Anchor Homeschooling in Maryland
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What Maryland requires
- Notice to authorities: Yes. Notification required 15 days before starting. Choose Option A (portfolio reviews with local school system, twice yearly) or one of three umbrella options that supervise on behalf of MSDE.
- Instructional days: 180 per year
- Portfolio: Required.
- Standardized testing: Not required.
- Annual evaluator: Not required.
- Quarterly reports: Not required.
- Legal paths: district portfolio review, msde approved nonpublic school umbrella, church exempt nonpublic school umbrella, bona fide church organization umbrella
- Required subjects: english, math, science, social studies, art, music, health, physical education
How to start homeschooling in Maryland
- File your notice with the state. Submit MSDE home instruction notification form. Choose Option A (district portfolio reviews twice a year) or an umbrella supervisor (MSDE-approved nonpublic school, church-exempt school, or church-organization education ministry). Portfolio required for Option A. File online with the state →
- Plan your school year. Maryland expects 180 instructional days per year — set your calendar before you start so the count takes care of itself.
- Keep records from your first day. Attendance, samples of work, and any test or evaluation results — every requirement above is answered from these three, and they're painless to keep daily and miserable to reconstruct in May.
How Anchor helps
Anchor logs every day automatically when you make an activity entry. It builds the portfolio your state expects, generates the attendance PDF, and reminds you about evaluations before they're due.
Common questions about homeschooling in Maryland
Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in Maryland?
Yes. Maryland requires notice to the authorities before you begin home education. Notification required 15 days before starting. Choose Option A (portfolio reviews with local school system, twice yearly) or one of three umbrella options that supervise on behalf of MSDE.
How many days or hours of school does Maryland require?
Maryland requires 180 instructional days per year. Anchor counts each day for you as you log activities, and shows how many you have left.
Does Maryland require a portfolio or standardized testing?
Yes. Maryland requires a portfolio of your student's work.
Does Maryland require an annual evaluation?
No. Maryland does not require an annual evaluator review.
What records should I keep to homeschool in Maryland?
Keep attendance for every school day, samples of your student's work, and any test or evaluation results Maryland asks for. Homeschool Anchor builds all three from your daily logs and turns this state's rules into dated checkpoints, so nothing is reconstructed at the deadline.
Stay compliant without the paperwork
Free for 1 student. $8/month for the full family with PDF exports, photo activity logging, and AI-assisted summaries.
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Sources: HSLDA — Maryland · Maryland Department of Education · last verified 2026-08-08 · Always verify with your state homeschool association before relying on this.