How to withdraw your child from public school and homeschool in Massachusetts

Step by step

1. Step 1. Know what Massachusetts requires to start

   Home schooling requires advance approval of a plan by the school district where the child lives, under the policy the school committee has adopted (G.L. c. 76, sec. 1). The state sets no form and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does not approve plans, so the first step is to notify the district, preferably in writing, and then submit the proposed plan.

2. Step 2. Leave the school the right way

   The Department says notification alone does not authorize home schooling, and removing a child of compulsory age without an approved plan would make the child truant. After it receives the notice the district must send its approval policy, and it then approves, asks for changes, or disapproves the plan. A mid-year start rule or separate withdrawal form is not found in primary sources beyond this process.

3. Step 3. Watch the deadlines

   The statute sets no calendar deadline; approval must come in advance, and the district must answer within a reasonable period after it receives the plan. Each district's own policy sets the details and any renewal expectations, which are not found in primary sources at the state level.

4. Step 4. Ask for your child’s records

   603 CMR 23.07(2) gives a parent access to the student record, with access within 10 days of a request and copies available at reproduction cost. Under federal FERPA (34 CFR 99.10) a parent has the right to inspect and review the child's education records, and the school must respond within 45 days of a request.

5. Step 5. If your child has an IEP or a 504 plan

   The Department states that home-schooled students in Massachusetts have a right to special education services, and points to Administrative Advisory SPED 2018-1 for how districts provide them. Under 34 CFR 300.300(b)(4) a parent can revoke consent for special education services in writing, after which the school must give prior written notice and may not continue the services.

Before you pull your child out

A letter you can fill in

Fill in the boxes and copy the letter. It is built from what we found above for Massachusetts: the items Massachusetts asks to be included are listed in it. Check it against the state office before you send it.

[today's date]

To: The superintendent of schools of the district where I live [name and address]

Re: Request for approval of home instruction, [child's full name]

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am the parent of [child's full name], born [date of birth], who is currently enrolled in grade [grade] at [name of current school]. Under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 76, sec. 1, I am asking for approval of a home instruction program for my child beginning [start date]. Please tell me what you need from me and when I can present the program.

Massachusetts asks that this request include the following (complete or confirm each one):
- Child's name, age and grade [fill in]
- Parent's name, address and contact details [fill in]
- Statement that you wish to educate your child at home [fill in]
- Request for the district's home schooling approval policy and process [fill in]
- Proposed plan, if you are ready to send it [fill in]

I also request a copy of my child's education records, including the cumulative file, attendance and any testing records. Please send them to the address below.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

[your name]
[your address]

Who to ask in Massachusetts

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Home Schooling, last checked October 2026.

A plain-language summary of public sources, not legal advice. Laws and forms change, so confirm the current rules with the state office before you send anything.

Questions