Below is a summary of Illinois Homeschool Laws to help you ensure your homeschool is compliant.
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Note: The information below is not to be considered legal advice. I’m a homeschool mom with an interest in helping you, not a lawyer. I strongly recommend that you contact your state education department if you have questions specific to your circumstances.
Homeschool
Illinois only has a requirement to teach mandatory subjects.
Can I Teach?
There is no state requirement for you to meet in order to teach.
Do I Have to Notify the State?
No. There is not a notification requirement.
However it is recommended that you inform your local school, in writing, of your intent to homeschool so your child isn’t marked absent.
Required Subjects
You must teach the following subjects, at minimum:
- Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Biological and Physical Science
- Social Science (Social Studies)
- Fine Arts
- Physical Development
- Health
How Many Days a Year do I Have to Teach?
There is no requirement for the number of school days or hours.
Illinois recommends following your local public school’s schedule, which is typically 180 days.
I’d strongly recommend you keep attendance, even though it isn’t required.
Compulsory Attendance Age
The compulsory attendance age is the age range in which your child must be attending school of some type.
In Illinois, your child must be enrolled if they turn 6 years old on or before September 1 until they turn 17 years old.
The exception is if your genius offspring (of course they’re a genius!) graduates early.
Public School Sports
The Illinois High School Association allows homeschoolers to enroll in a public school for participation in extracurricular activities.
However, this enrollment will likely have a minimum number of credit hours in the public school.
(The example used in the handbook references 25 credit hours.)
Wrapping Up
Hopefully this summary of Illinois Homeschool Laws gets you started on your homeschool journey with your family!
If you’re just getting started, you’re probably feeling a bit overwhelmed.
The Home Learning Kit can help!
It’s a package of handy learning tools to make your homeschool more fun and engaging, curated by yours truly. Check it out!
