Your state guide · 2026

Louisiana homeschool laws

Last verified 2026-10-28 · View official sources

The short answer

Louisiana families usually homeschool in one of two ways.

Regulation levelModerate

Editorial category; see the guide.

Notice requiredYes

Approved home study: within 15 days after the program begins, then a renewal by October 1 or within 12 months of the first approval, whichever is later. Nonpublic school not seeking approval: once a year.

Testing / evaluationNot specified

See requirements for options and exceptions.

Compulsory ages5–18

See the full guide for age exceptions.

Regulation level

M · Moderate

None—

Low—

Moderate▲ This state

High—

The category supplied with this guide, not a score or a legal classification. Requirements depend on your homeschooling option.

View regulation data

Louisiana regulation category
State	Category
Louisiana	Moderate

Your requirements

A practical checklist

“Not specified” means a single yes/no requirement is not explicit in the supplied information. Read each detail for options and exceptions.

Notice
Required
Approved home study: an application to the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), filed online through the state education department, with a certified copy of the child's birth certificate on the first application and evidence of progress on each renewal. Nonpublic school not seeking approval: a yearly attendance submission with the school's details and enrollment.
Subjects
Required
Not specified in state law. Approved home study programs must offer a sustained curriculum at least equal in quality to public school at the same grade level; parents choose the curriculum.
Hours / days
Not specified
The definition of a school in R.S. 17:236 no longer sets a day count, and the home study law sets no hours. The state education department says children must be in a school or approved home study program for at least 180 days a year.
Testing / evaluation
Not specified
Approved home study: each renewal must include one of three forms of evidence: a packet of materials (subject outlines, book lists, work samples, test copies, third-party statements), a standardized test score at or above grade level or showing a year of progress per year, or a statement from a certified teacher who reviewed the program. Local school boards and the state will give the state test on request each May and September for a fee of up to $35. Nonpublic school not seeking approval: not specified in state law.
Teacher qualifications
Not specified
Not specified in state law for approved home study. For a nonpublic school that takes no public funds, teachers must meet whatever rules the school or church sets.
Records / portfolio
Not specified
Not specified in state law, apart from the materials needed for the yearly renewal in an approved home study program.
Immunizations
Not specified
Not specified in state law for home study. The state education department's application asks parents of 11-year-olds to state whether the child has a meningococcal vaccine, an exemption, or a doctor's statement; no records are sent.

At a glance

Two routes: state-approved home study or a nonpublic school not seeking approval
Approved home study: apply within 15 days of starting, renew yearly
Renewal needs a portfolio, test score or certified teacher's statement
No state test requirement
Approved home study students can try out for public school teams in their zone

Requirements at a glance

Read the details for your chosen homeschooling option below.

Open the full requirements table

Louisiana homeschool requirements
Requirement	What to know
Compulsory school ages	5–18
Notice required	Yes
Filing deadline	Approved home study: within 15 days after the program begins, then a renewal by October 1 or within 12 months of the first approval, whichever is later. Nonpublic school not seeking approval: once a year.
Required subjects	Not specified in state law. Approved home study programs must offer a sustained curriculum at least equal in quality to public school at the same grade level; parents choose the curriculum.
Instruction time	The definition of a school in R.S. 17:236 no longer sets a day count, and the home study law sets no hours. The state education department says children must be in a school or approved home study program for at least 180 days a year.
Parent qualifications	Not specified in state law for approved home study. For a nonpublic school that takes no public funds, teachers must meet whatever rules the school or church sets.
Tests & assessments	Approved home study: each renewal must include one of three forms of evidence: a packet of materials (subject outlines, book lists, work samples, test copies, third-party statements), a standardized test score at or above grade level or showing a year of progress per year, or a statement from a certified teacher who reviewed the program. Local school boards and the state will give the state test on request each May and September for a fee of up to $35. Nonpublic school not seeking approval: not specified in state law.
Records to keep	Not specified in state law, apart from the materials needed for the yearly renewal in an approved home study program.
Immunizations	Not specified in state law for home study. The state education department's application asks parents of 11-year-olds to state whether the child has a meningococcal vaccine, an exemption, or a doctor's statement; no records are sent.

How to start homeschooling in Louisiana

In a BESE-approved home study program, parents apply to the state within 15 days of starting, renew every year, and show at renewal that the child is getting an education at least equal to public school, using a portfolio, test scores or a certified teacher's statement. Families can instead run a nonpublic school not seeking state approval, which files a yearly attendance submission with the state education department and has no evaluation rule. Only approved home study students get the protected right to public school sports and a diploma treated like a state-approved school's.

