Homeschooling in Maine.

Regulation level

High-Medium (10-day initial + September 1 annual + submitted assessment + prior-agreement gate on 3 of 5 assessment options)

Statute citation

20-A M.R.S. § 5001-A(3)(A)(4) (home instruction) + Maine DOE Rule Chapter 130 (NONE-FOUND · rules listing runs 128 to 131 with no entry and no (Repealed) notation for 130). No 2025 amendment to home instruction provisions in 132nd Legislature · LD 220 and LD 482 both failed.

Who you notify (if any)

SIMULTANEOUSLY to (1) school officials of administrative unit in which student resides AND (2) Commissioner of Education. Dual-filing required.

How and when

INITIAL notice within 10 CALENDAR DAYS of beginning home instruction (§ 5001-A(3)(A)(4)(a)) + ANNUAL CONTINUATION letter on or before SEPTEMBER 1 each subsequent year (§ 5001-A(3)(A)(4)(b)) · dual-filed BOTH times. NOTE: as of 2026-08-22, September 1 is 10 days away.

Notification method

Written notice · dual-filed to school officials AND Commissioner

Assessment options

FIVE options per § 5001-A(3)(A)(4)(b): (i) standardized achievement test through administrative unit or approved arrangements; (ii) locally-developed test appropriate to program; (iii) review by identified individual with current Maine teacher's certificate; (iv) portfolio review by homeschool group's certified teacher or administrator; (v) local advisory board. **PRIOR-AGREEMENT gate attaches to (i) CONDITIONALLY (only when the test is administered THROUGH the administrative unit) + (ii) + (v) · NOT (iii)/(iv)** (H-1 remediation Kaitlin PR #136 audit 2026-08-22 · citation-governs correction · original CT-2 draft mis-attributed the prior-agreement gate to (iii)/(iv) which are individual-reviewer routes that do NOT require prior school-official agreement).

Required subjects

['English and language arts', 'Math', 'Science', 'Social studies', 'Physical education', 'Health education', 'Library skills', 'Fine arts', 'Maine studies (at least one grade from grade 6 to 12)', 'Computer proficiency (at one grade from grade 7 to 12)']

Instruction hours

175 days (verbatim § 5001-A(3)(A)(4)(a)(iv) · '180 days' does NOT appear in the home instruction statute · that figure is in the public school statute at § 4801)

Records required

The assessment (submitted). No specific portfolio format required beyond the assessment options.

Parent qualification

NOT-STATED-BY-STATUTE