Homeschooling in Montana: what the law requires and who pays

What Montana’s law requires

The law that allows it

MCA 20-5-102 excuses a child from enrolling in the assigned public school when the child is enrolled in a home school that complies with MCA 20-5-109.

“enrolled in a nonpublic or home school that complies with the provisions of 20-5-109” Montana Code Annotated 20-5-102, compulsory enrollment and excuses

Telling the state or district

The home school must notify the county superintendent of schools of the county where it is located, each school fiscal year, that the student attends it.

“shall notify the county superintendent of schools of the county in which the home school is located in each school fiscal year of the student's attendance at the school” Montana Code Annotated 20-5-109, nonpublic and home school requirements

What and how long to teach

The home school must give an organized course of study that includes the subjects required of public schools in their basic instructional program.

“shall provide an organized course of study that includes instruction in the subjects required of public schools as a basic instructional program pursuant to 20-7-111” Montana Code Annotated 20-5-109, nonpublic and home school requirements

It must provide at least the minimum aggregate hours of instruction set for public schools in MCA 20-1-301 and 20-1-302.

“shall provide at least the minimum aggregate hours of pupil instruction in accordance with 20-1-301 and 20-1-302” Montana Code Annotated 20-5-109, nonpublic and home school requirements

MCA 20-1-301 sets those minimums at 720 hours a year for grades 1 to 3 and 1,080 hours for grades 4 to 12.

“720 hours for grades 1 through 3; and (c) 1,080 hours for grades 4 through 12” Montana Code Annotated 20-1-301, school fiscal year and minimum hours

Records to keep

The home school must keep attendance records and show them to the county superintendent on request.

“shall maintain records on pupil attendance and make the records available to the county superintendent on request” Montana Code Annotated 20-5-109, nonpublic and home school requirements

Who may teach

For this law, a home school is instruction by a parent of the parent's own child, stepchild or ward in the parent's home.

“a home school is the instruction by a parent of the parent's child, stepchild, or ward in the parent's residence” Montana Code Annotated 20-5-102, compulsory enrollment and excuses

Ages the law covers

The duty applies to a child who is 7 or older before the first day of school, until the later of the 16th birthday or finishing 8th grade.

“who is 7 years of age or older prior to the first day of school in any school fiscal year” Montana Code Annotated 20-5-102, compulsory enrollment and excuses

State money for homeschoolers in Montana

We have not found an official source saying a Montana program pays homeschooled students.

Programs that do not pay homeschoolers

Montana Tax Credits for Contributions to Student Scholarship Organizations. Scholarships under Montana's tax credit program go to qualified education providers, and the law says a qualified provider is not a home school. (Montana Code Annotated 15-30-3102, scholarship tax credit definitions)

Montana SSO tax credit: amount and how to apply Private schools in Montana

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

Homeschool law in other states

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

All states and the programs that pay homeschoolers