Withdrawing from public school
How to Withdraw From School in Maryland
Pulling your child out of public school in Maryland to homeschool is usually a short, one-time process. Here are the steps, the letter you send, and how to time it so the district doesn't flag your child as truant.
Start tracking freeHow withdrawal works in Maryland
If your child is enrolled in a Maryland public school, file the home-instruction notification with the county superintendent at least 15 days before you begin (or enroll under an MSDE-approved umbrella, which files for you), then notify the current school so attendance reflects the change. Keep a copy. Portfolio reviews follow on the county's or umbrella's schedule.
Step by step
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1
Confirm your child is currently enrolled
This guide is for moving a currently enrolled student to homeschooling. If your child has never attended public school in Maryland (a kindergartner you're starting at home, for example), there's usually nothing to withdraw from. A quick call to the school confirms their status.
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2
Send a written withdrawal letter to the school
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.
Download the free Maryland withdrawal letter -
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.
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4
Keep dated copies for your records
Save a copy of the withdrawal letter and anything you file, noting the date you sent it. If the district ever asks about attendance, dated proof that you withdrew on time is what closes the question.
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5
Set up your homeschool
With the withdrawal handled, the rest is starting your homeschool: planning subjects, setting an hours or days target, and keeping records. Your next stop is the how-to-start guide for Maryland.
Read the Maryland how-to-start guide
Free Maryland printables
Two ready-to-use PDFs for Maryland homeschoolers. No account needed.
Templates, not legal advice. Confirm the current rule with your state or district.
What Homeschool Fox tracks for Maryland
Everything Maryland 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
Last verified June 2026 against Maryland's own published requirements. See the sources.
Source pages last confirmed live on Aug 17, 2026.
Homeschool Fox is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Confirm details with your state or a qualified advisor.
More Maryland guides
- Maryland Homeschool Requirements Hours, notice, assessment, and subjects at a glance.
- How to Start Homeschooling in Maryland A step-by-step guide from withdrawal to your first logged day.
- Homeschooling High School in Maryland Credits, GPA, transcripts, and graduation.
- Record Keeping in Maryland What to document, how to organize it, and staying compliant.
- 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 Year End Report What goes in it, when it's due, and who reviews it.
- 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.
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