Homeschooling Regulations by State: Maine

by Christina Yeager

Homeschooling shouldn’t be viewed as a daunting task. The game-changer is recognizing the facts. All states in the U.S. retain numerous laws when it comes to providing a home-based education. Do you reside in Maine and wish to homeschool but aren’t quite sure where to start? We know! Learn the state regulations and laws of Maine to properly direct your child at home.
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Each state is the U.S. has a very specific set of regulations for homeschooling. If you are thinking about teaching your child at home, you'll need to know the ins and outs of what needs to be done beforehand and during. In this series, Homeschooling Regulations by State, we'll explore information to help with the decision, what to do to get started and what to do correctly to continue.

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State requirements that ALL students must follow
The standard school age of attendance is 7 years old and older and 17 years old and under for all students, no matter which form of education has been chosen. A notable exception to this regulation is if a student graduates before their 17th birthday.

Maine's homeschooling requirements aren’t difficult to comprehend or achieve. Here’s a simple list of what should be done in the correct order and specific instructions will follow!

1. Formally withdraw the child/children from public school (if they attend already)
2. File an annual Notice of Intent
3. Report on annual assessment

How to file an annual an NOI and SYL
New to homeschooling? The first order of business is to file a Notice of Intent with both the state Department of Education and the local school superintendent in the area or the school district the child either currently attends or would have attended. The NOI (Notice of Intent) should be filed by September 1st to begin a school year on time. If it’s decided to begin homeschooling in the middle of the year, the NOI must be filed within ten days of official withdrawal from public school. Certified mail or a return receipt of delivery is best used for record-keeping purposes as proof.

The information that needs to be included:

• Name of the student
• Age of the student
• Permanent address of the student
• The date that home instruction will begin
• A statement agreeing to attend 175 days of instruction
• A statement agreeing to learn required curriculum
• A promise statement of reporting an annual assessment
• Signature of the student (if applies) and parent/guardian

Filing a Subsequent Year Letter is an annual process afterward for the duration the child attends home-based studies. The same rules above apply.
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HELPFUL TIP!!

No need to hand-write the NOI unless you absolutely wish to do so. The Notice of Intent and Subsequent Year Letter can both be downloaded and allows multiple students’ information.

​In these forms, you will be asked to agree to instruction of the state minimum of 175 days per academic school year, submit an annual assessment of each student attending and to provide proper curriculum studies in English and Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education, Health Education, Library Skills, Fine Arts and, in at least one grade between 6 to 12 include Maine studies. At one grade level between 7 and 12, the student also needs to learn and demonstrate proficiency of computers.

Reporting an annual assessment is required
Annual assessment results must also be turned in by September 1st of each school year with both the state Department of Education and the local superintendent as well.

The results can be any of the following options:

• A standardized achievement test
• A test developed and arranged by local school officials
• A review and acceptance of progress by a Maine-certified teacher
• An educational portfolio from membership involvement with a local homeschooling support group or co-op with a Maine certified teacher or administration
• A review of progress by an advisory board selected by the local superintendent involving a home instruction tutor

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HELPFUL TIP!!

It’s an excellent rule of organization to have both the Notice of Intent and one of the assessment selections available and ready prior to September 1st of any given school year and ready to sent via certified mail.

Other Maine laws to consider
If a homeschooled student wishes to attend a public school event or enroll in a class, certain steps apply before-hand and an agreement to comply with all public school rules must be understood.

• At times, students can partially enroll for classes and extra-curricular activities in a public school as space and resources allow under the Home School Access Law.
• Special needs services at public schools are available to homeschooled students.
• Home-instructed students are also permitted to attend select public school activities with a written request from a parent/guardian and receives written approval prior to the event.

If you have a specific question that remained unanswered here, shout out and we’ll do our best to acquire the information you need!​

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Are you a homeschooler (new or veteran) seeking to share insight? Read our guidelines and then reach out introducing yourself to obtain blogging credentials! And if you're a homeschool parent, be sure to follow the Homeschooling Heroes page on Facebook for tons of resources and insight, and join the Unschool Homeschool group to expand your horizons as to what homeschooling is/can be. And finally, if you're looking for activities to join, we have a group with New Orleans-based activities, which will be expanding to an area near you - so join our group! And be excited about that, because we offer tons of exceptional educational and extracurricular activities for homeschoolers and parents, and can't wait to include you.

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