How to Start Homeschooling in Maryland

Required hours

No state minimum

Required subjects

8 subjects

Notice

Required each year

Testing / evaluation

Portfolio review

Portfolio

Required

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

Step by step

1. 1

   Understand Maryland's homeschool law

   Maryland 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 Maryland 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, Maryland requires you to file notice of your intent to homeschool. You must notify your local school district. The notice is filed again each school year.

4. 4

   Plan your subjects

   Maryland requires instruction in english, math, science, social studies, art, music, 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

   Maryland 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

   Maryland doesn't require standardized testing. Instead, the local school system reviews the portfolio at the end of each semester, at a time the family and the reviewer agree on, to confirm the student is receiving regular, thorough instruction. COMAR allows no more than three reviews in a school year. Under COMAR 13A.10.01, the portfolio includes materials used for instruction — texts and reading lists — plus student work samples such as writings, worksheets, creative projects, and assessments. It stays at home and is shown at the scheduled review.

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 Maryland-specific compliance report when you need it.

Free Maryland printables

Three ready-to-use PDFs for Maryland homeschoolers. No account needed.

Templates, not legal advice. Confirm the current rule with your state or district.

Free tool

Calculate your homeschool pace

Maryland doesn't set a minimum. If you want a personal target, 900 hours/year is a common one. Enter your end date to see the pace.

What Homeschool Fox tracks for Maryland

The records Maryland asks you to keep, plus the rest of your year, in one place. No spreadsheets, no lost notebooks.

• Required subjects
• Portfolio records
• Portfolio review
• Daily activity logs
• Printable PDF reports
• Progress tracking
• High school transcripts

More Maryland guides

• Maryland Homeschool Requirements Hours, notice, assessment, and subjects at a glance.
• Homeschooling High School in Maryland Credits, GPA, transcripts, and graduation.
• Record Keeping in Maryland What to document, how to organize it, and staying compliant.
• How to Withdraw From School in Maryland The steps, the letter, and timing to avoid truancy issues.
• Moving to Maryland What to file when you arrive and whether your records transfer.
• Required Subjects in Maryland The list, how much time each needs, and proving you taught them.
• Maryland Letter of Intent Who to file with, when it's due, and a free generator.
• Maryland Homeschool Portfolio What belongs in it, who can ask to see it, and a printable checklist.
• Homeschool Testing in Maryland What the state asks for, when, and low-score rules.