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Home Instruction

A parent or guardian who chooses to teach his or her child at home must provide regular and thorough instruction during the school year in the studies usually taught in the public schools to children of the same age.

The supervision or oversight of this instruction may be done in one of two ways:

  • Option A–under the supervision of the Montgomery County Public School System; or,
  • Option B–under the supervision of a nonpublic entity registered with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE)

Home Instruction Procedures

Home Instruction FAQ's pdf

Home Instruction Regulations (MSDE)pdf

Home Instruction Notification Form (270-34) - To be used when initialy registering a child as receiving home instruction.  Completed forms may be emailed to our office at homeinstruction@mcpsmd.org (preferred) or mailed to the address below:

Home Instruction Office

850 Hungerford Dr., Room 251

Rockville, MD  20850 

Annual Notification to Continue Home Instruction Form (270-36)  - To be used every school year after the Home Instruction Notification is submitted if home instruction will continue for any subsequent school years. Completed forms may be emailed to our office at homeinstruction@mcpsmd.org (preferred) or mailed to the address below:

Home Instruction Office

850 Hungerford Dr., Room 251

Rockville, MD  20850 

Nonpublic Entities Registered to Supervise Home Instruction of Maryland Students

Home Instruction Resources (Inclusion of non-MCPS resources does not constitute an endorsement of the content by MCPS) 

Compulsory School Age Law

Maryland law requires that all children five (5) years or older, and under eighteen (18), who live in Maryland, attend school. Students receiving home instruction are exempt from this law, but must comply with the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 13.A.10.01 regarding home instruction, by having the program reviewed twice per year and deemed in compliance with the regulations.

Montgomery County Public Schools can register a child as receiving home instruction who turns five (5) by September 1, 2024.

Home Instruction Students Returning to MCPS

Students registered as receiving Home Instruction may be re-enrolled in an MCPS school at any point during the school year.  Parents/caregivers should contact the desired school of enrollment to determine the documentation necessary for enrollment and to make an appointment for enrollment.  Please see the information below for the guidelines that schools use when determining grade placement for students re-enrolling in MCPS from Home Instruction.

  • Grades K-2: Students are placed in the grade level that is appropriate for their age at the time of enrollment.
  • Grades 3-8: Students’ age is considered alongside a school review of curriculum materials and student achievement in the home instruction program.
  • Grades 9-12: Credits awarded to high school age students are based on a review of curriculum materials and student achievement.

Parents/caregivers must present all pertinent documentation to the school of enrollment for a credit review.

Students’ grade levels are determined based on MSDE guidelines.

In order for a student to be awarded a Maryland High School Diploma, the student must be in attendance in a Maryland public high school one full semester immediately preceding graduation in addition to meeting the other diploma requriements.

Please note that the twice-annual Home Instruction Reviews only determine compliance with the requirement that students receive regular and thorough instruction in the same subject areas as like-aged peers in MCPS.  They do not determine student grade level, nor do they determine whether student work is worthy of receiving high school credit.  All determinations about student grade level and potential high school credits are made at the school of enrollment.

Relevant MCPS Regulations: 

MCPS Special Programs

  • If you would like to apply to any MCPS special programs for the next school year, please visit the Admission Process (Regional/Countywide Programs) web page.  Parents of registered grade 8 home instruction students need to use ParentVUE in order to access the applications for high school programs.  To request a ParentVUE activation key, email homeinstruction@mcpsmd.org.  Include the full name and date of birth of your child in your request.

The GED® Test and Students Receiving Home Instruction

Students receiving home instruction can take the test for General Educational Development (GED®) in Maryland upon reaching sixteen (16) years of age and older. Information can be found on the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation website. Interested students should email their full name, date of birth, email address used to signup at GED.com, and a contact phone number to homeinstruction@mcpsmd.org. Our office will submit the Verification of Home Instruction form to the DLLR with a copy sent to you..

Montgomery College - Dual Enrollment Information

Students receiving home instruction may take courses at Montgomery College when they are sixteen years of age and meet other MC Dual Enrollment Requirements.  Prior to your appointment with an MC Academic Coordinator, parents should email homeinstruction@mcpsmd.org to request that our office send home instruction verification to the Dual Enrollment Office.  Please include the full name and date of birth of your child in the request.

Motor Vehicle Administration - Verification of Identity and/or School Attendance by Parent or Guardian (Form #DL-300A)

Verification of identity and/or School attendance for a student under the age of 16 by Parent or Guardian in order to obtain a driving license learner's permit.

female student with her mother

Contact Us

850 Hungerford Drive, Suite 248
Rockville, Maryland 20850

Phone: 240-740-4042
E-mail: homeinstruction@mcpsmd.org