Missouri Homeschool Laws & Requirements

Compulsory School Attendance Age

Missouri compulsory attendance generally begins at age 7 and continues until the compulsory attendance age applicable to the student's district. In most districts, compulsory attendance continues until age 17 or until the student has completed 16 credits toward high-school graduation. A child between ages 5 and 7 who was voluntarily enrolled in public school may generally be withdrawn by written parental request.

Homeschool Registration and Notification

Traditional Missouri homeschools are not required to register with the state. Missouri DESE specifically states that there is no state homeschool registration, inspection, approval, or accreditation program. Families should properly withdraw a student from any school the child is leaving and maintain their own documentation of the homeschool program.

Instructional Hours

A Missouri homeschool must offer at least 1,000 hours of instruction during the school year. At least 600 of those hours must be in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, or related academic courses appropriate to the child's age and ability. At least 400 of those 600 core-subject hours must occur at the regular homeschool location.

Required Academic Areas

Missouri's hour requirement specifically identifies the core academic areas below:

• Reading • Language arts • Mathematics • Social studies • Science • Related academic courses consistent with the student's age and ability

Missouri also expressly prohibits state agencies from dictating a statewide curriculum for homeschools.

Records Families Must Maintain

As evidence that the child is receiving regular instruction, Missouri law requires the parent to maintain either the specified records below or other credible equivalent evidence:

• A plan book, diary, or other written record showing subjects taught and activities completed • A portfolio containing samples of the child's academic work • A record of evaluations of the child's academic progress

Standardized Testing

Missouri does not impose a general annual standardized-testing requirement on traditional homeschools.

Parent Teacher Qualifications

Missouri does not require a parent operating a traditional homeschool to hold a teaching certificate, college degree, or state approval.

Curriculum Freedom

Parents have broad freedom to choose curriculum and teaching methods. Missouri law expressly restricts state agencies from imposing a statewide curriculum on home, private, parochial, or parish schools.

Graduation

Missouri does not issue a state homeschool diploma to independent homeschool students. Parents may determine the homeschool's graduation requirements and maintain the student's transcript, credits, grades, and completion records. Under current Missouri law, 100 or more hours of instruction in a course is treated as a completed credit for certain compulsory-attendance purposes.

Alabama Church School Services for Missouri Families

Missouri families are not legally required to enroll with Alabama Church School. Families may nevertheless use ACS for curriculum, structured academic records, attendance tools, report cards, transcripts, diplomas, graduation documentation, and other educational services. ACS can help organize the documentation Missouri already expects families to maintain, but enrollment does not replace Missouri's instructional-hour and recordkeeping requirements.