Illinois Homeschool Requirements

Illinois treats home schools as 'private schools' under 105 ILCS 5/26-1. No state or local form, license, or permit is required to begin or continue home schooling. ISBE no longer collects any homeschool forms. The agency recommends that parents notify the child's current school in writing when withdrawing to home school (to prevent truancy reports), and Regional Offices of Education may have voluntary notification forms, but none of this is legally mandated. Chicago Public Schools also offers a voluntary form for Chicago residents.

Under 105 ILCS 5/26-1 and 105 ILCS 5/27-1, home schools must offer instruction in the English language in: language arts, mathematics, biological and physical sciences, social sciences (social studies), fine arts, and physical development and health. There are no required specific courses within those subjects (e.g., no specific requirement for Algebra 2, chemistry, or civics). Parents design their own program. No state-approved curriculum or textbook list is required.

According to ISBE's official guidance, 'there are no requirements for the number of school days or the length of a school day for homeschool students. Classes can occur any day of the week and at any time during the day.' This is confirmed by the absence of any such requirement in 105 ILCS 5/26-1. ISBE encourages families to create consistent schedules, especially if the child may return to public school, but this is advisory only.

Illinois requires no standardized testing, portfolio review, or any other assessment of home-schooled students. ISBE's official guidance confirms: 'Graduation requirements, homework, testing, grade advancement, textbook/curriculum choice, recordkeeping, etc. are all decisions that the homeschool parent or guardian will make.' There is no state or district mechanism to compel academic evaluation of home-schooled children outside a truancy or educational neglect investigation.

No Illinois statute or regulation requires home-schooling families to keep attendance records, portfolios, or any other documentation. ISBE guidance states: 'Although there are no specific recordkeeping requirements, you are strongly encouraged to keep good records of your homeschool program. If you are ever asked for proof of your child's education (such as when re-enrolling in public school), it is your responsibility to provide documentation, such as report cards, syllabi, attendance logs, standardized test results, etc.' The burden to prove education is on the parent only if a truancy investigation is initiated.

105 ILCS 5/26-1 allows compulsory attendance to be satisfied by a private school, which under Illinois law and court interpretation includes a home school operated by a parent. No provision of Illinois law requires the home-schooling parent to hold a teaching certificate, a bachelor's degree, or even a high school diploma. Illinois courts have historically treated home schools as private schools and have not imposed credential requirements. See People v. Levisen, 404 Ill. 574 (1950), establishing the private school equivalency framework.

Under 105 ILCS 5/27-8.1, immunization certificates are required for children attending public or private schools. Because Illinois treats home schools as private schools, there is a legal question about applicability; in practice, ISBE does not require home-schooling families to file immunization records with any authority. Families who enroll in part-time public school courses or extracurricular activities through a public school may face immunization documentation requirements from the local district.

105 ILCS 5/14 (Special Education) provides services for children enrolled in public schools and, under IDEA's parentally-placed private school provisions, for some children in private schools. However, since Illinois home schools are treated as private schools rather than public schools, home-schooled children with disabilities are not automatically entitled to an IEP or placement in a public school program. Under IDEA's proportionate share requirements, some services may be available to parentally-placed private school students, but this depends on the local district's policies. Families seeking full IDEA services must enroll the child in the public school.

ISBE guidance states: 'The agency recommends that you notify your child's current school, preferably in writing, that you are withdrawing them to homeschool...but this is not mandatory. The key point is to make sure your child's current school knows they will not be showing up for class so that they are not reported missing or truant.' Under 105 ILCS 5/26-1, truancy investigation may be triggered by a report to the Regional Office of Education. A home-schooling parent who is investigated must be able to demonstrate that a bona fide home school program offering the required subjects is operating. ISBE notes that school districts must list withdrawn students who may be home schooling on a quarterly truancy report if there is concern about whether a genuine program exists.

105 ILCS 5/26-1 sets the compulsory school age. As noted by ISBE, 'the compulsory school age has been 6–17 since school year 2014–15. A child is no longer considered of compulsory school attendance age upon turning 17.' Attendance at a private school, which includes a home school under Illinois law, satisfies the compulsory attendance requirement. There is a nuance: some local school board policies may set the lower bound at 7 depending on implementation, but the statutory minimum is age 6.

There are no Illinois statutory graduation requirements for home schools. ISBE guidance confirms: 'Graduation requirements...are all decisions that the homeschool parent or guardian will make.' Parents may issue their own diploma upon completing their home school program. Colleges may have their own admission requirements and ISBE 'strongly encourages' home-schoolers to follow the same graduation requirements as public schools if college enrollment is planned. The GED is available through Illinois Community Colleges for students meeting age requirements.

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) By-law 3.011 permits home-schooled students to participate in interscholastic sports if: (1) the student is enrolled at the member school; (2) the student is taking and passing at least one credit-bearing course at the school; (3) the student is taking and passing a minimum combined total of 25 credit hours per week (equivalent to five 0.5-credit courses) either at the school or in an approved program; (4) the school grants credit toward graduation for all work; (5) the student meets all IHSA eligibility requirements; and (6) the student pays applicable tuition and fees. The IHSA Fact Sheet states 'IHSA By-laws do not prohibit participation in interscholastic athletics by home schooled students at IHSA member high schools. On the other hand, IHSA By-laws also do not mandate that member schools permit home schooled students to participate.' The decision is ultimately left to the individual local school.