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South Dakota · Light-touch
South Dakota 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 South Dakota'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
South Dakota asks families to file a notice before they begin. The deadline is: Within 30 days of beginning alternative instruction (homeschooling). File with the South Dakota Department of Education or the local school district. The form requires child's name, birth date, resident district, and open-enrolled district if applicable. You will do this again at the start of every school year. It goes to South Dakota Department of Education.
Cover the subjects the state names
South Dakota names 3 subject areas to teach. How you teach them, in what order, and with which materials is entirely up to you.
Keep a light record as you go
Attendance, a few work samples each term, and a running list of what you covered. South Dakota does not require you to keep records, but a simple folder of work samples makes transcripts and college applications far easier later on.
Source: South Dakota Department of Education — doe.sd.gov/oatq/homeschooling.aspx. Checked March 2026.
Source: South Dakota Department of Education — doe.sd.gov/oatq/homeschooling.aspx. Checked March 2026.
No yearly assessment
South Dakotadoes 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. A note from the state: No assessment submission required for standard alternative instruction as of 2021 law update. Prior requirement to report assessment results was eliminated. Note: Students enrolled more than 50% of the day in public school must take state standardized tests.
Source: South Dakota Department of Education — doe.sd.gov/oatq/homeschooling.aspx. Checked March 2026.
Source: South Dakota Department of Education — doe.sd.gov/oatq/homeschooling.aspx. Checked March 2026.
Source: South Dakota Department of Education — doe.sd.gov/oatq/homeschooling.aspx. Checked March 2026.
No program on file yet
We do not have a verified South Dakota education savings account, scholarship, or tax credit for homeschooling families on file. That may mean the state has none, or it may mean we have not confirmed one yet — we would rather say so than point you at something we have not checked. State programs change often, so it is worth asking South Dakota Department of Education directly.
Is homeschooling legal in South Dakota?
Yes. Homeschooling is legal in South Dakota. South Dakota 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 South Dakota?
Yes. South Dakota requires families to file a Notice of Intent by Within 30 days of beginning alternative instruction (homeschooling). File with the South Dakota Department of Education or the local school district. The form requires child's name, birth date, resident district, and open-enrolled district if applicable.. This notice must be renewed annually.
How many instruction days are required in South Dakota?
South Dakota requires 175 days a year.
What subjects are required by law in South Dakota?
South Dakota requires instruction in the following subjects: Language Arts (basic skills leading to English mastery — minimum statutory requirement), Mathematics (basic skills — minimum statutory requirement), Additional subjects at parent's discretion beyond the statutory minimum.
Does South Dakota require annual assessment for homeschoolers?
No. South Dakota does not require formal annual assessment. Families may voluntarily track progress for college application purposes.
Do I need a teaching certificate to homeschool in South Dakota?
No. South Dakota 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 South Dakota?
Yes. South Dakota has a law (sometimes called a "Tim Tebow" law) allowing homeschooled students to participate in public school extracurricular activities. South Dakota law requires each public school district to allow homeschooled students to participate in athletics, fine arts, or other activities, subject to the same eligibility requirements as enrolled students. This provides statutory sports access rights.
Source: South Dakota Department of Education — doe.sd.gov/oatq/homeschooling.aspx. Checked March 2026.
South Dakota is relatively low-regulation. The primary requirements are: (1) file notification within 30 days of starting, (2) operate for 175 instruction days, and (3) provide instruction in at least language arts and mathematics. The 2021 law removed the requirement to report assessment results. Homeschoolers have a statutory right to participate in public school activities.
Source: South Dakota Department of Education — doe.sd.gov/oatq/homeschooling.aspx. Checked March 2026.
Everything below works whether or not you ever pay us a penny. Use what helps with South Dakota's requirements and ignore the rest.
This page was written from South Dakota's published rules and last checked in March 2026. Laws change between checks, so confirm anything you are about to file with South Dakota Department of Education. This is information for families, not legal advice.