How to Start Homeschooling in South Dakota

Yes. Homeschooling is fully legal in South Dakota, and it has been for a long time. SDCL Chapter 13-27 provides a dedicated legal framework called "alternative instruction." This is not a loophole or a workaround. The law specifically recognizes your right to educate your child at home.

South Dakota is one of the lowest-regulation homeschool states in the country. Your notification is informational only. The superintendent has no authority to approve or deny your decision (SDCL 13-27-7). You tell the district what you are doing. You do not ask for permission. No one reviews your curriculum, grades your child, or sets foot in your home. You have every right to do this.

South Dakota requires education for children ages 5 through 18 (SDCL 13-27-1). Children who are at least 5 but not older than 6 by September 1, or any child at least 6 years old, must receive instruction. All children must attend kindergarten prior to age 7.

This means kindergarten-age children are subject to compulsory attendance, including through alternative instruction. If you have a 5-year-old, you will need to file your notification and begin instruction.

The compulsory age runs through 18 or high school graduation, whichever comes first. South Dakota raised this upper limit to 18 in 2010, which is longer than many states that stop at 16. Your one-time notification remains in effect until your child turns 18, graduates, or re-enrolls in public or nonpublic school. A 17-year-old homeschooler is still subject to compulsory attendance.

One special provision worth knowing: families with sincerely held religious beliefs may be exempt from compulsory attendance for children who have completed 8th grade (SDCL 13-27-7). This is an unusual accommodation that very few states offer.

Here is how to start homeschooling in South Dakota. Follow these steps and you will be fully compliant with South Dakota homeschool laws.

Step 1: Write your notification letter. Send it to the South Dakota Department of Education or your local school district within 30 days of beginning alternative instruction (SDCL 13-27-7; SDCL 13-27-8). Include these six items: your child's name, age or date of birth, and address. The name and address of the person providing instruction. A statement that your child will receive alternative instruction. The child's grade level.

Step 2: File within 30 days. File the notification within 30 days of beginning alternative instruction (SDCL 13-27-7). The South Dakota DOE provides a standard form and online notification system at doe.sd.gov/oatq/homeschool.aspx. A letter with all six items also works.

Step 3: Withdraw from school (if enrolled). If your child is currently in school, file your notification and withdraw at the same time. Submit the notification first or alongside the withdrawal notice. No waiting period exists between filing and beginning instruction. Once your notification is in, you can start teaching that same day. Keep copies of every document.

Step 4: Teach language arts and math. These are the only two subjects required by SDCL 13-27-3. Language arts covers reading and writing. You choose your own curriculum and materials. No one reviews or approves them. Most families teach science, history, and the arts too. The law only requires these two.

Step 5: Cover at least 175 days. Your instructional year must match the equivalent number of days on your local public school calendar, typically 175 days (SDCL 13-27-3.1). The "equivalent time" language gives you real flexibility. Longer days over fewer days works. Shorter sessions across more days works too. Structure your week however fits your family.

Step 6: Update when needed. Your notification stays active unless your child re-enrolls in public or nonpublic school, moves to a new school district, or begins or stops dual credit participation (SDCL 13-27-8). If any of those things happen, file an updated notification. Otherwise, your original filing covers you.

Your only required document is a one-time notification to the South Dakota Department of Education or your local school district. One letter. Once per child.

Include these items: your child's name, age or date of birth, and address. The name and address of the instructor. A statement that your child will receive alternative instruction. The child's grade level (SDCL 13-27-7; SDCL 13-27-8).

The South Dakota DOE publishes a standard form at doe.sd.gov/oatq/homeschool.aspx. You can also write a plain letter covering the same items. Either format satisfies the law. This is a notification, not an application. The superintendent cannot deny it.

Beyond this letter, South Dakota requires nothing else. No progress reports. No curriculum descriptions. No test results. No attendance logs. No annual renewal. That is the full extent of your paperwork obligation. You only need to file an updated notification if your child re-enrolls in school, moves to a new district, or changes dual credit status.

South Dakota keeps its subject requirements remarkably simple. Under SDCL 13-27-3, you must teach two subjects: language arts (including reading and writing) and mathematics. That is the legal minimum.

Two subjects. Most states require five or more. South Dakota trusts you to build a complete education for your child. Science, history, the arts, physical education -- these all matter for your child's growth and future. But the law does not mandate them. You decide what else to include based on your child's needs and interests.

