Minnesota Homeschool Laws and Requirements
What Minnesota requires, in plain English — and a free way to track it without spreadsheets. Log activities, watch your pace, and generate records when you need them.
The short answer
Minnesota has light but formal homeschool requirements with no mandated hour or day minimums, and you'll file notice with your local school district.
Minnesota at a glance
Verified September 2026- Required hours
- No state minimum
- Required subjects
- 13 subjects
- Notice
- Required each year
- Testing / evaluation
- Standardized testing
- Recordkeeping
- Required
Jump to the full Minnesota requirements for plain-English detail on each of these.
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Calculate your homeschool pace
Minnesota 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.
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What Homeschool Fox tracks for Minnesota
The records Minnesota asks you to keep, plus the rest of your year, in one place. No spreadsheets, no lost notebooks.
- Required subjects
- The records Minnesota asks you to keep
- Standardized testing
- Daily activity logs
- Printable PDF reports
- Progress tracking
- High school transcripts
See it work
Log a homeschool day in seconds
Type or speak what you did in plain English. Homeschool Fox sorts it into subjects, adds up the time, and updates your Minnesota progress automatically.
You write
Homeschool Fox logs
- Reading 45 min
- Math 30 min
- History / Social Studies 20 min
Today's total
1 hr 35 min
Your Minnesota requirements, in plain English
Tap any item for the details.
Notice requirements
Required
Required hours
Flexible
Required subjects
13 subjects
Testing / evaluation
Required
Recordkeeping & portfolio
Records required
Withdrawing from public school
Letter + notice
Full guide
Homeschooling in Minnesota: the complete guide
Homeschool families in Minnesota operate with broad freedom, with the main formality being the notice filed with the appropriate office. Compulsory attendance in Minnesota covers children ages 7-17. The homeschool rules can start or stop at different ages, and the requirements below say when.
Minnesota is one of the rare states where the schedule is entirely up to the family. Some households lean into year-round learning at a relaxed pace; others keep a traditional September-through-May calendar. A personal target of around 900 hours a year gives parents a useful anchor without any legal pressure.
Notice filing is the gateway for Minnesota homeschool families: a short document submitted to your local school district sets the record straight for the year ahead. Check what Minnesota asks the notice to contain before you send it. The contents are set by the state rather than by local preference, and the withdrawal section below names the form Minnesota expects.
Assessment in Minnesota takes the form of standardized testing annually. It's more of a pulse-check on how learning is landing than a pass/fail exam.
The required subjects in Minnesota (reading, writing, literature, fine arts, math, science, history, geography, economics, government, citizenship, health, and physical education) form the backbone of each year's plan, with real freedom in how deeply or creatively each is taught. Keeping Minnesota homeschool records doesn't have to mean spreadsheets and reminder alarms. Homeschool Fox turns everyday logs into a printable record of the year.
Notice requirements
Notice is required
Yes, Minnesota 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.
Need a head start? Use the free Notice of Intent generator to draft your Minnesota filing, then check the withdrawal section below for the form or affidavit Minnesota expects it on.
Deeper guides: how to write a notice of intent to homeschool covers the language admins look for, and when and where to file your notice of intent covers state-by-state deadlines and recipients.
Generate your notice of intentWithdrawing from public school
File your initial report with the superintendent by October 1, or within 15 days of withdrawing mid-year. Under Minn. Stat. 120A.24, subd. 1(a) it gives the child's name, birth date, and address, the annual tests you plan to use, each instructor's name, and evidence of each instructor's qualification. Notify the current school so attendance reflects the change, and keep a copy. Each following year you file a brief letter of intent to continue by October 1.
For the play-by-play, how to withdraw your child from public school walks through the conversation, the timing, and the paperwork. What to send the district when you pull your child covers exactly what the letter should and shouldn't say.
Assessment requirements
Assessment is required
- Type:
- Standardized testing
- Frequency:
- Annually
Standardized testing for homeschoolers walks through which test to choose, where to register, and how to prep.
