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Homeschooling in Louisiana: what the law requires and who pays

Under La. R.S. 17:236, a child in a home study program approved by the state board (BESE) counts as attending a day school for compulsory attendance. One state program pays toward a homeschooled student’s costs here, by its official source: Louisiana deduction for home-schooled children's educational expenses (state income tax).

Quoted from official sources, read October 8, 2026. A law summary, not legal advice.

What Louisiana’s law requires

The law that allows it

Under La. R.S. 17:236, a child in a home study program approved by the state board (BESE) counts as attending a day school for compulsory attendance.

“Solely for purposes of compulsory attendance in a nonpublic school, a child who participates in a home study program approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall be considered in attendance at a day school” La. R.S. 17:236, definition of a school

Families can also educate children through a nonpublic school not seeking state approval, the department says.

“Families wishing to independently educate their children have the option of attending a Nonpublic School Not Seeking State Approval or a BESE-Approved Home Study Program .” Louisiana Department of Education, Nonpublic Schools Not Seeking State Approval

Telling the state or district

For an approved home study program, parents apply to BESE within 15 days after starting the program.

“An initial application must be made within fifteen days after commencement of the program.” La. R.S. 17:236.1, approval of home study programs

Renewal is due by October 1 of the school year, or within 12 months of the first approval, whichever is later.

“A renewal application must be made by the first of October of the school year, or within twelve months of approval of the initial application, whichever is later.” La. R.S. 17:236.1, approval of home study programs

The first application includes a certified copy of the child's birth certificate.

“An initial application for participation in a home study program shall be accompanied by a certified copy of the birth certificate of the child.” La. R.S. 17:236.1, approval of home study programs

A nonpublic school not seeking state approval submits its enrollment information every year using the department's online attendance submission form.

“Nonpublic Schools Not Seeking State Approval must annually submit enrollment information for their school by using the online attendance submission form .” Louisiana Department of Education, Nonpublic Schools Not Seeking State Approval

What and how long to teach

An approved home study program must offer a sustained curriculum of quality at least equal to public schools at the same grade level.

“a home study program shall be approved if it offers a sustained curriculum of a quality at least equal to that offered by public schools at the same grade level” La. R.S. 17:236, definition of a school

The department's guidelines say a child of compulsory age who is not in school or an approved home study program for at least 180 days a year could put the parents in violation of the attendance law.

“is not participating in a BESE Approved Home Study program for at least 180 days in the school year, then the parents of that child could be in violation of the Compulsory Attendance Law” Louisiana Department of Education, BESE-Approved Home Study Program guidelines (dated 8/12/2024)

Testing or evaluation

Home study students are not required to take state assessments.

“Students in a BESE-Approved Home Study Program are not required to take state assessments.” Louisiana Department of Education, BESE-Approved Home Study Program

To renew an approved home study program, parents submit a packet of materials showing the program's quality.

“the parent shall submit with the renewal application a packet of materials which includes such documents as” La. R.S. 17:236.1, approval of home study programs

Instead of those materials, a renewal can include a standardized test result (the California Achievement Test or another board-approved test) at or above grade level.

“Verification that the child has taken the California Achievement Test (CAT) or such other standardized examination as may be approved by the board and the child has scored at or above his grade level” La. R.S. 17:236.1, approval of home study programs

Ages the law covers

The department's guidelines describe compulsory attendance as covering ages 5 to 18, unless the child has graduated.

“if a child between the ages of 5 and 18 (unless the child has graduated) is not enrolled in a public or nonpublic school” Louisiana Department of Education, BESE-Approved Home Study Program guidelines (dated 8/12/2024)

The state’s own page for families: Louisiana Department of Education, BESE-Approved Home Study Program.

State money for homeschoolers in Louisiana

Louisiana deduction for home-schooled children's educational expenses (state income tax)

Parents can deduct 50% of what they paid in qualified home-schooling expenses for each child. (La. R.S. 47:297.11, tax deduction for home-schooled children's educational expenses)

Qualified expenses include textbooks and curricula needed for home-schooling. (La. R.S. 47:297.11, tax deduction for home-schooled children's educational expenses)

The Department of Revenue says the deduction is 50% of costs per dependent, up to $6,000, for a home-schooled dependent. (Louisiana Department of Revenue, School Expense Deduction)

Programs that do not pay homeschoolers

LA GATOR Scholarship Program. A LA GATOR student may not take part at the same time in a BESE-approved home study program or a home study program registered as a nonpublic school not seeking state approval. (Louisiana Department of Education, LA GATOR Scholarship Program policy)

State funding for home study. The department says state funding is not available for students in a BESE-approved home study program. (Louisiana Department of Education, BESE-Approved Home Study Program)

Louisiana LA GATOR: amount and how to apply Private schools in Louisiana

Which states pay homeschoolers, and how: Louisiana next to every other state.

Questions parents ask

Do I have to tell anyone I am homeschooling in Louisiana?

For an approved home study program, parents apply to BESE within 15 days after starting the program. Renewal is due by October 1 of the school year, or within 12 months of the first approval, whichever is later. The first application includes a certified copy of the child's birth certificate. A nonpublic school not seeking state approval submits its enrollment information every year using the department's online attendance submission form.

Do homeschoolers in Louisiana have to take tests?

Home study students are not required to take state assessments. To renew an approved home study program, parents submit a packet of materials showing the program's quality. Instead of those materials, a renewal can include a standardized test result (the California Achievement Test or another board-approved test) at or above grade level.

Can a homeschooler in Louisiana get state money?

Louisiana deduction for home-schooled children's educational expenses (state income tax): Parents can deduct 50% of what they paid in qualified home-schooling expenses for each child. Qualified expenses include textbooks and curricula needed for home-schooling. The Department of Revenue says the deduction is 50% of costs per dependent, up to $6,000, for a home-schooled dependent.

Every line above is our plain-English summary of the quoted text, which is copied from the official page named beside it. Laws change: the quoted page is the authority, and a lawyer or the state can answer questions about your family.

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