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Homeschool laws in Kentucky

Checked Oct 12, 2026 against 10 sources · General information, not legal advice.

Your Kentucky to-do

  1. Send the notice of attendance to your district Every year
    Within two weeks of the beginning of each school year: names, ages and places of residence of the children, to the local superintendent.

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What Kentucky asks

Kentucky treats a homeschool as a private school: each year, within two weeks of the start of the school year, you report each child's name, age and address to the local superintendent, and you keep an attendance register and scholarship reports (grades) that are open to inspection. Since 2023 the state's school-term and subject rules apply only to certified private schools, although older guidance still cites 1,062 hours over 170 days.

School age: Ages 6–17. The statute's base rule covers children who have entered the primary program or are between 6 and 16; it lets districts raise the age to 18 and requires all districts to do so once 55% have. KDE reported the threshold was reached in 2013, with every district at age 18 no later than the 2017-18 school year. Graduates of an accredited or approved four-year high school are exempt.

Homeschool (non-certified private school)

KRS 159.030(1)(b); KRS 159.040; KRS 159.160; KRS 158.080 · Level 3: Moderate

All the details, deadlines and notes
Notice
Every year: Within two weeks of the beginning of each school year: the names, ages and places of residence of all pupils in attendance, reported to the superintendent of the local school district (the school's duty; it passes to the parent if the school declines).
Time
No set number of days or hours
Since the 2023 and 2025 amendments, the minimum school term in KRS 158.080 applies only to private schools certified by the Kentucky Board of Education, and certification is voluntary. Older guidance cited 1,062 instructional hours over at least 170 days (see Sources disagree).
Subjects
No subjects listed in the law
Assessment
No assessment required
Portfolio
Not required
Reports
No reports to send
Records to keep
  • attendance register
  • attendance and scholarship reports (progress and grades), kept the same way public schools do
Teacher
No qualification required

Deadlines

  • Send the notice of attendance to your district: Within two weeks of the beginning of each school year: names, ages and places of residence of the children, to the local superintendent.
Certification is voluntary: a nonpublic school that is accredited by an agency approved by the Kentucky Nonpublic Schools Commission can apply to be certified, and certified schools must teach the public school subjects in English and follow the public school term.
The attendance register and reports must be open to inspection at all times by directors of pupil personnel and Department of Education officials.

How Homepen helps

Homepen counts your days and hours as you tick lessons, and makes: Notice-of-intent letter, filled in, Attendance & hours report, Report card, Year-end summary, High-school transcript.

Sources disagree

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Laws change: we check every source at least every 6 months and before each school year. If something looks wrong, tell us. The state agency for homeschooling questions is the Kentucky Department of Education.

Keep your Kentucky records without the paperwork

Plan the week, tick lessons, and Homepen keeps the days, hours and portfolio Kentucky asks for.

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