Wyoming Homeschool Requirements

Wyo. Stat. §21-4-102(b) historically required every person administering a home-based educational program to 'submit a curriculum to the local board of trustees each year showing that the program complies with the requirements of this subsection. Failure to submit a curriculum showing compliance is prima facie evidence that the home-based educational program does not meet the requirements of this article.' HB 46 (2025) significantly changed this by eliminating the mandatory annual curriculum submission for general homeschooling. However, the statute's structure means that families accessing WHSAA extracurriculars, sports, or district special education services must still submit curriculum documentation to verify eligibility. There is no state-level registration or notification system equivalent to Wisconsin's PI-1206. The local school board (not the state) was the recipient of curriculum submissions under the prior framework.

Wyo. Stat. §21-4-101(a)(vi) defines a basic academic educational program as one that provides 'a sequentially progressive curriculum of fundamental instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, civics, history, literature, and science.' Note that Wyoming's list differs from Wisconsin's: it includes civics, history, and literature but not 'social studies' or 'health' as separate subjects, and it separates 'reading' and 'writing' rather than grouping them as 'language arts.' The statute does not require programs to include any concept in conflict with religious doctrines. 'Sequentially progressive' means instruction must advance logically—skills and knowledge build on prior learning—but does not require following Wyoming's public school curriculum or state performance standards. A home school is not legally classified as a private school under Wyoming law; it is a distinct category (Wyo. Stat. §21-4-101(a)(v)).

Wyo. Stat. §21-4-102 requires home-based programs to meet the requirements of a basic academic educational program per §21-4-101(a)(vi), which specifies only that the curriculum be 'sequentially progressive'—it sets no time floor. Public schools in Wyoming typically operate approximately 175 days per year, but this requirement does not apply to homeschools. No administrative rule or regulation establishes a minimum instructional time floor for home-based programs. Parents have complete discretion over the daily schedule and annual calendar. The only temporal reference in the law is the annual curriculum submission obligation (now largely eliminated by HB 46), which had nothing to do with hours of instruction.

Wyo. Stat. §21-4-102 and §21-4-101 contain no assessment requirements for home-based educational programs. Wyoming's public school assessment system (PAWS) tests grades 3-8 and grade 11, but homeschool participation is optional and carries no penalty for non-participation. The Wyoming Department of Education has no authority to require testing of homeschooled students, and participation in PAWS does not trigger additional district oversight. This contrasts with some states that require annual standardized testing or portfolio reviews as conditions of continued homeschool authorization.

Under Wyo. Stat. §21-4-102(c), when a child is withdrawn from public school, the parent must meet in person with a school district counselor or administrator and provide written consent to withdrawal. This document must include a provision authorizing release of the student's identity and address to the Wyoming National Guard Youth Challenge Program for recruitment purposes. Beyond the written withdrawal consent, Wyoming imposes no required recordkeeping. HB 46 eliminated the annual curriculum submission requirement. Families are advised to maintain voluntary records—especially transcripts—for college admissions, the Hathaway Scholarship, and other postsecondary purposes. Families who access district sports, extracurriculars, or special education services must maintain curriculum documentation as a condition of accessing those services.

Wyo. Stat. §21-4-101(a)(v) defines a home-based educational program as 'instruction provided to a child by the child's parent or legal guardian or by a person designated by the parent or legal guardian. Instruction provided to more than one family unit does not constitute a home-based educational program.' No further qualifications are imposed by statute. No administrative rules establish credential requirements for home educators. This aligns Wyoming with the majority of states that impose no parent qualification requirements for homeschooling.

Wyo. Stat. §21-4-309 requires every person attending a public or private school (kindergarten through twelfth grade) to provide written documentary proof of immunization within 30 days of school entry. Waivers are authorized by the state or county health officer for religious objection or medical contraindication. Because Wyoming classifies home-based programs as distinct from schools (not as private schools per the school attendance statutes), the direct application of §21-4-309 to purely home-based students is not established. However, if a homeschooled student participates part-time in school activities, standard school health requirements would apply. Immunization documentation becomes an integral part of any child's school record if they are enrolled in a school. Wyoming does not require homeschool families to maintain or submit immunization records to the state or local district.

Wyoming's Wyoming Department of Education Reference Guide clarifies that because Wyoming law classifies home-based programs under the non-public school umbrella for certain purposes, children with disabilities who are homeschooled are entitled to equitable special education services per IDEA Part B (34 CFR §§300.130-300.144). Instead of an IEP, a services plan is developed describing what special education and related services the local education agency (LEA) will provide. The district where the homeschool is located must consult with parents and develop this services plan. Services are provided at no cost to parents but may not be delivered at the homeschool. A homeschooled student with a disability does not have an individual right to receive all services they would receive in a public school. IDEA Child Find obligations remain—the district must identify and evaluate all children with suspected disabilities within district boundaries.

Wyo. Stat. §21-4-102(c) states: 'In addition to subsection (a) of this section, the parent, guardian or other person having control or charge of any child under the age of eighteen (18), who has not otherwise notified the district of enrolling that child in a different school district or in a private school or home-based educational program, shall meet in person with a school district counselor or administrator to provide the school district with written consent to the withdrawal of that child from school attendance.' The written consent must include a provision authorizing release of the student's identity and address to the Wyoming National Guard Youth Challenge Program for recruitment. Once the child is documented as enrolled in a home-based educational program, the compulsory attendance obligation is met through that program. Re-enrollment in public school requires notifying and registering with the school district directly.

Wyo. Stat. §21-4-102(a) establishes that compulsory attendance applies to children who are residents of Wyoming, whose seventh birthday falls on or before August 1 (or September 15 under early kindergarten provisions), and who have not yet attained age 16 or completed the tenth grade. This means the compulsory age range is effectively 7-16, or until grade 10 completion, whichever comes first. A home-based educational program meeting the requirements of §21-4-101(a)(vi) satisfies this compulsory attendance requirement. Children under age 7 are not subject to compulsory attendance. Children who complete 10th grade before age 16 are also no longer subject to the attendance mandate.

No Wyoming statute prescribes a graduation course list, credit minimum, or exit exam for homeschooled students. Parents have full authority to define graduation criteria and award a parent-issued diploma. Wyoming does not issue state diplomas to homeschoolers. For college admissions and the Hathaway Scholarship (merit aid for the University of Wyoming and Wyoming community colleges), homeschool students must submit parent-prepared transcripts listing courses with standard academic nomenclature, credit hours, letter grades, GPA, graduation date, and the parent's signature. The Hathaway Honors tier requires 4 years each of Language Arts, Math (including Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, plus one additional math), and Science, plus 3 years of Social Studies and 4 years of Fine/Performing Arts, CTE, or World Language. A composite ACT of 25+ qualifies for the highest award.

Wyo. Stat. §21-4-506 provides that any school-age resident who is not suspended or expelled and not enrolled full-time in the district 'shall be permitted by the district to participate in any activities which are sanctioned by the Wyoming high school activities association.' This covers sports, bands, theater, academic competitions, and other WHSAA-sanctioned programs across all K-12 grades. Districts may charge participation fees required by WHSAA and may charge an additional fee matching what enrolled students pay, but cannot require tuition or any other fee as a condition of participation. Students must comply with all applicable activity rules. To maintain WHSAA academic eligibility, homeschooled students must still submit curriculum documentation to verify an equivalent educational program—even after HB 46 eliminated general curriculum submission requirements. A current sports physical from a licensed medical provider is required for athletics participation; there is no waiver. Eligibility clock and age cutoffs apply to homeschoolers the same as to enrolled students.