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Homeschooling in Massachusetts
A year-round Massachusetts homeschool marketplace — curriculum, tutoring, evaluation and testing, therapy, STEM, arts and enrichment providers, plus a plain-English guide to Massachusetts homeschool law, getting a home education plan approved by your school district, Charles and Brunelle, where Massachusetts stands on school choice, district classes and MIAA sports, dual enrollment, special education, driver's education, the HiSET and GED, and college.
Massachusetts homeschooling by topic
- Massachusetts Homeschool Laws & Requirements
- How to Start Homeschooling in Massachusetts
- Massachusetts School Choice, ESAs & Scholarships
- Homeschool Sports & Activities in Massachusetts
- Dual Enrollment & College for Massachusetts Homeschoolers
- Special Needs & Special Education Homeschooling in Massachusetts
Massachusetts Homeschool Options at a glance
- Overseen by: The school district where the child lives. Each school committee has its own policy on approving home schooling plans, and the superintendent or school committee approves them. DESE does not approve home schooling plans, oversee district policies or review districts' decisions. Charter schools, Commonwealth Virtual Schools, school choice districts and vocational technical programs do not approve home schooling plans.
- Legal basis and ages: M.G.L. c. 76 § 1 excuses from public school attendance a child "otherwise instructed in a manner approved in advance by the superintendent or the school committee." DESE gives compulsory school age as 6–16; under 603 CMR 8.02 a child must attend school beginning in September of the calendar year in which the child turns six.
- Approval process: Notify your district, preferably in writing. The district must send you its policy and process and ask for your proposed home schooling plan, then approve it, ask for changes or more information, or disapprove it, telling you its decision (preferably in writing) within a reasonable period. Districts typically review content, instructional materials, duration and frequency of instruction, methods of instruction, evaluation, and whether the plan lets the child make adequate progress. Many districts ask families to reapply every year.
- Subjects: The Trial Court Law Libraries say that, under Care and Protection of Charles, the subjects that must be taught under M.G.L. c. 71 §§ 1, 2 and 3 apply to home schooling. Section 1 lists orthography, reading, writing, the English language and grammar, geography, arithmetic, drawing, music, the history and constitution of the United States, the duties of citizenship, health education, physical education and good behavior.
- Assessment and home visits: Each district sets how progress is shown — for example, Foxborough lists periodic standardized testing as a factor it may consider, and Northampton asks for a mid-year progress report and an end-of-year summary. Brunelle v. Lynn Public Schools (1998): home visits may not be required without parental consent as a condition of approval. DESE says public school requirements such as educator licensing or structured learning time do not apply to home schooling.
- Homeschool funding: None. No Massachusetts program pays or credits homeschool costs. The state income tax deductions for education in M.G.L. c. 62 § 3 cover college tuition, certain undergraduate student loans and contributions to the state's college savings and prepaid tuition programs — not K-12 or home education expenses.
- School choice status: As of November 2026, Massachusetts has no ESA, voucher or tax-credit scholarship. H.581 (Promise Scholarship Accounts, $9,500 per school year as filed) has had no action since its May 12, 2025 hearing; S.1984 (a scholarship tax credit) was sent to a study order on July 23, 2026. Massachusetts is not on the IRS list of states participating in the federal scholarship tax credit for 2027 (as of October 22, 2026), and we found no decision on an official state website.
Coming up in Massachusetts
- Tue, Dec 8, 2026 · CLT (Classic Learning Test) Remote Test Date (December 2026)
Online · Online (remote proctoring) · CLT registration fee (see cltexam.com)
Remotely proctored CLT administration; registration deadline Dec. 3, 2026. - Tue, Dec 8, 2026 – Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · New England Aquarium Homeschool Days (December Tuesdays)
Boston · New England Aquarium, Central Wharf ·