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State requirements · verified
Homeschooling in Ohio.
Ohio asks for a short notice to your district superintendent when you start and by August 30 each year, with no testing, portfolio or approval.
Informational, not legal advice — verify with your state. We help you organize and document; you decide what to file.
What Ohio asks
Regulation level
Medium. You send a short notice when you start and by August 30 each year. There is no testing, portfolio, hours requirement or approval.
Statute citation
Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 3321.042, enacted by House Bill 33 (2023) and effective October 3, 2023. It has not been amended since, and the old state home-education rules were repealed.
Compulsory attendance age
Ages 6 to 18. A younger child enrolled in kindergarten also counts unless you formally withdraw them. (ORC 3321.01)
Who you notify (if applicable)
The superintendent of your child's school district of residence. Neither the district nor the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) approves your plan.
How and when
Within five calendar days after you start home education, move into a new school district, or withdraw your child from a public or nonpublic school. Then by August 30 every year.
What the notice says
Your name and address, your child's name, and an assurance that your child will be taught the required subjects. DEW's form is optional, and districts may not ask for anything more.
The district's response
Your child's exemption starts as soon as the superintendent receives your notice. The superintendent must send you a written acknowledgment within 14 calendar days. Keep each one.
Required subjects
English language arts, mathematics, science, history, government and social studies. (ORC 3321.042(B))
Assessment options
None. Ohio no longer requires a test, portfolio review or assessment report.
Instruction hours
None set by law.
Records required
None required by law. If there is evidence your child isn't being taught the required subjects, the district can act under ORC 3321.19, so a simple record of what you teach is wise.
Parent qualification
None in the law.
Special education
Home-educated students can't receive individualized education program (IEP) services from their district. They may qualify for the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship or the Autism Scholarship through an approved provider.
College Credit Plus
Students in grades 7–12 can take college courses. Ohio sets aside limited funding; if awarded, public-college tuition is free and you buy textbooks. Apply to DEW in the posted window (February 1–April 1 for 2026–27) with your superintendent's letter.
Sports and activities
Your child may join extracurricular activities in your district of residence, meeting the same non-academic and fee requirements as other students.
Scholarships
EdChoice scholarships don't fund home education. A child who enrolls full-time in a participating private school may qualify.
Diploma
You issue your child's diploma; districts don't. DEW suggests keeping the superintendent's acknowledgment for the final year with it.
Good to know
A child enrolled in a private online school based outside Ohio isn't considered home educated and doesn't file this notice.
Verified October 2026 · from Ohio Revised Code 3321.042 and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce's home schooling page, fact sheet and College Credit Plus page.
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