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Montana · Light-touch
Montana asks you to file a notice before you begin. Here is what goes in it, when it is due, and what happens after.
VerifiedMarch 2026
Written from Montana's own rules. If a step is missing below, it is because your state does not ask for it.
Withdraw from the school your child attends now
If your child is currently enrolled in a public school, tell the school in writing that you are moving to home education. Keep a dated copy for yourself — it is the record that closes out their enrollment.
Send your notice of intent
Montana asks families to file a notice before they begin. The deadline is: Notify the county superintendent of schools in the county where your home school is located in each school fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) of your child's attendance (MCA 20-5-109(2)(a)). The law's text names no form and no filing date, so ask your county superintendent how they take notice. You will do this again at the start of every school year. It goes to County Superintendent of Schools — receives your annual notice and may ask to see attendance records.
Choose what to teach
Montana does not name required subjects, so your curriculum is your own decision. Most families still cover reading, writing, and math daily, and let interest lead the rest.
Keep a light record as you go
Attendance, a few work samples each term, and a running list of what you covered. Montana does not require you to keep records, but a simple folder of work samples makes transcripts and college applications far easier later on.
No testing or assessment
Montana does not require a standardized test or an evaluator's review. Plenty of families still keep a folder of work through the year — not because the state asks, but because it makes a transcript or a college application far easier to put together later.
Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings Account
Run by Montana Office of Public Instruction
The award amount is set by the program and changes from year to year. Check the official page below for this year's figure rather than an estimate.
How you get it: Reimbursement — families pay first and submit for repayment.
Eligibility and application dates are set by the program. Check the program's official page before you apply.
Is homeschooling legal in Montana?
Yes. Homeschooling is legal in Montana. Montana is considered one of the easiest states for homeschoolers — minimal regulation, no notice required, and maximum family freedom.
Do I need to file a Notice of Intent to homeschool in Montana?
Yes. Montana requires families to file a Notice of Intent by Notify the county superintendent of schools in the county where your home school is located in each school fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) of your child's attendance (MCA 20-5-109(2)(a)). The law's text names no form and no filing date, so ask your county superintendent how they take notice.. This notice must be renewed annually.
How many instruction days are required in Montana?
Montana requires 1,080 hours a year.
What subjects are required by law in Montana?
Montana does not mandate specific subjects, giving families complete freedom to design their own curriculum.
Does Montana require annual assessment for homeschoolers?
No. Montana does not require formal annual assessment. Families may voluntarily track progress for college application purposes.
Do I need a teaching certificate to homeschool in Montana?
No. Montana does not require parents to hold a teaching certificate or any specific educational credential to homeschool their children.
Can homeschoolers participate in public school sports in Montana?
Montana has a law on this. MCA 20-5-112 says a school district or an athletic association, conference, or organization with authority over interscholastic sports may not restrict a home school student (meeting 20-5-109) from extracurricular activities at a school in the student's resident district solely because of public school enrollment or hours attended. Districts and athletic bodies may restrict based on U.S. citizenship and Montana residency (added by SB 350, Chapter 603, Laws of 2025). Participating students meet the same participation standards and interscholastic rules as full-time students; the parent attests academic eligibility in writing, verified by the principal with no student assessment.
Montana asks you to notify your county superintendent of schools each school fiscal year, keep attendance records, provide the minimum instruction hours (720 for grades 1–3; 1,080 for grades 4–12) and an organized course of study in the subjects required of public schools (MCA 20-5-109). The parent chooses curriculum, schedule and evaluation (MCA 20-5-111). Public school extracurricular access is covered by MCA 20-5-112 and part-time enrollment by MCA 20-5-101(8).
The free tools below work whether or not you ever pay us a penny; each tile says what it needs. Use what helps with Montana's requirements and ignore the rest.
Last checked in March 2026. Laws change between checks, so confirm anything you are about to file with County Superintendent of Schools — receives your annual notice and may ask to see attendance records. This is information for families, not legal advice.