Homeschooling in Maryland: official source
COMAR 13A.10.01.01 requires a signed statement at least 15 days before home instruction begins, annual verification after that, instruction in eight named areas, and a portfolio reviewed each semester. A teaching certificate is not stated in the portion of the regulation we read.
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Official source checked 2026-10-17: Maryland COMAR 13A.10.01.01.
What Maryland requires
| Requirement | What the source says | Citation | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notice / registration | A parent or guardian initially signs a department form consenting to the regulation and submits it to the local superintendent at least 15 days before the program begins. Each year before school starts, the parent verifies continuation with the local superintendent or with a supervising nonpublic school under Regulation .05. A change in status during the year must also be reported. | Maryland COMAR 13A.10.01.01 | 2026-10-17 |
| Required subjects | The program shall include instruction in English, mathematics, science, social studies, art, music, health, and physical education, and shall provide regular, thorough instruction in the studies usually taught in the public schools to children of the same age. | Maryland COMAR 13A.10.01.01 | 2026-10-17 |
| Instruction days / hours | The regulation says instruction takes place on a regular basis during the school year and is of sufficient duration to implement the program. It does not state a number of days or hours. | Maryland COMAR 13A.10.01.01 | 2026-10-17 |
| Assessment / testing | The portfolio includes examples such as tests. A separate required standardized test was not stated in section .01 as we read it. The portfolio is reviewed by the local superintendent or a designee at the end of each semester, at a mutually agreeable time. | Maryland COMAR 13A.10.01.01 | 2026-10-17 |
| Teacher qualifications | Not stated on official source | Maryland COMAR 13A.10.01.01 | 2026-10-17 |
| Record keeping | The parent maintains a portfolio that shows regular, thorough instruction in the named areas and includes materials such as instructional materials, reading materials, and examples of writings, worksheets, workbooks, creative materials, and tests. The parent agrees to let a school-system representative review the portfolio and discuss the program, under the conditions in section E. | Maryland COMAR 13A.10.01.01 | 2026-10-17 |
Choosing a curriculum that fits Maryland's rules
If the table names records, an assessment, or subjects, ask which provider keeps grades and which leaves that to you. Online schools usually keep the file. Print curricula usually leave it to the parent. That is a description of the program type, not a ranking. Tuition-free online public schools, such as those powered by K12 Online School or Connections Academy, are available only in some states. Check each provider's site for Maryland. Where a row says the requirement is unknown, do not guess from another state.
Not sure which program fits?
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