Illinois vs Missouri: Homeschool Laws Compared

Illinois and Missouri sit in the same tier: both require no notice to homeschool. They still differ on 5 of the 9 rules compared: hours or days per year, required subjects, the portfolio, compulsory school ages, and ESA funding.

Rules compared

9

Differences

5

Same in both

4

The rules, side by side

Rows where the two states differ are marked. Tap a state name for its full guide, deadlines, and sources.

Figures are the same verified compliance data shown on each state's page. Requirements change; confirm with your state before you rely on one.

Moving from Illinois to Missouri

Once you are a Missouri resident you homeschool under Missouri's rules. These are the ones that change.

1. Start logging from your first day: Missouri counts 1,000 hours a year, and Illinois set no minimum.
2. Missouri's required list adds reading and drops fine arts, health, and physical education compared with Illinois's. Match Missouri's wording in your records.
3. Keep a portfolio of dated work samples: Missouri requires one and Illinois did not.
4. Compulsory school ages are 7-17 in Missouri against 6-17 in Illinois, so check whether your youngest or oldest is now inside or outside the rule.
5. Missouri runs MOScholars (with Family Paced Education option). Check whether your family qualifies; Illinois had no comparable program.

Moving from Missouri to Illinois

Once you are a Illinois resident you homeschool under Illinois's rules. These are the ones that change.

1. Illinois sets no hour or day minimum. Keep the log anyway; it is what you show if anyone asks, and what you build a transcript from.
2. Illinois's required list adds fine arts, health, and physical education and drops reading compared with Missouri's. Match Illinois's wording in your records.
3. Illinois does not require a portfolio. Bring Missouri's with you anyway; it is your proof of progress if a question ever comes up.
4. Compulsory school ages are 6-17 in Illinois against 7-17 in Missouri, so check whether your youngest or oldest is now inside or outside the rule.
5. Illinois has no ESA program. Missouri's MOScholars (with Family Paced Education option) is for Missouri residents, so budget without it.

What stays the same

Illinois and Missouri match on notice of intent, testing or evaluation, progress reports, and public school sports access. Your habits on those carry over unchanged.

Do your records transfer?

Neither Illinois nor Missouri takes homeschool records from another state, and there is no transfer process between them. You keep your own: the hours or attendance log, work samples, and any grades or transcripts. Those are what the new state, and later a college, may ask to see. Homeschool Fox keeps them in one account that moves with your family.

Keep comparing

• Arizona vs Illinois 5 rules differ
• Arkansas vs Missouri 5 rules differ
• California vs Illinois 5 rules differ
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• Illinois vs Indiana 5 rules differ
• Illinois vs Kentucky 5 rules differ
• Illinois vs Tennessee 4 rules differ
• Illinois vs Wisconsin 5 rules differ
• Iowa vs Missouri 3 rules differ
• Kansas vs Missouri 6 rules differ
• Kentucky vs Missouri 7 rules differ
• Missouri vs Nebraska 6 rules differ
• Missouri vs Oklahoma 5 rules differ
• Missouri vs Tennessee 5 rules differ
• States With Homeschool Hour and Day Requirements All 21 states in one table
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• States That Require a Homeschool Portfolio All 6 states in one table