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Homeschooling in Maine

Ongoing concerns about the quality and effectiveness of public schools has led an increasing number of families across Maine and the nation to consider homeschooling. According to a recent study by the U.S. Department of Education, more than 1.5 million students were homeschooled in the United States in 2007, up from 850,000 in 1999 – a 74 percent rate of increase. 73 percent of families polled by the Department cited “dissatisfaction with academic instruction” at nearby schools as one of the reasons they chose to homeschool.

Maine has seen dramatic growth in homeschooling as well, according to the Maine Department of Education. The number of children homeschooled in Maine rose almost 40 percent between 1996 and 2006, at a time when statewide public school enrollment dropped by 7.5 percent. Today, more than 5,000 Maine children are homeschooled.

 

Maine's Homeschooling Law

Maine families interested in homeschooling are fortunate that Maine has homeschooling laws that are generally considered to be “moderate” in terms of their level of restrictiveness. As detailed below, Maine requires that homeschooling families inform state and local school officials of their intent to homeschool and also requires that they provide these officials with some kind of annual assessment of student academic growth. That’s it. Massachusetts, by contrast, requires homeschooling families to get prior approval by local school officials, who are given broad powers to decide everything from the teaching curriculum and materials to whether the parents are “competent” to teach their own children.

Maine’s homeschooling law can be found in Chapter 211 of Maine Revised Statutes Title 20-A. Section 5001-A of that Title establishes Maine’s school attendance laws and makes clear, in paragraph 3, that a student can be “excused” from compulsory attendance at public school if that student is enrolled in a “home instruction program” as described in “subparagraph 4.”

It is subparagraph 4 which outlines Maine’s homeschooling requirements, which are essentially two.

First, families deciding to homeschool their children must provide a “written notice of intent” with both the state commissioner of education and the local school district. The notice must include a “statement of assurance” that the “home instruction program” will provide at least 175 days of instruction in “english and language arts, math, science, social studies, physical education, health education, library skills, fine arts and, in at least one grade from grade 6 to 12, Maine studies.” It is also required that homeschooled children will be able to demonstrate “proficiency in the use of computers.”

Secondly, if the family intends to continue with the home instruction program the following year, it must provide school officials with a letter to that effect and enclose some kind of assessment of the student’s academic progress from the year prior. The law, helpfully, allows five different assessment options, including standardized achievement tests, tests developed by the local school district, review by a certified Maine teacher, the presentation of an “educational portfolio” to a “local area homeschooling support group,” or the approval of a “local advisory board” appointed by the area superintendent.

State law contains other provisions for what are known as “non-approved private schools,” which may be formed by the parents of any two or more unrelated students. Such schools have different reporting and safety requirements, but are otherwise treated much like individual home instruction programs.

So the extent of Maine’s regulation of homeschooling really amounts to a couple of letters of assurance to state and local officials, and the use of one of a number of allowed student assessments.

 

Maine's Public Schools and Homeschooling

Maine’s homeschooling law is also good about giving homeschooling families access to public schools.  Under Title 20-A, Section 5021 of state statute, homeschooled students are allowed to:

• Participate in regular public school classes.
• Receive academic credit for those classes.
• Have access to special education services.
• Participate in co-curricular activities, such as academic teams and clubs.
• Participate in extra-curricular activities such as sports teams.
• Have the use of school facilities and equipment.
• Have the use of textbooks and other school resources.

Access to these resources and services comes with a few conditions, but for the most part the law simply requires homeschoolers to comply with the same rules and requirements which apply to traditional students. In this way, homeschooling families can access the resources and services they want from area schools while retaining a high degree of independence.

 

Maine families looking for more information on homeschooling can visit the state Departent of Education's "home instructon" website, where visitors can find copies of Maine's homeschooling law and all the approriate forms and information, as well as a page of links to homeschool resources.

Maine's homeschooling families are also fortunate to have a tremendous resource in Homeschoolers of Maine, the state’s largest homeschooling advocacy and support organization. Homeschoolers of Maine hosts an annual convention on homeschooling, provides homeschooling families with plenty of helpful resources and support (including help in meeting the state’s assessment requirements), and keeps a careful eye on Augusta where opposition to the rising tide of homeschooling is constant. Homeschoolers of Maine also maintains a statewide network of regional representatives and local support groups, ensuring that families across Maine have access to resources and support.

The decision to homeschool is a big one, but it is one that more and more families in Maine and across the nation are making. The advent of web-based courses and curricula designed specifically for homeschoolers has made access to high-quality instructional materials easier than ever, and the continuing failure of so many schools to meet the needs of their students has made homeschooling more appealing to more families. As Maine is one of the few states that outlaws public charter schools, homeschooling remains one of the very few real options parents have if they have concerns about the traditional public schools in their area.

 

This analysis of Maine’s laws with regard to homeschooling is offered as an informational service to site visitors and should not be considered legal advice.

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