Montana Homeschool Laws

To homeschool in Montana, you’ll need to follow the requirements listed below.

1. File a notice of intent to homeschool with the superintendent of schools in the county that your homeschool is located during every school fiscal year (July 1–June 30).
2. Keep attendance and immunization records (or a medical or religious exemption from immunizations), and make these records available to the county superintendent on request.
3. Provide the required hours of instruction, which is at least 720 hours per school fiscal year in grades 1-3 and 1,080 hours per school fiscal year for grades 4-12.
4. Teach the required subjects, which are basic subjects that are required to be taught in Montana public schools. These include:
   • English language arts
   • Math
   • Social studies
   • Science
   • Health
   • Arts
   • Career education

5. Follow all local health and safety regulations in your home

Here you’ll find websites for any questions you may have about education in the state of Montana.

• Montana Office of Public Instruction: https://opi.mt.gov/
• Montana State Government – Education: https://mt.gov/education/
• U.S. Department of Education – Montana: https://www.ed.gov/category/location/montana
• Montana Board of Public Education: https://bpe.mt.gov/
• List of Montana school districts: https://ballotpedia.org/List_of_school_districts_in_Montana

The Montana Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings Account Program offers funding—estimated up to $8,000 per child, per school year—to support the educational needs of students with disabilities. Learn more about Montana’s Special Needs ESA.

Whether you already homeschool in Montana or are looking to do so, these resources are quite useful if you’re searching for support, co-ops, or answers to questions about homeschooling in your state.

• Flathead Homeschool Support and Curriculum: https://www.facebook.com/groups/254913574614001/
• Helena Area Christian Home Educators: https://hachemt.org/
• Montana Coalition of Home Educators (MCHE): https://www.mtche.org/
• 5 Valleys Homeschool Co-op: https://1115816.site123.me/
• Yellowstone Coalition of Home Educators: https://www.yche.org/index.html
• Montana Homeschool Association: https://www.facebook.com/MontanaHomeSchool/
• Homeschooling in Montana: https://www.homeschoolinginmontana.com/support/support-groups
• Groups of Montana Homeschoolers: https://cmoah.wordpress.com/groups-of-homeschoolers-online/
• Montanans Assembling Together for Christian Home Education (MATCHE): https://www.matcheonline.com/

One of the many benefits of homeschooling is the flexibility to explore! Here are some ideas for amazing–and educational–field trips around the great state of Montana!

• American Computer Museum: Bozeman, MT
• Charles M. Bair Family Museum: Martinsdale, MT
• Children’s Museum: Missoula, MT
• Children’s Museum of Bozeman: Bozeman, MT
• ExplorationWorks: Helena, MT
• Fort Peck Field Station of Paleontology: Fort Peck, MT
• Gallatin County Pioneer Museum: Bozeman, MT
• Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center: West Yellowstone, MT
• H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum: Havre, MT
• Historic Fort Benton Heritage Complex: Fort Benton, MT
• Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park: Whitehall, MT
• Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument: Crow Agency, MT
• Makoshika Dinosaur Museum: Glendive, MT
• The Mineral Museum: Butte, MT
• Montana Historical Society Museum: Helena, MT
• Museum of the Plains Indian & Crafts Center: Browning, MT
• Museum of the Rockies: Bozeman, MT
• Museum of Women’s History: Billings, MT
• Pictograph Cave State Park: Billings, MT
• Western Heritage Center: Billings, MT
• World Museum of Mining: Butte, MT
• Yellowstone County Museum: Billings, MT
• ZooMontana: Billings, MT