Illinois homeschool laws
Minimal regulation State Rank 15 of 56 (1 = easiest)
Confidence: High · Last verified:
Current regulations
Notification & registration None in scored pathway
None required. ISBE's page says Illinois does not require registration before homeschooling and describes a voluntary ISBE Home Schooling Registration Form; it also says home schools are excluded from the School Code's voluntary recognition process and a district cannot require registration. Parents should notify the public school when withdrawing, or the child may be marked absent.
Parent / instructor qualifications Requirement exists
No statutory credential. Per ISBE, Illinois case law (People v. Levisen, 1950) treats home schooling as private schooling if the teacher is competent, the required subjects are taught and the education is at least equivalent to public school - a vague 'competent' standard (rubric B = 1).
Required subjects Requirement exists
'Adequate course of instruction' in language arts, math, biological/physical sciences, social sciences, fine arts, physical development and health; instruction in English.
Testing & assessment None in scored pathway
None. ISBE: standardized tests are optional and results need not be submitted to anyone.
Records, days & reporting None in scored pathway
None stated.
Oversight None in scored pathway
None routinely. The regional superintendent investigates reports of noncompliance with compulsory attendance; the burden is on parents to show the instruction meets state requirements (ISBE).
Immunization & other requirements None in scored pathway
None stated.
Legal pathways
- Home-based private school (non-registrable with ISBE)
Scored pathway: Private school statute. The score uses the least-burdensome parent-led pathway defined in law (see methodology).
Who to notify & where to start
None required. ISBE's page says Illinois does not require registration before homeschooling and describes a voluntary ISBE Home Schooling Registration Form; it also says home schools are excluded from the School Code's voluntary recognition process and a district cannot require registration. Parents should notify the public school when withdrawing, or the child may be marked absent.
Official agency / statute links:
Recent changes
Secondary aggregator reports HB 2827 stalled in 2025 (not verified).
Also see Law watch.
How the score breaks down
Regulation burden 7.5 / 100 → freedom score 92.5. Bars show burden points per criterion (longer = more burdensome). HSLDA's own map tier for comparison: No notice (summary dated 2025-07-01).
Data notes
- Score change 2026-10-27: criterion B raised 0 -> 1 because ISBE itself states the 'competent teacher' standard from People v. Levisen (see ops/DATA_CHANGES.md).
Sources
Primary / official
- Illinois State Board of Education - Illinois Homeschooling — Content checked
Last verified . Spot an error or an update? See how to report a correction or email support@homeschoollawmap.com.
Helpful resources for Illinois 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: Illinois 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: Illinois requires little paperwork, but keeping your own records is still a good habit.
Partner links coming soon.
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