How to Start Homeschooling in Massachusetts

Required hours

No state minimum

Required subjects

11 subjects

Notice

Required

Testing / evaluation

Parent's choice (testing, portfolio, or evaluation)

Recordkeeping

Recommended

Jump to the full Massachusetts requirements for plain-English detail on each of these.

Step by step

1. 1

   Understand Massachusetts's homeschool law

   Massachusetts has light but formal homeschool requirements with no mandated hour or day minimums, and you'll file notice with your local school district.

2. 2

   Withdraw from public school (if enrolled)

   Moving a child from public school to homeschool in Massachusetts starts with a written withdrawal to the current school and a notice of intent to the local district. Together they put the new arrangement on record. Homeschool Fox can draft the withdrawal letter for you. It fills in the student, district, and date fields automatically.

3. 3

   File your notice of intent

   Yes, Massachusetts requires you to file notice of your intent to homeschool. You must notify your local school district.

4. 4

   Plan your subjects

   Massachusetts requires instruction in the following subjects: reading, writing, english grammar, geography, arithmetic, drawing, music, united states history, citizenship, health, and physical education. Beyond these requirements, you have flexibility to add subjects that interest your family.

5. 5

   Set your hours or days target

   Massachusetts does not mandate a specific number of instructional hours. Families have flexibility in determining their own schedule and pace of learning.

6. 6

   Plan for assessment and records

   Massachusetts has no statewide assessment rule. Under *Care & Protection of Charles* (the 1987 case DESE cites as controlling), your local superintendent or school committee approves a plan that covers subjects, materials, duration, methods, and evaluation. Common evaluation methods include a standardized test, dated work samples or a portfolio, or a written progress report — which specific one applies is worked out with your district.

7. 7

   Track your hours and keep records

   Log activities as they happen so hours, attendance, and subject coverage build up automatically. Homeschool Fox lets you log from your phone or by voice and generates a Massachusetts-specific compliance report when you need it.

Free tool

Calculate your homeschool pace

Massachusetts doesn't mandate a minimum. Use 900 hours/year as a general guide to stay on pace.

What Homeschool Fox tracks for Massachusetts

Everything Massachusetts expects you to keep, in one place — no spreadsheets, no lost notebooks.

• Required hours or days
• Required subjects & core hours
• Daily activity logs
• Attendance records
• Notes & portfolio records
• Printable PDF reports
• High school transcripts
• State-specific progress tracking

More Massachusetts guides

• Massachusetts Homeschool Requirements Hours, notice, assessment, and subjects at a glance.
• Homeschooling High School in Massachusetts Credits, GPA, transcripts, and graduation.
• Record Keeping in Massachusetts What to document, how to organize it, and staying compliant.