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Kansas Homeschool Requirements Checklist

Everything you need to do to homeschool legally in Kansas, based on K.S.A. 72-3120 (compulsory attendance); K.S.A. 72-4345 through 72-4347 (nonaccredited private school registration). Kansas is classified as Low regulation.

This is the general checklist for Nonaccredited Private School. Our free wizard customizes this for your family, including grade, pathway, enrollment status, and IEP.

Your compliance checklist

Do first

File your Notice of Intent

Submit to Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE). Deadline: Before the child begins receiving instruction (one-time registration).

Deadline: Before the child begins receiving instruction (one-time registration)

More details

Parent registers homeschool as a nonaccredited private school with KSDE. Registration is ONE-TIME only — no annual renewal required. Registration includes: school name, address, and name/address of custodian of records. This is a notification, not a request for approval. No fee. KSDE does not review curriculum or assess instructor competency. Online registration available at apps.ksde.gov or by mail.

Withdrawal letter recommended

A formal letter isn't required, but it is recommended if your child is enrolled in school. Send it to public school the child currently attends.

Deadline: Before you start (if enrolled)

More details

Notify the public school in writing that the child is being withdrawn to attend a registered nonaccredited private school. Provide the school name. No waiting period or approval required. Request copies of academic records. Best practice: send via certified mail or obtain signed acknowledgment.

Confirm your qualification

This pathway requires the required qualifications.

Deadline: Before you start

More details

K.S.A. 72-3120(a) requires a 'competent' instructor for private schools. No specific credentials, degrees, certifications, or teaching license required. The Kansas Attorney General has held that teacher certification is not required (AG Opinion 75-409). No formal competency test or assessment. The parent typically serves as instructor. If challenged, the burden would likely be on the state to prove incompetence.

Ongoing

Show your child's progress

Other approved method — annually.

More details

While no standardized testing is required, periodic testing must occur per In re Sawyer and AG Opinion 85-159. Courts consider planning, scheduling, and periodic testing when evaluating compliance. The form and frequency of testing is at the parent's discretion — no scores need to be reported to any authority.

Good news

No specific subjects required

No statutory list of required subjects for nonaccredited private schools. Parents have broad discretion. However, instruction must be 'planned and scheduled' (In re Sawyer, 672 P.2d 1093 (1983)). Covering core academics (reading, language arts, math, science, social studies) is strongly recommended for college readiness and practical purposes, but is not legally mandated.

No instructional time minimums

No minimum hours or days of instruction required.

Filing requirements

What to file
simple notice
Send to
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE)
Deadline
Before the child begins receiving instruction (one-time registration)
How often
one time

Parent registers homeschool as a nonaccredited private school with KSDE. Registration is ONE-TIME only — no annual renewal required. Registration includes: school name, address, and name/address of custodian of records. This is a notification, not a request for approval. No fee. KSDE does not review curriculum or assess instructor competency. Online registration available at apps.ksde.gov or by mail.

K.S.A. 72-4346 (registration of nonaccredited private schools with state board)

Ongoing requirements

Testing and assessment

Accepted types
Other approved method
Frequency
annually

While no standardized testing is required, periodic testing must occur per In re Sawyer and AG Opinion 85-159. Courts consider planning, scheduling, and periodic testing when evaluating compliance. The form and frequency of testing is at the parent's discretion — no scores need to be reported to any authority.

See our full assessment guide for Kansas for details.

In re Sawyer, 672 P.2d 1093 (Kan. 1983); Kansas AG Opinion 85-159

Instructor qualifications

The instructor must have the required qualifications.

K.S.A. 72-3120(a) requires a 'competent' instructor for private schools. No specific credentials, degrees, certifications, or teaching license required. The Kansas Attorney General has held that teacher certification is not required (AG Opinion 75-409). No formal competency test or assessment. The parent typically serves as instructor. If challenged, the burden would likely be on the state to prove incompetence.

K.S.A. 72-3120(a) (competent instructor requirement)

What you don't need to worry about

No specific subjects required

No statutory list of required subjects for nonaccredited private schools. Parents have broad discretion. However, instruction must be 'planned and scheduled' (In re Sawyer, 672 P.2d 1093 (1983)). Covering core academics (reading, language arts, math, science, social studies) is strongly recommended for college readiness and practical purposes, but is not legally mandated.

No instructional time minimums

No minimum hours or days of instruction required.

Related guides

Get your personalized checklist

This is the general checklist for the most common pathway. The wizard customizes it for your family's specific situation, including grade, pathway, and IEP status.

Get your Kansas checklist

Requirements sourced from K.S.A. 72-3120 (compulsory attendance); K.S.A. 72-4345 through 72-4347 (nonaccredited private school registration). Verified against primary legal sources. Last verified: March 2026