degree, a passing score on a teacher-competency exam, or to be teaching at an accredited school.

Keep your records ready

Keep class schedules, copies of your instructional materials, descriptions of how you assess your child's work, and each year's test results, so you can show that you are meeting the requirements. Accredited homeschools are exempt from these records and from the testing requirement.

What Romeschool tracks for you: Attendance, assessment reminders, filing reminders.

Generate your Minnesota Notice of Intent →Minnesota funding & ESAs Find field trips in Minnesota

Sources for Minnesota

Official source (education.mn.gov) ↗HSLDA's Minnesota summary ↗

Statute: Minn. Stat. §§ 120A.22, 120A.24

Last reviewed: June 5, 2026

Every requirement above comes from our review of Minnesota’s rules, last checked against these sources on June 5, 2026. 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.

Nearby states

States that share a border with Minnesota:

Iowa North Dakota South Dakota Wisconsin

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