DE · Homeschool requirements
Low regulation

Homeschooling in Delaware: requirements, laws & how to start

Delaware is low-regulation: homeschools operate as nonpublic schools that report enrollment and attendance to the state each year, with no testing, subject mandates, or curriculum approval.

Homeschooling is legal and straightforward in Delaware. A homeschool operates as a type of nonpublic school, and the ongoing obligation is light: report your enrollment to the Delaware Department of Education near the start of each school year and report attendance at the end of it.

Beyond that reporting, Delaware does not require testing, prescribe subjects, or approve curriculum. Families can register as a single-family homeschool, join a multi-family homeschool, or use a homeschool coordinated with the local district.

What Delaware requires

Options: which legal route to pick

Single-family homeschool: you register your own household — the most common choice. Multi-family homeschool: several families operate under one registration with a designated liaison. Coordinated with the local district: a less-used option where curriculum is coordinated with your district.

Notice & registration

Register your homeschool through the Department of Education's online system and submit the annual enrollment report early in the school year — check the state's current deadline. Report end-of-year attendance when the state's window opens in summer.

Testing, subjects & records

Delaware requires no standardized testing and sets no subject list for homeschools. Keep your own attendance (you will summarize it in the year-end report) plus work samples and course notes for your own benefit.

How to start homeschooling in Delaware
  1. 1

    Create your homeschool registration in the Delaware Department of Education's online system (choose single-family unless you are joining an existing group).

  2. 2

    Withdraw your child from their current school in writing once your registration exists.

  3. 3

    Submit the annual enrollment report by the state's current fall deadline.

  4. 4

    Track attendance during the year so the end-of-year attendance report takes five minutes.

  5. 5

    Pick a curriculum that covers the core subjects and records attendance and progress for you, so both state reports practically fill themselves in.

The record-keeping part, handled.

Whatever Delaware asks for — attendance, subject coverage, progress evidence, transcripts — Cullinan Academy tracks it automatically as your kids learn: verified mastery records, time-on-task, printable transcripts with GPA, and state report templates. No spreadsheet required.

Delaware homeschool FAQs
Does Delaware require homeschool testing?

No. Delaware homeschoolers are not required to take standardized tests.

What do I actually have to report to Delaware?

Two things a year: an enrollment report near the start of the school year and an attendance report at the end. Both are short.

Does Delaware tell me what subjects to teach?

No. There is no state-mandated subject list or curriculum approval for homeschools. Most families cover language arts, math, science, and social studies anyway.

Can several families homeschool together in Delaware?

Yes — the multi-family homeschool option lets multiple households operate under one registration with a designated contact person.

How does my child graduate?

Your homeschool issues its own diploma and transcript. Keep high school course records for college applications.

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This page is general information, not legal advice. Homeschool law changes, and districts sometimes apply it differently. Verify current requirements with your state's department of education or a local homeschool association before filing anything. Content last reviewed 2026-07.

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