Homeschooling in Mississippi

Compulsory school age generally includes children who turn 6 on or before September 1 and have not turned 17 on or before that date. It also includes a child who turns 5 by September 1 and enrolls in full-day public kindergarten.

Submit a Certificate of Enrollment annually to the School Attendance Officer (SAO) where the child lives. Current MDE guidance and amended section 37-13-91 establish August 15 as the deadline (superseding an older July 2020 FAQ date of September 15). The certificate identifies the child, parent/guardian, contact details, birth date, resident district, a simple description of the education, school name/address when applicable, and signature and date.

A midyear start requires filing the certificate at that time and coordinating withdrawal and the certificate with the SAO. MDE's FAQ recommends notifying the former public school of withdrawal.

A home instruction program must be legitimate and cannot be established to circumvent compulsory attendance.

State law summary identifies no homeschool teacher qualification requirements.

State law summary identifies no mandated subjects. Planning recommendations suggest providing reading, writing, mathematics, science, social studies, and electives.

There is no fixed number of instructional days for homeschools, and families should not treat the public school 180-day requirement as a fixed homeschool mandate.

State law summary identifies no standardized testing requirement for homeschool programs.

Parents should retain a copy of the Certificate of Enrollment and confirmation of receipt. MDE recommends maintaining a portfolio with assignments, projects, assessment evidence, and a reading and materials log, especially for potential public school reentry.