Choose your homeschooling option
BESE-approved home study program. Parents apply for state approval under R.S. 17:236.1 and renew each year with proof of progress. The child counts as attending school, can join public school activities in the zone where the family lives, and gets a diploma with the same standing as a state-approved nonpublic school's.
Nonpublic school not seeking state approval. A family runs its own private school under the general definition of a school in R.S. 17:236 and files a yearly attendance submission. The state education department does not approve or oversee these schools and says the submission does not confirm the family is meeting attendance law. Students are not eligible for TOPS scholarships.
Prepare your notice
Approved home study: an application to the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), filed online through the state education department, with a certified copy of the child's birth certificate on the first application and evidence of progress on each renewal. Nonpublic school not seeking approval: a yearly attendance submission with the school's details and enrollment.
Open the official notice resource ↗
Check when and where to file
When: Approved home study: within 15 days after the program begins, then a renewal by October 1 or within 12 months of the first approval, whichever is later. Nonpublic school not seeking approval: once a year.
Where: The Louisiana Department of Education, for BESE. The state notifies the local superintendent of home study applications.

Getting-started steps from the published Louisiana guide. Follow the official links for your chosen option.

View steps as a table

How to start homeschooling in Louisiana
Step	Details
1. Choose your homeschooling option	BESE-approved home study program. Parents apply for state approval under R.S. 17:236.1 and renew each year with proof of progress. The child counts as attending school, can join public school activities in the zone where the family lives, and gets a diploma with the same standing as a state-approved nonpublic school's. Nonpublic school not seeking state approval. A family runs its own private school under the general definition of a school in R.S. 17:236 and files a yearly attendance submission. The state education department does not approve or oversee these schools and says the submission does not confirm the family is meeting attendance law. Students are not eligible for TOPS scholarships.
2. Prepare your notice	Approved home study: an application to the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), filed online through the state education department, with a certified copy of the child's birth certificate on the first application and evidence of progress on each renewal. Nonpublic school not seeking approval: a yearly attendance submission with the school's details and enrollment.
3. Check when and where to file	Approved home study: within 15 days after the program begins, then a renewal by October 1 or within 12 months of the first approval, whichever is later. Nonpublic school not seeking approval: once a year. The Louisiana Department of Education, for BESE. The state notifies the local superintendent of home study applications.

Subjects to teach

Not specified in state law. Approved home study programs must offer a sustained curriculum at least equal in quality to public school at the same grade level; parents choose the curriculum.

Sports & extracurricular activities

A public school cannot turn away a student in an approved home study program from extracurricular activities or interscholastic athletics just because of home study, if the student lives in that school's attendance zone. The student tries out the same way as enrolled students and must meet the same grade and conduct rules. Public schools cannot belong to an athletic association that bars approved home study students. Not specified in state law for nonpublic schools not seeking approval.

Official forms & law

Louisiana Department of Education ↗

Forms & guidance

Statutes

Questions, answered.

What do I file to homeschool in Louisiana?

Approved home study: an application to the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), filed online through the state education department, with a certified copy of the child's birth certificate on the first application and evidence of progress on each renewal. Nonpublic school not seeking approval: a yearly attendance submission with the school's details and enrollment.

When do I file in Louisiana?

What assessments are required in Louisiana?

Approved home study: each renewal must include one of three forms of evidence: a packet of materials (subject outlines, book lists, work samples, test copies, third-party statements), a standardized test score at or above grade level or showing a year of progress per year, or a statement from a certified teacher who reviewed the program. Local school boards and the state will give the state test on request each May and September for a fee of up to $35. Nonpublic school not seeking approval: not specified in state law.

Check the original

Sources and last checked

R.S. 17:236.1, Approval of home study programs ↗Louisiana State Legislature
R.S. 17:236, Definition of a school ↗Louisiana State Legislature
R.S. 17:221, School attendance; compulsory ages ↗Louisiana State Legislature
R.S. 17:176.2, Extracurricular activities; participation by home study students ↗Louisiana State Legislature
BESE-Approved Home Study Program ↗Louisiana Department of Education
Nonpublic Schools Not Seeking State Approval ↗Louisiana Department of Education
BESE-Approved Home Study Program Guidelines and Instructions ↗Louisiana Department of Education

Last verified 2026-10-28.

Louisiana homeschool laws

The short answer

Regulation level

A practical checklist

Notice

Subjects

Hours / days

Testing / evaluation

Teacher qualifications

Records / portfolio

Immunizations