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Homeschooling in Delaware

Homeschool rules in Delaware, in plain English

In Delaware, a homeschool counts as a nonpublic school, so you register it once with the state Department of Education (DDOE) through its online Nonpublic School system. Each year you report enrollment by September 30 and end-of-year attendance by July 31. The state does not approve your curriculum, test your child, or require a teaching credential.

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This explains each state's homeschool rules in plain English, from the state's own published sources. It isn't legal advice, and we aren't lawyers. Laws change and every family is different, so check with your state, your school district or a lawyer before you rely on it.

How much it asks
Some paperwork
School age
5 through 16
Time
No set number

Option 1

Single-family homeschool

One family teaching its own children, mainly at home. This is the most common option in Delaware.

  1. Before you startPaperwork

    Create an EdAccess account

    Set up an EdAccess account on the state education site and choose the nonpublic school account.

  2. Before you startPaperwork

    Submit the Nonpublic School application

    Log in to EdAccess and complete the online Nonpublic School application for your homeschool. This registers your homeschool with DDOE.

  3. After you registerRecords

    Get your Acknowledgement Letter

    After registering, print the Acknowledgement Letter from the Records tab in the Nonpublic School application. It shows your school is registered and lists enrolled students.

  4. Every year by September 30Paperwork

    Report enrollment

    Submit the annual statement of pupil enrollment through the Nonpublic School system. It reflects who is enrolled as of the last school day in September.

  5. Every year by July 31Paperwork

    Report end-of-year attendance

    Report total days your school was open and days each child attended, using the Nonpublic School system.

  6. OngoingRecords

    Keep attendance records

    Track the days of instruction and attendance for each child so you can complete the July 31 report.

Option 2

Multi-family homeschool

Two or more families who teach their children together, in one or more homes or other facilities, when the children are not all brothers and sisters.

  1. Before you startWho teaches

    Name one liaison

    The families choose one parent to act as liaison to DDOE for all the families involved.

  2. Before you startPaperwork

    Register the multi-family school

    The liaison creates an EdAccess account and submits the Nonpublic School application for the multi-family homeschool.

  3. Every year by September 30Paperwork

    Report enrollment for all families

    The liaison submits the annual statement of pupil enrollment for every child in the group. It reflects enrollment as of the last school day in September.

  4. Every year by July 31Paperwork

    Report end-of-year attendance

    The liaison reports total days the school was open and days each child attended.

  5. OngoingRecords

    Keep attendance records

    Keep attendance records for every child in the group to complete the July 31 report.

Option 3

Single-family homeschool coordinated with the local school district

Families who want the local superintendent to confirm in writing that their homeschool meets the law. Sources conflict on whether this option is still used, so check with your district first.

  1. Before you startWhat to teach

    Request written confirmation from the superintendent

    Ask the local superintendent or designee to approve a curriculum and to state in writing that your child will get regular and thorough instruction from a parent in the subjects public schools teach.

  2. Before you startPaperwork

    Register with DDOE

    Create an EdAccess account and submit the Nonpublic School application, as with any single-family homeschool.

  3. Every year by September 30Paperwork

    Report enrollment

    Submit the annual enrollment statement through the Nonpublic School system.

  4. Every year by July 31Paperwork

    Report end-of-year attendance

    Report total days open and days attended for each child.

Tests and reviews

No state testing, evaluation, portfolio review, or progress report is required of homeschool families, according to DDOE guidance.

Records to keep

  • Attendance record for each child, to complete the July 31 attendance report
  • Copy of your Acknowledgement Letter and the enrollment statements you filed

About time

I found no state minimum number of school days or hours for homeschools. DDOE says it does not set a required number of days for nonpublic schools. Instruction must be regular and thorough.

Also good to know

  • DDOE says that to keep a nonpublic school open, you must register it and report enrollment and attendance every year.
  • DDOE says it does not provide, endorse, accredit, approve, or monitor curriculum for any nonpublic school.
  • DDOE does not issue or validate diplomas for nonpublic school students. Parents decide graduation requirements.
  • The compulsory age is 5 by August 31 of the school year, as DDOE states, through age 16 under the law.
  • If your child attends a private school instead of homeschooling, contact that school to learn its enrollment steps. That is a separate path.

What we couldn’t confirm

  • Sources disagree on the top compulsory age: the statute text I read says 16, while DDOE's page says 18. I listed 16.
  • I could not confirm the official list of subjects that public schools must teach, so I list none.
  • A federal summary says nonpublic schools must teach U.S. and Delaware government and the free enterprise system in grades 8 through 12. I could not confirm this in a Delaware source.
  • I could not confirm how long records must be kept, or whether they must be kept at all.
  • I could not confirm the official forms and steps for withdrawing a child from public school or returning to public school.
  • I could not confirm special education services for homeschooled children from an official source.
  • Some older sources list an October 5 enrollment deadline. The current statute and DDOE say September 30.
  • I could not open the official Delaware Code site, so the statute wording comes from DDOE summaries and a federal summary. Please check the code before relying on details.

From Delaware’s own sources

Last checked against these sources on November 7, 2026. We check every state each week.

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Homeschooling in Delaware

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