You choose your own curriculum and materials. No approved textbook list exists. No one reviews what you teach or how you teach it. You have complete freedom over your educational approach. That freedom is one of the best parts of homeschooling in South Dakota.

One rule matters for co-ops: a single alternative instructor may not teach more than 22 children (SDCL 13-27-3). If your co-op has 15 students and one lead teacher, you are fine. If a group exceeds 22 under one instructor, split into smaller groups or add instructors to stay compliant.

Teach at least 175 days per year, matching the equivalent number of days on your local public school calendar (SDCL 13-27-3.1). The statute does not set a minimum number of hours per day.

The "equivalent time" language gives you genuine scheduling freedom. Teach focused five-hour days four times a week. Or do shorter sessions six days a week. Year-round schooling with breaks works too. As long as your total instruction time is comparable to the public school year, you are meeting the requirement.

South Dakota does not require you to track attendance or submit logs to anyone. But keeping a simple calendar where you mark each instruction day is a wise habit. If a question ever comes up, you have a clear record.

South Dakota offers two pathways for home education. Both share the same core requirements.

Pathway 1: Alternative Instruction (SDCL Chapter 13-27). This is the standard pathway and the one most families use. File your one-time notification. Teach language arts and math. Cover 175 days. No testing. No monitoring. No additional reporting. This is individual homeschooling as most people think of it.

Pathway 2: Alternative Instruction Program (SDCL 13-27-1.1). A more formalized structure designed for organized programs rather than individual families. Same subjects, same 175 days, same one-time notification. If you are a family homeschooling your own children, Pathway 1 is almost certainly the right choice.

The distinction exists because South Dakota law separates individual families from structured multi-family programs. For practical purposes, pick Pathway 1 unless you are running or joining a formal program.

Here are the details that make South Dakota homeschool laws unique. These are the things other guides often miss.

Use the right legal terminology. South Dakota statutes say "alternative instruction," not "homeschool." Use this term when writing to your superintendent or school officials. It is the legal name for what you are doing. Using the correct language shows you know the law and prevents unnecessary confusion.

Your child can play sports and join school activities. South Dakota law requires public school districts to let alternative instruction students participate in athletics, fine arts, and extracurricular activities. Your child follows the same eligibility rules and training requirements as enrolled students. One restriction: a student who leaves public school mid-semester cannot participate in activities that same semester as an alternative instruction student. Contact your district's activities director early in the season to get registered.

No teaching credentials needed. You do not need a teaching certificate, a college degree, or any credential at all. Any parent, guardian, or person the parent designates can provide instruction. South Dakota places zero qualification requirements on instructors. You are already qualified.

Re-notify when you move. If your family moves to a new school district within South Dakota, file a fresh notification with the new superintendent right away. Your old notification does not transfer between districts.

Start college planning in 9th grade. South Dakota Board of Regents schools -- SDSU, USD, Northern State, and others -- have specific admission rules for homeschooled students. They typically want ACT or SAT scores, a parent-prepared transcript, and documentation of your program. You issue the diploma yourself. South Dakota recognizes parent-issued diplomas. A GED or HiSET also works. Contact your target school's admissions office early for their current requirements.

Special needs families: partial enrollment is your best tool. South Dakota does not guarantee special education services for homeschooled students beyond evaluation through federal Child Find. However, an Attorney General opinion clarified that public schools must accept alternative instruction students for partial enrollment. This is the primary way to access services like speech therapy or occupational therapy. Contact your local district to ask about partial enrollment options. You do not have to navigate this alone.

Religious families have extra protections. Beyond the testing exemption (SDCL 13-27-11), South Dakota allows families with sincerely held religious beliefs to be exempt from compulsory attendance entirely for children who have completed 8th grade (SDCL 13-27-7). Very few states offer anything like this.

No ESA program yet. South Dakota does not have an education savings account for homeschoolers as of 2026. Two ESA bills (HB 1009 and HB 1020, proposing roughly $3,000 to $7,400 per student) were killed by the House Education Committee in January 2025. The existing Partners in Education Tax Credit Program funds private school scholarships only, not homeschool expenses.

You are not alone in this. The South Dakota Home School Association (sdhsa.org) is the statewide organization. They help families navigate requirements and connect with other homeschoolers across the state. Reach out early. The homeschool community in South Dakota is welcoming.