Legal FAQs

To maintain homeschooling freedoms, homeschoolers learn what rights and responsibilities they have, refuse to do more than the minimum required by law, and avoid setting precedents that exceed the law and cause difficulty for homeschoolers.

Click on one of the following questions to go directly to information on that topic:

Is it legal to homeschool in CT?
Do I have to be a teacher to homeschool my own children?
How do I get started?
When should I start homeschooling?
Do I have to wait until September to withdraw my child from school?
Will the state provide me with a curriculum?
Will my children have to be tested?
What is a Notice of Intent?
Do I need to file a Notice of Intent?
The Superintendent of our town is demanding that I sign
       the Notice of Intent. What should I do?
I don't want to file a NOI this year, even though I did so last year.
       Do I have to?
What is a portfolio review?
What should I bring to a portfolio review?
What if someone from the school system asks me if I am homeschooling?
Do public schools offer services to homeschoolers?

Is it legal to homeschool in CT?

Yes. Parents are given the right and responsibility to provide instruction for their children in **Connecticut General Statute 10-184**, Duties of Parents. It is recommended that you become familiar with the **statutes** pertaining to homeschooling rights and responsibilities. CGS 10-184 is the law.


Do I have to be a certified teacher to homeschool my own children?

No. Parents are responsible for providing instruction, in the manner they choose, for their children in CT, but no certification is necessary. You teach them from the moment they're born and homeschooling is a natural extension of that relationship.


How do I get started?

You are doing the most important thing - educating yourself about homeschooling. Read, read, read. Knowledge is power; know your rights. Contact a local support group who should be able to get you tapped into your local homeschooling community.

The next step, to start homeschooling, depends on if your children are currently enrolled in a school. If your children are enrolled, you should withdraw them in writing. If you do not withdraw your children from the school they are enrolled in, they may be subject to truancy law CGS 10-198a. If you send it via certified mail, return receipt requested, you will have proof that they received the letter, if you should ever need it.


When should I start homeschooling?

Anytime! You have been homeschooling since your child was born. You have helped your child to learn countless things throughout their childhood and your decision to not send them to school will allow that to naturally continue. If your child is 5 or 6, you may be required to sign an opt-out form at your local school, as mentioned in CGS 10-184. The form states that you will not be sending your child to school when they are five. Then, when they are six, you can sign another opt-out form for not sending them to school when they are six. At the age of seven, your child is expected to begin receiving instruction in the subjects listed in CGS 10-184.


Do I have to wait until September to withdraw my child from school?

No. You can start homeschooling as soon as you are ready to do so. There are no waiting periods or time constraints of any sort.


Will the state provide me with a curriculum?

No. Every homeschooling family must decide for themselves what educational materials and experiences they feel would work best for them in order to comply with CGS 10-184. This is one of the beauties of homeschooling in CT; you have the freedom to do what works best for each of your individual children.

Determine what your educational goals are. A specific curriculum may not be necessary for educational success. Many people really heavily on their local library to provide a wealth of resource material for their family. The Internet is another well-used resource. Go further out into your community and visit local places of business, museums, etc. There is no "right" answer to what materials to use. The answers are as varied as our families. You may want to research learning styles and homeschooling philosophies before you make any curriculum decisions.


Will my children have to be tested?

No. CT does not have mandatory testing for homeschoolers. Children all learn different things at different times. You can provide, purchase, and administer tests to your children if and when you feel a need to do so.


What is a Notice of Intent?

The Notice of Intent is a form developed by the State Department of Education. It is included in the C-14 (or C-4) Guidelines, "revised procedures concerning requests from parents to educate their child at home". This Guideline contains "Suggested Procedures for Home Instruction".


Do I need to file a Notice of Intent (NOI)?

No. This is a suggested procedure and each family may choose for themselves if they wish to file this form or not. If you do file the form, you are obligated to participate in a portfolio review at the end of the school year. If you choose to file the NOI, you may want to protect yourself from being expected to file a NOI in the future by noting something like this on the NOI: This Notice of Intent is valid for the current school year only and I reserve the right not to file next year.


The Superintendent of our town is demanding that I sign the Notice of Intent. What should I do?

First, you need to clearly understand your rights and then make your decision based upon the facts. Every family must decide for themselves what is best for them. The NOI is not mentioned in any CT General Statutes, meaning it is not a law that you file this form. The State Board of Education recommends that you file this form as part of their suggested procedure.

In the face of a demand that you file a form to comply with this suggested procedure, you have two choices. One, comply with the request. Fill out the NOI, which enters you into an agreement with the school system that you will participate in a portfolio review at the end of the school year. Or, two, you can choose not to file the form. You could respond to their request by sending a letter like this in response:

Dear Mr. Superintendent/Principal,

I am in receipt of your letter dated 1/1/01. I am choosing not to file the Notice of Intent form at this time. The Notice of Intent form is part of a "Suggested Procedure". My children, Sam, Sally, and Susie Baker will be receiving instruction at home in accordance with CGS 10-184 for the 2006 - 2007 school year.

Sincerely,
Sandra S. Baker and Stuart B. Baker


I don't want to file a NOI this year, even though I did so last year. Do I have to?

You never have to fill out a NOI and doing it one year puts you under no obligation to file one the next year. If you do not wish to file and have been requested to do so, you could send the above letter in response.


What is a portfolio review?

A portfolio review is a meeting between a homeschooling parent and a school official to determine if instruction in the required subjects has been given. You are required to participate in this review if you have filed a Notice of Intent.


What should I bring to a portfolio review?

Proof that your children have received instruction in the subjects listed in CGS 10-184. Keep it simple. This review should be fairly short, perhaps 15 minutes. The school official should not be passing judgment on your choice of curriculum or progress that your child has made. They are merely to determine if your child has been instructed in the required subjects. You are not required to leave anything or to allow them to make copies of your materials, although they may ask. You may want to ask the person administering the review for a letter documenting the review. Here is more information on preparing for a portfolio review.


What if someone from the school system asks me if I am homeschooling?

To comply with the enumeration statutes (CGS 10-249, 10-250, 10-251), you are legally obligated to provide the child's name, age and information concerning school attendance. Nothing more, nothing less. You could write a simple letter in response:

Dear Mr. Superintendent,
In response to your letter dated 1/1/01, my child Sam Jones, age 10, is receiving instruction at home in accordance with CT General Statute 10-184 for the 2000 - 2001 school year.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Jane Jones


Do public schools offer services to homeschoolers?

This depends on the individual school. Some schools are more flexible than others and may be willing to make special arrangements for homeschoolers to participate in certain types of activities and services. Generally speaking, they are not obligated to provide you with any materials or services if you are not enrolled in the school. Books, band, library access, etc. - these are all up to the principal and/or superintendent to decide on a case by case basis. Don't expect anything and if they are willing to let your child take music lessons, consider it a bonus, but be wary. You may feel entitled to get something from the school since you pay taxes, but be aware that there could be strings attached. For further insight into this, read: The New Face of Homeschooling.