Portfolio & records
Portfolio not required
Under Minn. Stat. 120A.24, subd. 2, families keep documentation showing each required subject is being taught: class schedules, instructional materials, and how you measure the child's progress. Records come out only if a child re-enrolls in public school or a county attorney opens a case.
Required subjects
Minnesota requires instruction in the following subjects.
Looking for curriculum?
Browse our curriculum directory to find the right fit for your family, then log the year in Homeschool Fox.
Tax credits & deductions
Minnesota gives homeschool families two stackable tax mechanisms — the K-12 Education Credit (Minn. Stat. 290.0674) and the K-12 Education Subtraction (Minn. Stat. 290.01 subd. 19b). Both are homeschool-eligible.
The Credit is income-tested and refundable, paying up to $1,500 per child for qualifying expenses (curriculum, instructional materials, tutoring, music lessons, computer hardware/software, and certain extracurriculars). Phase-out begins around $33,500 of household income.
The Subtraction has no income limit. It reduces Minnesota taxable income by up to $1,625 per child in grades K-6 and up to $2,500 per child in grades 7-12 for the same categories of expenses. Most homeschool families qualify for the Subtraction even if they income out of the Credit. Claim both on Schedule M1ED — they stack on the same expenses up to each program's caps. Keep receipts for at least three and a half years.
Deeper guides: homeschool tax credits and deductions by state for 2026 covers every state with a credit, and are homeschool expenses tax-deductible — an honest breakdown covers the boundaries on what counts and which gimmicks to avoid.
Tax laws change. Check your Minnesota Department of Revenue page (or talk to a CPA) before filing — the figures above reflect our last verified review (September 2026).
Additional notes
Minnesota requires an annual nationally norm-referenced achievement test (Minn. Stat. 120A.22, subd. 11). You keep the results and don't submit them. By October 1 each year you send the superintendent a letter of intent to continue (120A.24, subd. 1(b)).
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to notify anyone to homeschool in Minnesota?
How many hours do I need to homeschool in Minnesota?
Does Minnesota require testing for homeschoolers?
Do I need to keep a portfolio in Minnesota?
What subjects must I teach in Minnesota?
Nearby states
View all statesHow Minnesota compares
Nine rules side by side with the states families move between most, and what changes in each direction.
- Minnesota vs Florida (6 rules differ)
- Minnesota vs Iowa (5 rules differ)
- Minnesota vs North Dakota (4 rules differ)
- Minnesota vs South Dakota (5 rules differ)
- Minnesota vs Wisconsin (6 rules differ)
Want the cross-state comparison? Homeschool laws by state covers the legal regime in every state side by side.
Free Minnesota printables
Three ready-to-use PDFs for Minnesota homeschoolers. No account needed.
Templates, not legal advice. Confirm the current rule with your state or district.
Get notified when Minnesota changes its rules
We track Minnesota's statute and department pages and email you when the requirements move. Free, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
Minnesota last verified September 25, 2026.
Reviewed and sourced
Last verified: September 2026. We review Minnesota's requirements against official sources and update this page when the rules change.
Our monitor last confirmed the source pages were live on Sep 28, 2026.
Sources
Homeschool Fox is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. We turn public homeschool requirements into practical tracking tools for families. Always confirm details with your state or a qualified advisor.
More Minnesota guides
Minnesota in context: one of 16 states that require testing or evaluation · one of 36 states that require notice · one of 31 states that name required subjects.
- How to Start Homeschooling in Minnesota A step-by-step guide from withdrawal to your first logged day.
- Homeschooling High School in Minnesota Credits, GPA, transcripts, and graduation.
- Record Keeping in Minnesota What to document, how to organize it, and staying compliant.
- How to Withdraw From School in Minnesota The steps, the letter, and timing to avoid truancy issues.
- Moving to Minnesota What to file when you arrive and whether your records transfer.
- Public School Sports in Minnesota Whether homeschoolers can play, what it takes, and who to ask.
- Required Subjects in Minnesota The list, how much time each needs, and proving you taught them.
- Minnesota Letter of Intent Who to file with, when it's due, and a free generator.
- Homeschool Testing in Minnesota What the state asks for, when, and low-score rules.
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