Homeschooling in Wisconsin? Here’s your plan.

Wisconsin is a low-regulation state, and the process reflects that. Under Wis. Stat. 118.167, you file Form PI-1206 with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction by October 15 each year. The form asks for basic information: your program name and address, each child's name and date of birth, your school district, and a statement that you will provide at least 875 hours of instruction in a sequentially progressive curriculum. That is all the state needs from you — no curriculum plans, no test scores, no evaluations, and no end-of-year reports.

Your curriculum must cover six subjects: reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and health. "Sequentially progressive" means instruction builds on previous knowledge and advances in complexity year over year, but you have total freedom in choosing materials and approaches. There are no state standards to follow and no textbooks to use. The 875 hours can be structured however you choose — evenings, weekends, year-round, or a traditional schedule.

Wisconsin provides strong statutory access to extracurricular activities. Under Wis. Stat. 118.133, school boards must allow homeschool students residing in the district to participate in interscholastic athletics and extracurricular activities on the same basis as enrolled students. However, there is no statutory right to take individual public school academic courses part-time — access to classes is at the local school board's discretion.

Nearly all Wisconsin homeschool families use the Home-Based Private Educational Program (HBPEP) under Wis. Stat. 118.167 — it is the pathway designed specifically for families teaching their children at home. A separate Private School pathway exists under Wis. Stat. 118.165 with the same subject and 875-hour requirements, but it is structured as an institutional school and is uncommon for single-family homeschooling. Some families form small group private schools under this statute, though co-op arrangements require careful attention to legal structure.

File Form PI-1206 by October 15. This is the annual deadline — file with the DPI, not your local school district. If you begin homeschooling mid-year, file immediately before your child leaves public school. The form is available online at the DPI website.

Track your 875 hours. While logging is not legally required, keeping a basic record of instructional time is prudent. You can structure those hours any way you choose — there is no minimum daily or weekly requirement.

Understand the co-op limitations. Wisconsin is unusually strict here. Multi-family instruction falls outside the home-based private educational program statute under Wis. Stat. 118.165. Social groups, field trips, and enrichment activities are fine, but regular instructional co-ops technically do not qualify as HBPEPs.

Extracurricular access is guaranteed by law. Under Wis. Stat. 118.133, school boards must allow HBPEP students to participate in interscholastic athletics and extracurricular activities on the same basis as enrolled students. The school may charge the same participation fees it charges enrolled students.

Prepare transcripts early for college. The UW system generally requires ACT/SAT scores and parent-generated transcripts. Wisconsin does not issue a state homeschool diploma — you issue your own.

Know the special education landscape. IEP services end when you withdraw from public school. Your child is entitled to a Child Find evaluation through the district, but ongoing services are not guaranteed. The Special Needs Scholarship Program (Wis. Stat. 115.7915) provides vouchers for students with disabilities to attend participating private schools, but it is not available for HBPEPs.

No immunization requirements for HBPEPs. Because home-based programs are not considered traditional "schools," state immunization mandates generally do not apply — though they may apply if your child participates part-time in public school activities.