Homeschooling in Montana

The homeschool rules in Montana, from official sources: your options, any notice, what to teach and record, testing, official forms, the law and who to contact.

Homeschooling? Classfern Family keeps your plans, tutors’ lessons and records in one place – £40 (about $50) a year for your whole family. What’s in Family

Last checked: October 25, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice – check your state’s official page: Montana official page.

Broad level: Low regulation – our own rough summary, what the levels mean.

Compulsory school age: Age 7 (before the first day of school) until the later of the 16th birthday or completing 8th grade. – MCA 20-5-102(1), as quoted in the OPI Home School Packet (Oct. 2023), checked October 25, 2026.

Your options

Home school under 20-5-109(2) MCA (parent-run, exempt from compulsory enrollment). Nonpublic school under 20-5-109(1) MCA.

Education savings accounts: Montana’s Education Savings Account is only for students with disabilities (HB 393). In late 2025 a district court ruled the law unconstitutional; the judgment was stayed through the 2025–26 school year, and the state has appealed to the Montana Supreme Court (DA 26-0179). Check the Office of Public Instruction before relying on it for 2026–27. See OPI Education Savings Account page.

Notice or letter of intent

Notify the county superintendent of the county where the home school is located, each school fiscal year the child attends. This is annual. It is filed with the county, not with OPI.

Need a letter? See our letter of intent and withdrawal letter templates – but use the official form below if there is one.

Who you deal with locally

In Montana, you deal with the county superintendent of schools for the county where your home school is – not the state Office of Public Instruction.

What you send: A notice to the county superintendent that you are homeschooling.
When: Every school fiscal year your child attends the home school.
Records: Keep attendance records and show them to the county superintendent if asked.
Does it vary?: There is no state form – ask your county superintendent’s office how it wants the notice.
Find your office: Montana OPI: Directory of Montana Schools (includes all county superintendents).

We link to official finders rather than list every district. If your district or county has its own form or deadlines, follow those as well as the state rules above. See which states are handled locally.

Subjects, time, assessment and records

Subjects: An organized course of study that includes the subjects required of public schools in the basic instructional program (20-7-111 MCA).
Days or hours: Minimum aggregate hours under 20-1-301 MCA: 360 hours for half-time K or 720 for full-time K; 720 for grades 1-3; 1,080 for grades 4-12.
Testing or assessment: None required by statute. Under 20-5-111 MCA the parent is solely responsible for evaluation.
Records: Keep attendance records and make them available to the county superintendent on request. Since HB 778 (2025), home schools no longer need to keep immunization records.

Parent qualifications

None stated.

Other rules

Under 20-5-111 MCA the parent is solely responsible for educational philosophy, curriculum, materials, time, place and method of instruction. Since HB 778 (2025), the building health and safety rule applies only to nonpublic schools, not home schools.

Official forms

No state form. The OPI Home School Packet is at OPI Home School Packet (PDF), and notification goes to your county superintendent (ask that office whether it has a form).

The law

20-5-109, 20-5-111, 20-1-301, 20-7-111 MCA; HB 778 (2025) – read the law · Montana HB 778 (2025), enrolled bill

Who to contact

Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) – Parents notify their county superintendent of schools; OPI publishes the Home School PacketNo email published · 406-444-3680 (OPI general) / 406-444-0375 (Home School Packet contact) · Official page · More from this officeWho handles notices: Local district (county superintendent of schools); state OPI gives guidance only – who you deal with locally

Special education and public school classes and sports

Per the OPI packet, registered home-schooled students are treated as parentally placed private school students under IDEA, with no individual right to the special education services they would get in public school (34 CFR 300.137). Child Find applies through the district. Access to public school classes and sports was not stated on the official pages checked.

Federal rules on Child Find and evaluations apply in every state – see special education.

Going back to public school in Montana

To enroll your child in a public school in Montana, contact the enrollment or registration office of your local school district or public school. Ask how it decides grade placement and whether it accepts credits from homeschooling before your child starts, and bring the records you choose to share. We didn’t find a state rule on this for Montana in the official sources we checked – see the Montana official page and ask the district.

See going back to school after homeschooling for what to bring, placement, credits and special education.

Last checked: October 25, 2026. Report a change to this page

Official sources

Last checked against these sources: October 25, 2026.

This is general information, not legal advice – check your state’s official page. This page sums up official sources in our own words. Homeschool laws differ from state to state and can change. Check your state’s official page and your local school district’s guidance, and get qualified advice for your situation. Classfern is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education, any state education agency, school district, College Board, ACT, the GED Testing Service, HiSET, CLT or the Common App.