Oregon Homeschool Requirements

Under ORS §339.035, parents who choose to provide home instruction must notify their local Education Service District (ESD) within 10 days of establishing the home instruction program. Annual re-registration is required by October 1 of each school year. The notification must include the child's name, age, address, and the parent or guardian's name and address. The ESD must acknowledge receipt of the notification. Unlike Ohio, Oregon does not require the notification to be approved — it is a simple filing requirement. ORS §339.030 provides the broader framework for compulsory attendance from which home instruction is exempt upon proper notification.

ORS §339.035 requires that home instruction address the same subjects required by Oregon public schools under the essential learning requirements established by the Oregon State Board of Education. Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) 581-021-0026 specifies the required subject areas, which include: English/language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, health education, physical education, and the arts. Parents have flexibility in the curriculum, materials, and methods used to address these subjects. The Oregon Department of Education does not approve or review homeschool curricula prior to use. Parents must be able to demonstrate coverage of required subjects as part of any assessment process.

Unlike Ohio and Pennsylvania, Oregon's home instruction statute ORS §339.035 does not specify a minimum number of instructional hours or school days. The Oregon Department of Education does not impose an hours requirement on home educators. The focus is on whether the required subjects are being addressed and whether students demonstrate adequate academic progress through the periodic assessment requirements. This gives Oregon homeschoolers significant flexibility in how they structure their school day and year. The absence of an hours requirement is a relatively permissive feature of Oregon's otherwise moderate regulatory framework.

ORS §339.035(4) requires that home-educated students in Oregon be tested in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10 using a standardized test approved by the Oregon Department of Education. The test must be administered by a qualified neutral party (not the parent). Test results must be submitted to the local Education Service District. If a student scores at or below the 15th percentile on the standardized test, the ESD may require the parent to develop a remediation plan. ORS §339.035(5) gives the ESD authority to require further evaluation if test results indicate the child is not making adequate progress. Approved tests include the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Stanford Achievement Test, and others on the ODE-approved list.

ORS §339.035 requires Oregon home educators to maintain records of the home instruction program, particularly standardized test results which must be submitted to the local ESD at grades 3, 5, 8, and 10. Beyond test results, there is no specific statutory requirement detailing what records must be kept, though practical compliance with subject coverage requirements necessitates some form of record. The Oregon Department of Education recommends that parents keep records of curriculum used, samples of student work, and any assessments administered. If an ESD requests information about a home instruction program, parents should be prepared to demonstrate compliance with ORS §339.035.

ORS §339.035 does not specify any minimum educational qualifications for parents providing home instruction. Oregon has no requirement that home-educating parents hold a teaching certificate, college degree, or even a high school diploma. This is more permissive than Ohio, which requires at least a high school diploma. The Oregon Department of Education has confirmed that no credential or qualification verification is required as part of the home instruction notification or registration process. Oregon's approach reflects a parental rights philosophy that does not require government validation of a parent's ability to teach their own children.

ORS §433.267 requires children attending public or private schools to be immunized against certain diseases. However, home-educated children are not attending school and thus fall outside the scope of this requirement. Oregon has one of the more complex immunization law landscapes in the nation, with ORS §433.273 allowing non-medical exemptions for school-attending children. None of these provisions apply to home educators. If a home-educated child later enrolls in a public school, they would become subject to school immunization requirements at that time. The Oregon Health Authority maintains recommended immunization schedules, but these are not mandatory for home-educated children.

Under the federal IDEA (20 U.S.C. §1412) and its Oregon implementing regulations, public school districts in Oregon have child find obligations for all children with disabilities in their jurisdiction, including home-educated children. ORS §343.035 governs special education in Oregon public schools. Home-educated children whose parents request an evaluation must be evaluated by the district at no cost. If found eligible, the district must offer FAPE. However, parents who choose to continue home education may access parentally-placed private school services (proportionate share services) but are not entitled to all services they would receive if enrolled. The local ESD is the primary contact for requesting special education evaluations for home-educated children.

When withdrawing a child from Oregon public school to begin home instruction, parents should provide written notice to the school of the intent to withdraw and then submit the required notification to the local ESD within 10 days under ORS §339.035. The school district must process the withdrawal upon receipt of parental notification. Students returning to public school from home education in Oregon are subject to standard district enrollment procedures. Districts may request documentation of the child's academic progress for grade placement purposes, but there is no state law specifying what evidence must be provided. The district makes the final determination on grade placement.

ORS §339.010 establishes that all children between 6 and 18 years of age are subject to compulsory school attendance requirements in Oregon. ORS §339.030 provides exemptions, including for children receiving home instruction in compliance with ORS §339.035. Children who have turned 18 or who have graduated from high school are exempt from compulsory attendance. Children under 6 are not subject to compulsory attendance and may be home educated without ESD notification. Parents who fail to comply with compulsory attendance requirements face potential legal consequences including fines and criminal charges in extreme cases.

Oregon public school graduation requirements are set under ORS §329.465 and OAR 581-022-1130, which require demonstrated proficiency in essential skills and completion of required credits. These requirements apply to public school students only. Home-educated students do not receive a state-issued diploma. Parents may prepare and issue a private diploma and transcript that can be used for college admissions and employment applications. Home-educated students may take the GED examination. Oregon University System and Oregon community colleges each have their own admissions policies for home-educated applicants, often requiring SAT/ACT scores, parent-prepared transcripts, and sometimes portfolio materials.

Oregon has not enacted a law equivalent to Ohio's allowing home-educated students to participate in public school extracurricular activities and interscholastic athletics. The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA), which governs high school athletics and activities, requires that students be enrolled full-time in the school they represent. This effectively bars most home-educated students from participating in interscholastic sports. Individual school districts and schools may have discretionary policies allowing home-educated students to participate in non-competitive activities such as band, choir, or clubs, but this is not required by state law. Home-educating families seeking participation should contact their local school district and the OSAA directly.