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Homeschooling in Oregon

Homeschool rules in Oregon, in plain English

Oregon families who teach at home must send a written notice to their regional Education Service District (ESD) within 10 days of starting, and must send a notice again within 10 days of moving to a new ESD area. Children must take a state-approved standardized test in grades 3, 5, 8 and 10, given by a qualified neutral person (someone not related by blood or marriage) and finished by August 15. Results are kept by the parent and sent to the ESD only if it asks.

See another state

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
Detailed: notices plus tests or reviews
School age
6 through 18, or until the child finishes 12th grade or gets a high school diploma
Time
No set number

Option 1

Home education taught by a parent or legal guardian

Parents or guardians who teach their children at home. No teaching license or degree is required.

  1. Within 10 days of starting to homeschoolPaperwork

    Send your notice of intent to your ESD

    Send a written notice to the Education Service District that covers the school district where you live. It must include the names, addresses and birth dates of you and your child, and the name of the school your child last attended or, if none, your resident school district. Most ESDs take an online form; you can also send a letter or email.

  2. ESD acknowledges within about 90 days of receiving noticePaperwork

    Wait for the ESD's written acknowledgment

    The ESD must confirm receipt in writing. Keep this letter with your records. Some ESDs send a letter that also says when test results are due.

  3. Before the August 15 testing deadlineTesting

    Choose an approved test

    Pick a standardized test from the list approved by the State Board of Education. Arrange for a qualified neutral person to give it. You pay for the test, the administration and the scoring.

  4. By August 15 after grades 3, 5, 8 and 10Testing

    Test at grades 3, 5, 8 and 10

    The test must be given before August 15 following the end of grades 3, 5, 8 and 10. If your child was withdrawn from public or private school, the first test is not due until at least 18 months after withdrawal. If your child never attended school, the first test is due before the end of grade 3.

  5. Within one year of a score below the 15th percentileTesting

    Retest if the score is low

    If the composite score is below the 15th percentile, your child must be tested again within one year. If scores keep declining, the ESD superintendent may require a licensed teacher to supervise the child's education, at the parent's expense, or may order the child back to school for up to 12 months.

  6. OngoingRecords

    Keep the test results

    Keep each test result. Give the results to the ESD only when it asks for them.

  7. Within 10 days of moving to a new ESD areaPaperwork

    Notify a new ESD if you move

    If you move to another ESD area, send a new written notice to the new ESD.

Option 2

Private teacher instruction

Families who hire a private teacher to teach the child at home, rather than the parent teaching. The state law treats this in the same way as home education for notice and testing.

  1. Before you startWho teaches

    Confirm the teacher meets the law's standard

    The law requires instruction by a private teacher for a period equal to what public school children get, covering courses usually taught in kindergarten through grade 12. The sources I read do not list teacher qualifications for this route.

  2. Within 10 days of startingPaperwork

    Send your notice of intent to your ESD

    The private teacher or parent must send a written notice to the ESD for the child's resident district. It must include the names, addresses and birth dates of the parent and child, and the last school attended or resident district.

  3. By August 15 after grades 3, 5, 8 and 10Testing

    Test at grades 3, 5, 8 and 10

    Testing follows the same rules as home education: an approved test, a qualified neutral person, and a finish date of August 15.

  4. OngoingRecords

    Keep the test results

    Keep the results and give them to the ESD only when asked.

Option 3

Private school

Families who enroll a child in a private or parochial school that teaches kindergarten through grade 12 courses for a period equal to public school. Most private schools are not registered with the Oregon Department of Education, and the state does not approve them.

  1. Before the child starts schoolGood to know

    Enroll in a private school that meets the period requirement

    The school must teach courses usually taught in public schools from kindergarten through grade 12, and the child must attend for a period equal to public school. Private schools must meet health, safety, fire and building rules. The state does not generally register them.

  2. OngoingGood to know

    No home education filing is needed

    Children enrolled in a qualifying private school are exempt from public school attendance. The sources I read do not describe any ESD notice or state test for this route.

Subjects to teach

  • The law refers to the courses usually taught in kindergarten through grade 12 in public schools. The sources I read do not list specific required subjects for homeschoolers.

Tests and reviews

Children must take a standardized achievement test from the State Board of Education's approved list in grades 3, 5, 8 and 10. A qualified neutral person must give the test by August 15. The first test is due at least 18 months after withdrawal from school, or before the end of grade 3 if the child never attended school. A composite score below the 15th percentile requires a retest within one year. The parent keeps results and gives them to the ESD only when asked.

Records to keep

  • ESD notice of intent and the ESD's written acknowledgment
  • Standardized test results for grades 3, 5, 8 and 10
  • Any ESD letters about test results or retesting

About time

The state does not set a number of school days or hours for parent-taught homeschool. For a child taught by a private teacher, the law says instruction must cover a period equal to what public school children receive. The sources I read did not give a number of hours for that period.

Also good to know

  • Children who turn 6 after September 1 do not have to enroll or file until the next school year begins.
  • A parent may delay enrolling a child who turned 6 by September 1 for one school year, to better meet the child's development needs, by notifying the district in writing.
  • Students with disabilities who have an IEP and receive special education through the school district are judged on progress under the IEP instead of the standard test. A child with a privately developed plan may have an evaluation report sent to the ESD in place of test results.
  • Under the law, a child who has not been properly registered within 10 days of withdrawal is not in compliance with compulsory attendance.
  • Homeschool records are not kept in the student's permanent public school file, and the state does not keep homeschool records.
  • School districts may allow homeschooled students to take part in interscholastic activities if they meet the district's eligibility rules. The statute sets a test-score condition for this, but I could not confirm the current figure from an official source.

What we couldn’t confirm

  • How long families must keep test results and other records. The sources I read do not state a retention period.
  • The current composite test score needed for interscholastic activity participation under the interscholastic statute.
  • The exact text of the current administrative rule. I could read the rule only through copies and ESD summaries, not the official rule page.
  • Whether the State Board's approved test list has changed recently. Check the current list with your ESD.
  • Whether a district must accept homeschool credits toward a diploma. The sources I read say districts decide case by case.

From Oregon’s own sources

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

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Homeschooling in Oregon

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