{"id":636,"date":"2023-12-21T17:17:45","date_gmt":"2023-12-21T17:17:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/education.jhu.edu\/edpolicy\/?post_type=us_state&p=636"},"modified":"2026-01-06T18:51:39","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T18:51:39","slug":"maryland","status":"publish","type":"us_state","link":"https:\/\/education.jhu.edu\/edpolicy\/policy-research-initiatives\/homeschool-hub\/states\/maryland\/","title":{"rendered":"Maryland"},"content":{"rendered":"

History<\/h2>\n

Located in the southern United States, <\/span>Maryland<\/span> legalized homeschooling in 1987 with MD COMAR 13A.10.01. This law was <\/span>amended<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in 2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

Regulation<\/h2>\n

In <\/span>Maryland<\/span><\/a>, parents who homeschool their children, from ages 5 to 18, must notify their local district by completing an online form. There are several options for how to classify the homeschool, including through another school or church organization. Parents must maintain a portfolio of materials which are reviewed by the local superintendent at the end of every semester to ensure that the student is receiving regular and thorough instruction. There are no attendance <\/span>requirements<\/span><\/a>, but the state recommends that instruction occur \u201con a regular basis.\u201d Instruction in subjects \u201cusually taught\u201d in public schools is required. There are no minimum education requirements for the parent, who remains \u201cultimately responsible\u201d for home instruction, but others may provide instruction either inside or outside the home. This instructor flexibility opens the door to participation in microschools and other emerging models that blend more traditional homeschooling with alternative modes of education. Parents must keep records and a portfolio of student work. Homeschooled students may take the state assessment, but there is no requirement to take <\/span>that<\/span> or any other test.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maryland provides no access to public school educational offerings such as courses, sports, and extracurriculars for nonpublic students, including homeschooled students. This restricted access includes access to special education services.<\/span><\/p>\n

State Data<\/h2>\n

Maryland provides <\/span>publicly available information<\/span><\/a> on homeschool participation by county and by <\/span>district<\/span>. In 2000, districts across the state reported 17,000 homeschooled students. By 2015, that number had increased to 27,000. In 2022, reported homeschool enrollment reached almost 45,000 students. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The 2020 U.S. Census estimates<\/a> tell a similar story. 4.4% of Maryland families reported homeschooling in the spring of 2020, and 6.1% by the fall. This is close to half of the national average at the time, at 11.1%. Based on U.S. Census data<\/a>, our calculations indicate that about 5.99<\/span>% of K-12 students in Maryland<\/span> were homeschooled during the 2022-23 school year, and 4.65<\/span>% during the 2023-24 school year. Due to<\/span> <\/span>survey<\/span> changes<\/span>, the<\/span> data from 2020<\/span> reflects<\/span> the percentage of households, while <\/span>the data from <\/span>following years<\/span> reflect<\/span>s the percentage of<\/span> students<\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nDownload Homeschool Hub State Data<\/span><\/a>\n

Cross-Sector Comparison<\/h2>\n

During the 2019-20 academic year, 2.6% of Maryland\u2019s K-12 students were homeschooled. Similarly, only 2.1% of Maryland students attended a charter school. Homeschool and charter participation in the state was much lower than 12.1% of private school students. In 2021-22, 4.3% of Maryland\u2019s K-12 students were homeschooled. Charter and private school participation held steady at 2.3% and 11.9%, respectively.<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

School Choice Context<\/h2>\n

Maryland<\/span><\/a> does not offer open enrollment (inter- and intra-district choice) in its public school system, and families cannot send their children to schools outside their district without approval. Maryland has few charter schools, limiting charter school enrollment in the state, and some magnet schools. The state also has a small\u2014both in participation and value\u2014private school choice program that serves about 3,000 students and provides a $3,000 <\/span>credit<\/span> per student annually. However, homeschooled students are not eligible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Commentary<\/h2>\n

Maryland could improve our understanding of homeschool participation in the state by reporting more detailed information about their homeschool population using information they already collected. For example, data on the age or grade of homeschoolers in the state could help us better understand growth in the sector. The state could improve educational access for all students by allowing nonpublic students the same educational offerings provided to students in the local public schools. National trends are moving in this direction, and Maryland is one of a handful of states that does not provide access to these offerings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","class_list":["post-636","us_state","type-us_state","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"Maryland - Johns Hopkins Homeschool Hub<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy\u2019s Homeschool Hub is your one-stop shop for U.S. homeschooling data and insights. 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