Delaware Homeschool: A Complete Getting-Started Guide

Homeschooling in Delaware is more straightforward than most families expect. The state has no standardized testing requirement, no curriculum approval process, and no portfolio review by a school official. What it does have is a clear dual-notification system and a handful of operational requirements that, once understood, take minimal ongoing effort to meet.

This guide covers everything you need to know to get started — from how Delaware classifies homeschools to where the state's homeschool community is most active.

How Delaware Treats Homeschools Legally

Delaware law classifies home educators as operators of a "nonpublic school" under 14 Delaware Code §2703A. This is not just a technical label. It means you are not applying for permission to homeschool. You are notifying the state that a private educational institution exists and that your child is enrolled in it.

The distinction matters because it shapes your entire relationship with the state from day one. The Delaware Department of Education does not approve your curriculum. No official will visit your home to observe your teaching. Your child is simply not enrolled in a public school — they are enrolled in a nonpublic one that you operate.

Delaware is consistently ranked among the lower-regulation states when it comes to homeschooling oversight. That is not an accident of history — it reflects a deliberate policy stance that parents are the primary decision-makers in their children's education.

The Dual-Notification Requirement

Starting a homeschool in Delaware requires notifying two agencies: the Delaware Department of Education through its EdAccess portal and your local school district. Both notifications must happen, and the order matters.

Your EdAccess submission registers your nonpublic school with the state. The district notification informs your child's current (or zoned) school that they will no longer be attending. If your child is currently enrolled in a public school, failing to provide district notice can result in truancy flags — the school has no way to know where your child went.

The notifications are not approvals. Neither agency gets to refuse, approve, or impose conditions. You are informing them, not requesting their blessing. Most families find both processes take under an hour to complete once they have gathered the basic information required.

What Delaware Requires You to Teach

Delaware's compulsory education statute names a set of subjects that nonpublic schools must cover. The list includes English, mathematics, science, social studies, health, and physical education. The state does not define how much time must be spent on each subject, does not require specific textbooks or curricula, and does not prescribe any particular approach to instruction.

The 180-day school year requirement applies to Delaware's nonpublic schools. In practice, this means your home-based school should operate for at least 180 days per year. There is no state enforcement mechanism that counts your days — the requirement is a structural parameter, not a surveillance target.

The state does not require a teaching certificate or any other credential for parents who homeschool. You do not need a college degree. You do not need prior teaching experience.

Homeschool Population in Delaware

Approximately 3,920 students are enrolled in home-based education in Delaware — roughly 2.67% of the state's student population. That number has grown significantly over the past decade, driven by a combination of curriculum flexibility, dissatisfaction with local school options, and the broader national expansion of homeschooling.

Delaware's small geographic footprint works in homeschoolers' favor. The state is compact enough that organized co-ops, enrichment classes, and support groups are accessible from almost anywhere. Families in Wilmington have access to different resources than those in Sussex County, but no part of Delaware is isolated from the homeschool community.

Curriculum: No Approval Required

Delaware does not maintain an approved curriculum list. There is no state database you need to consult before choosing materials. Families use Charlotte Mason approaches, classical curricula, structured packaged programs, unit studies, online platforms, and full unschooling methods — all equally legal under Delaware law.

This flexibility is one of the primary reasons families choose Delaware homeschooling even when they could enroll in a charter or private school. The state's hands-off posture means you are genuinely free to match curriculum to your child's learning style, pace, and interests rather than a state-prescribed sequence.

High School, Diplomas, and Transcripts

Delaware homeschool families issue their own diplomas. There is no state diploma, no state graduation requirement checklist, and no state review of your high schooler's coursework. The diploma you issue as the operator of your nonpublic school is the legal graduation credential.

You also create your own transcripts. Delaware colleges, universities, and employers accept homeschool transcripts — they are accustomed to receiving them. Most families develop a transcript format that mirrors a standard high school document: course names, credit hours, grades, and cumulative GPA.

For students pursuing university admission, the transcript is typically accompanied by standardized test scores (SAT, ACT, or AP exams) and a portfolio of work samples or external evaluations. Delaware colleges including the University of Delaware and Delaware State University have established processes for evaluating homeschool applicants.

Delaware Technical Community College (DTCC) is particularly valuable for Delaware homeschoolers. DTCC's dual enrollment options allow high schoolers to take college-level courses while completing their homeschool years, earning transferable credits that count toward both the home-based diploma and subsequent degree work.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Two scholarship programs are particularly relevant for Delaware homeschoolers.

The SEED Scholarship (Student Excellence Equals Degree) covers full tuition at Delaware Technical Community College for eligible Delaware residents, including homeschool graduates who meet the income and residency requirements. It functions as a need-based tuition waiver and has helped many Delaware homeschool families send their graduates into postsecondary education without incurring debt.

The Inspire Scholarship covers tuition at any of Delaware's three participating public universities: the University of Delaware, Delaware State University, and Delaware Technical Community College. Eligibility is merit-based and subject to annual appropriation, but it is a meaningful option for high-achieving homeschool graduates who document their academic work rigorously.

Sports and Extracurricular Access

Delaware's interscholastic sports policy reflects the state's relatively accommodating posture toward homeschoolers. Homeschool students may participate in Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) sports at their zoned public school, subject to the school's enrollment policies and DIAA eligibility rules.

This is not a guaranteed right — individual schools have some discretion — but many Delaware public schools have worked out functional access arrangements with local homeschool families. If athletic participation is important to your family, contacting the athletic director at your zoned school early in the homeschool process gives you the best opportunity to establish a working relationship.

Delaware's Homeschool Community

The Delaware Home Education Association (DHEA) is the state's primary homeschool advocacy organization. DHEA monitors legislation, provides legal updates, and connects families with local resources. Membership is worth considering even if you never attend an event — the legislative monitoring function alone is valuable for staying ahead of any proposed regulatory changes.

The Tri-State Homeschool Network serves families in the Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland corridor. Given how small Delaware is geographically, many families in northern Delaware find themselves blending into the broader Philadelphia-area homeschool community for enrichment classes, co-ops, and group activities.

Within Delaware, homeschool co-ops are active in all three counties. The most active concentration is in New Castle County, but Kent and Sussex County families have built solid local networks as well.

Military Families at Dover AFB

Delaware's Dover Air Force Base is home to a significant homeschool population. Military families often homeschool because frequent relocations make consistent school enrollment difficult — children change schools multiple times in a few years, losing continuity and sometimes falling behind in the process.

Delaware's low-regulation environment is particularly friendly to military homeschoolers. The state's requirements are minimal enough that transferring a homeschool program mid-year or picking up after a PCS move is manageable. Dover AFB itself has homeschool support resources through the Family Support Center, and connections to the broader military homeschool community help incoming families get oriented quickly.

Taking the Next Step

The gap between "thinking about it" and "legally started" in Delaware is smaller than in most states. The dual-notification process is the main administrative hurdle, and it is genuinely manageable once you know exactly what each agency needs, in what order, and what to do if you receive any pushback from a district that is not familiar with how the law works.

If you want a step-by-step walkthrough of the withdrawal and registration process — including template letters, the EdAccess submission sequence, and scripts for handling district responses — the Delaware Legal Withdrawal Blueprint covers every stage from the first notification through your first year of legal operation.

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