Homeschooling in Montana.

Who must attend

Children 7 or older before the first day of school must be taught until the later of their 16th birthday or finishing 8th grade. A home school that meets Montana Code Annotated (MCA) 20-5-109(2) satisfies this.

Yearly notice

Each school fiscal year (July 1 to June 30), tell your county superintendent of schools that your child attends your home school. The law sets no specific date or form, and many counties offer their own.

Instruction hours

Plan at least 720 hours a year for grades 1–3 and 1,080 hours for grades 4–12. Graduating seniors need 1,050. Kindergarten is 360 hours half-time or 720 full-time. There is no 180-day rule.

What to teach

Provide an organized course of study that includes the subjects Montana requires of public schools, known as the basic instructional program. You choose the curriculum, materials and teaching methods.

Records to keep

Keep attendance records and share them with your county superintendent if asked. Since House Bill (HB) 778 (2025), home schools no longer need immunization records or a building that meets school health and safety rules.

Testing

No state test or evaluation is required. Under MCA 20-5-111, you decide how to evaluate your child's learning.

Your choices as a parent

You're responsible for your home school's educational philosophy, curriculum and textbooks, and the time, place and method of instruction.

Who can teach

Montana sets no teaching credential. A home school means a parent teaching their own child, stepchild or ward in the family's home.

Part-time public school

Your child can attend public school part time while you home school.

If you stop homeschooling

There's no withdrawal form. If your child is still of compulsory age, enroll them in your district school within the first week of the term.