Minnesota asks for a few specific things. Minnesota sets out a handful of real requirements. None of them are difficult, but the deadlines are genuine and worth putting in a calendar. Here is the whole list.

What you file, and by when

Yes, Minnesota is the most regulated state in this group. Initial report to the superintendent of the district of residence by October 1 of the first school year the child receives instruction after turning seven (or within 15 days of withdrawing a child over seven from public school, within 15 days of moving out of a district, and by October 1 after establishing a new resident district). The initial report must include: the child's name, birth date and address; the annual test(s) intended to be used under § 120A.22, subd. 11; the name of each instructor; and evidence that the instructor meets one of the qualification options in § 120A.22, subd. 10. In every subsequent year, only a letter of intent to continue providing instruction (plus any changes to the above) is due by October 1. The superintendent may offer an electronic form but cannot require electronic submission. Separately, an immunization statement or a properly executed conscientious/medical exemption must be filed with the district (Minn. Stat. § 121A.15).

Days or hours

None specified for home instruction. Minnesota imposes no minimum days or hours on nonpublic/home instruction; § 120A.22, subd. 5 simply requires that children ages 7 through 17 receive instruction. The 165-day public school year does not apply to homeschools.

Subjects you must cover

Minn. Stat. § 120A.22, subd. 9: basic communication skills including reading and writing, literature, and fine arts; mathematics and science; social studies including history, geography, economics, government and citizenship; and health and physical education. All instruction, textbooks and materials must be in English (with limited statutory exceptions). Instructor qualification is also required (subd. 10): hold a valid Minnesota teaching license; be directly supervised by a licensed teacher; successfully complete a teacher competency exam; teach at an accredited school; hold a baccalaureate degree; OR be the child's parent, the parent option is available only if the child is assessed annually under subd. 11.

Records you keep

Required and specific. Under § 120A.24, subd. 2, the person in charge of instruction must maintain documentation that the subjects in § 120A.22, subd. 9 are being taught and proof that the required annual tests were administered. That documentation must include class schedules, copies of instructional materials used, and descriptions of the methods used to assess student achievement. It is not routinely submitted, but must be made available to the county attorney if a compulsory-instruction case is commenced. If the child later enrolls full time in public school, the parent must provide the child's test scores and other education records the district needs for placement. Accredited nonpublic schools are exempt from subd. 2.

Testing or evaluation

Yes. Each year, every child ages 7 through 16 (and 16-17-year-olds for whom an initial report was filed after age 16) who is not enrolled in public school must be assessed with a nationally norm-referenced standardized achievement examination. The superintendent and the person in charge of instruction must AGREE on the specific test, its administration and its location, a real point of friction; get this agreed in writing early. Scores are not reported to the state or district as a matter of course. If the exam does not cover all subject areas in subd. 9, the parent must assess the remaining areas (this applies only to a parent-instructor who does not hold a Minnesota license and is not under a licensed teacher's direct supervision). If the total battery score is at or below the 30th percentile, or one grade level below the level for the child's age, the parent must obtain additional evaluation to determine whether the child has learning problems. Children instructed by an accredited nonpublic school/person/institution are exempt from the testing requirement.

Diplomas and transcripts

Minnesota does not issue a state homeschool diploma; the parent/nonpublic school issues its own diploma and transcript, and there are no state credit or course requirements for it. Practically important: compulsory instruction and the reporting/testing obligations end at 17, so many families file their final letter of intent for the year the student turns 17. Homeschooled students are eligible for Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) in grades 10-12 (Minn. Stat. § 124D.09), a major reason to keep a rigorous transcript, since PSEO admission is by the college and grade-10 entry generally requires a qualifying reading score. Homeschoolers may participate in public school extracurriculars and may access shared-time instruction and some nonpublic pupil aids (textbook/health services aid, Minn. Stat. § 123B.42). The Minnesota K-12 Education Credit and Subtraction (Minn. Stat. § 290.0674) is available to homeschooling families for qualifying instructional expenses, but does NOT cover the cost of the parent's own instruction or, for the credit, textbooks used to teach religious tenets. Minnesota has no ESA or voucher program.

Where this comes from

Statute: Minn. Stat. §§ 120A.22 (subds. 5, 9, 10, 11, 12), 120A.24 (subds. 1-4), 120A.26; see also §§ 121A.15 (immunization), 123B.42, 124D.09, 290.0674

Source: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/120A.24

Last reviewed: July 2026 · our confidence in this entry: high

Homeschool law changes, and a page like this goes stale without announcing it. Check the statute above against your own reading before a filing deadline. If we are out of date, we would rather hear it from you than have you find out at the district office.

Keeping the records is the other half of this. Our Records System has the editable transcript with the GPA already wired, 131 course descriptions, and this same statute-cited summary for all fifty states and DC. Thirty-nine dollars, one household, however many children you have.