Homeschool Law Map
General information only — not legal advice. Laws change; confirm with your state or territory education agency or an attorney.

District of Columbia homeschool laws

Moderate regulation Federal district Rank 38 of 56 (1 = easiest)

Confidence: High · Last verified:

68.8
Freedom score / 100
This is general information, not legal advice. Requirements shown are for the scored pathway: OSSE homeschool notification. Other pathways may have different rules.

Current regulations

Notification & registration Requirement exists

Official OSSE form (with diploma/GED copy) 15 days before starting and every year by Aug 15; written notice 15 days before discontinuing.

Parent / instructor qualifications Requirement exists

High school diploma or equivalent (waiver petition to OSSE available).

Required subjects Requirement exists

Language arts, math, science, social studies, art, music, health, physical education.

Testing & assessment None in scored pathway

Testing not mandatory. Portfolio (current work samples) kept one year; OSSE may request portfolio review up to twice per year (written request, mutually agreeable time/place).

Records, days & reporting Requirement exists

Thorough, regular instruction during the period public schools are in session; no fixed day/hour count.

Oversight Requirement exists

Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). If not receiving thorough, regular education, child must be enrolled in school within 45 days unless stayed.

Immunization & other requirements None in scored pathway

None stated in HSLDA summary.

Legal pathways

Scored pathway: OSSE homeschool notification. The score uses the least-burdensome parent-led pathway defined in law (see methodology).

Who to notify & where to start

Official OSSE form (with diploma/GED copy) 15 days before starting and every year by Aug 15; written notice 15 days before discontinuing.

Official agency / statute links:

Recent changes

None identified.

How the score breaks down

Notification, registration & approval 10 / 20
Parent/instructor qualifications 2.5 / 10
Required subjects & curriculum mandates 5 / 10
Testing, assessment & evaluation 0 / 25
Records, reporting & official oversight 11.3 / 15
Mandated instruction time 2.5 / 10
Other burdens (immunization paperwork, ID docs, background checks, local discretion) 0 / 10

Regulation burden 31.3 / 100 → freedom score 68.8. Bars show burden points per criterion (longer = more burdensome). HSLDA's own map tier for comparison: Moderate (summary dated 2025-07-01).

Sources

Primary / official

Secondary

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Helpful resources for District of Columbia 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: District of Columbia 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: District of Columbia asks for notices, records, attendance, or instruction time in the scored pathway.

Partner links coming soon.

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