American Samoa homeschool laws
High regulation Territory Rank 51 of 56 (1 = easiest)
Confidence: Medium ⚠ Needs verification · Last verified:
- the statute text is confirmed, but how the Department of Education applies the private-school authorization to individual home-based families is not documented in any source reviewed (HSLDA 2020; ED.gov chart 2017).
Current regulations
Notification & registration Requirement exists
Annual certificate of authorization from the Department of Education, issued after inspection. First application: aims/purposes, sponsors/supporters, ages/grades/sex of children, tuition, curriculum. Annual report at start of year (calendar, teacher names/ages/experience/qualifications, teacher health certificates, curriculum and book list, class schedule) plus monthly enrollment reports.
Parent / instructor qualifications Requirement exists
NEEDS VERIFICATION - law requires listing teacher qualifications and 'satisfactory standards of instruction' as set by the Director of Education; no specific parent qualification found.
Required subjects Requirement exists
Curriculum equivalent to public schools; Director may require material 'in the interest of good citizenship' (16.0704). Samoan custom/culture material must be approved by the Secretary of Samoan Affairs.
Testing & assessment None in scored pathway
No territory testing policy found (ED chart, 2017). NEEDS VERIFICATION.
Records, days & reporting Requirement exists
Must be in session the same number of days as local public schools, though not necessarily on the same dates (A.S.C.A. 16.0702); permanent record card for each pupil and monthly enrollment reports (16.0706). Compulsory attendance at a public or private school covers ages 5-18 inclusive unless excused or excluded for good reason by the Director of Education (16.0302).
Oversight Requirement exists
Department of Education (Director of Education) - authorization, inspection, reports.
Immunization & other requirements Requirement exists
Territory law requires immunization certificate (or physician/religious exemption) for students in school (A.S.C.A. 16.0309, per ED chart); teacher health certificates.
Legal pathways
- Private school authorization under A.S.C.A. 16.0701 (a homeschool 'carrying on regular educational work equivalent to the public school curriculum and receiving no government financial support' is designated a private school)
Scored pathway: Private school authorization (only route identified). The score uses the least-burdensome parent-led pathway defined in law (see methodology).
Who to notify & where to start
Annual certificate of authorization from the Department of Education, issued after inspection. First application: aims/purposes, sponsors/supporters, ages/grades/sex of children, tuition, curriculum. Annual report at start of year (calendar, teacher names/ages/experience/qualifications, teacher health certificates, curriculum and book list, class schedule) plus monthly enrollment reports.
Official agency / statute links:
- A.S.C.A. 16.0701 (American Samoa Bar Assoc. code annotated)
- U.S. Dept. of Education - American Samoa regulation page (info updated Aug 23, 2017)
- A.S.C.A. 16.0302 - Required attendance at schools (American Samoa Bar Assoc.)
- A.S.C.A. 16.0703 - Exemption from public school attendance
- A.S.C.A. 16.0706 - Required reports, permanent enrollment records
- A.S.C.A. Title 16 (full text incl. 16.0702, 16.0704, 16.0705; ILO NATLEX copy)
Recent changes
Statute text (A.S.C.A. 16.0302, 16.0701-16.0706) re-read on 2026-10-27; history lines show 1962 PL 7-15, with 16.0302 last amended 2006 (PL 29-28). HSLDA summary dated 2020; ED.gov chart last updated 2017.
Also see Law watch.
How the score breaks down
Regulation burden 55 / 100 → freedom score 45. Bars show burden points per criterion (longer = more burdensome). HSLDA's own map tier for comparison: Moderate (summary dated 2020-06-29).
Data notes
- Scores for B and D are provisional: the statute requires a list of teacher qualifications and 'satisfactory standards of instruction' set by the Director, and says nothing about testing.
Sources
Primary / official
- A.S.C.A. 16.0701 (American Samoa Bar Assoc. code annotated) — Content checked
- U.S. Dept. of Education - American Samoa regulation page (info updated Aug 23, 2017) — Content checked
- A.S.C.A. 16.0302 - Required attendance at schools (American Samoa Bar Assoc.) — Content checked
- A.S.C.A. 16.0703 - Exemption from public school attendance — Content checked
- A.S.C.A. 16.0706 - Required reports, permanent enrollment records — Content checked
- A.S.C.A. Title 16 (full text incl. 16.0702, 16.0704, 16.0705; ILO NATLEX copy) — Content checked
Last verified . Spot an error or an update? See how to report a correction or email support@homeschoollawmap.com.
Helpful resources for American Samoa families
Types of services families in this jurisdiction commonly look for, based on the requirements above. These are categories, not endorsements.
Curriculum and course providers
Complete curricula, single-subject courses, and online programs, including options organized around required subjects.
Why shown: American Samoa lists required subjects or curriculum expectations.
Partner links coming soon.
Record-keeping and planning tools
Attendance logs, lesson planners, transcript and portfolio organizers for keeping the records your jurisdiction may ask for.
Why shown: American Samoa asks for notices, records, attendance, or instruction time in the scored pathway.
Partner links coming soon.
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