Homeschool Notice of Intent in Delaware

Most states that require a homeschool notice of intent use a paper form or a letter mailed to the district superintendent. Delaware does things differently. The state's notification process runs through an online portal called EdAccess, and there is also a separate district-level step that most first-time homeschoolers do not know about. Miss either one and your child may still appear enrolled — and absent — in the public school system.

If you are pulling your child out of public school in Delaware, this post explains exactly what notice you need to file, where you file it, and in what order.

What Delaware Law Requires

Under 14 Del. Code §2703A, Delaware homeschools operate as nonpublic schools. That legal classification gives you significant freedom: no state-approved curriculum, no portfolio reviews, no standardized testing requirements, and no annual inspection of your home. But it does require you to formally establish your homeschool as a nonpublic school in the state's records.

That establishment happens through two separate notifications:

1. EdAccess portal registration — This is the state-level step. EdAccess is Delaware's online system for registering nonpublic schools. When you register your homeschool here, you create an official state record showing that your child is enrolled in a recognized nonpublic school.

2. District withdrawal notice — This is the local step. Your child's current school district maintains its own attendance records. The district has no visibility into what you filed with the state. You must separately notify the district that your child has withdrawn from public school.

Both steps are required. Filing only one and skipping the other leaves a gap in the paper trail.

Why the Two-Step Process Exists

Delaware's nonpublic school framework treats homeschools the same as private schools — as separate institutions that happen to be parent-run. When you register on EdAccess, you are telling the state that your nonpublic school exists. When you notify the district, you are telling your child's former school that this specific student has transferred to that nonpublic school.

Public school districts track attendance at the student level, not the state level. A district attendance system will not automatically know that a child withdrew just because EdAccess shows a nonpublic school registration. The two systems do not sync in real time. This is why families who file on EdAccess but forget the district withdrawal step still receive truancy notices — the state record is clean, but the district's system still shows an absent enrolled student.

How to File on EdAccess

The EdAccess portal is accessible through the Delaware Department of Education website. You will create or log in to an account, then register your homeschool as a nonpublic school. The information you will typically need to provide includes:

• The name of your nonpublic school (you choose this — "Smith Family Academy" or similar is common)
• The name and contact information of the school administrator (that is you, as the parent-teacher)
• The grade levels you are serving
• The names of students enrolled

After submitting, save your confirmation number or screenshot the confirmation screen. This is your documentation that the state filing was completed on a specific date. Keep it in a physical or digital file you can retrieve quickly.

There is no filing fee. Delaware does not charge families to register a nonpublic school through EdAccess.

How to Notify the District

The district withdrawal step is less formalized than the EdAccess registration, but it is equally important. At minimum, you need a written notice to the school your child currently attends — or to the district office if your child is not yet enrolled anywhere.

Your written withdrawal should include:

• Your child's full name and date of birth
• The school they are currently enrolled in
• The effective date of withdrawal
• A statement that your child will be enrolled in your nonpublic homeschool
• Your EdAccess registration confirmation number or date

Some districts have their own withdrawal forms; others accept a simple letter. Call the attendance office or registrar at your child's school to ask what their preferred process is. Whether you use a form or a letter, get written confirmation — an email reply, a date-stamped receipt, or a signed copy of your letter.

Timing: When to File

Delaware does not specify an exact number of days' notice before you begin homeschooling. In practice, you should file both the EdAccess registration and the district withdrawal notice before or on the first day your child stops attending public school. Filing on the same day you withdraw is acceptable. Filing after the fact invites a truancy notice for the days in between.

If you are pulling your child out mid-year, act quickly. The district's attendance triggers kick in after a small number of unexcused absences, and the automated notice system does not know to wait while you complete paperwork.

What Happens After You File

Once both notifications are in place, your obligations under Delaware law are straightforward. Delaware requires nonpublic schools to operate for at least 180 days per year. There is no requirement to submit attendance records to the state, submit lesson plans for approval, or have your child tested by anyone outside your household.

You will not receive an approval letter from the state. Delaware does not issue approvals or denials for nonpublic school registrations — filing the notice is the act that makes your homeschool legal. If you do not hear anything back after filing on EdAccess, that is normal.

You are also responsible for maintaining your own records of instruction and attendance, but those records stay with you. The state does not collect them unless a dispute arises.

Annual Renewals

Delaware requires nonpublic schools to maintain their EdAccess registration. In practice, this typically means updating your enrollment information at the start of each school year rather than re-filing from scratch. Log in to EdAccess each fall to confirm your student roster and school information is current. This keeps your state record active and accurate.

The district withdrawal is a one-time event — once your child is officially withdrawn from the public school, you do not need to re-notify the district each year unless your child re-enrolls and withdraws again.

Common Mistakes That Trigger Truancy Notices

The families who end up receiving truancy letters in Delaware almost always made one of three errors:

Only notifying the district, skipping EdAccess. The district marks the child as withdrawn, but there is no state nonpublic school record. This is less likely to cause immediate problems but creates a documentation gap if any compliance question arises later.

Only filing on EdAccess, skipping the district. This is the most common mistake. The state record is clean, but the district's attendance system still shows an enrolled, absent student. Truancy notices follow.

Withdrawing verbally without written documentation. A conversation with a teacher or principal does not constitute a formal withdrawal. The district attendance system requires a written record to process a withdrawal. Verbal notice leaves no paper trail and the child remains enrolled in the system.

Getting the Process Right

Delaware's homeschool notice of intent process is genuinely straightforward compared to states that require curriculum submissions, testing arrangements, or annual portfolio reviews. But it is a two-step process, and both steps need to happen correctly, in writing, with documentation you keep.

The Delaware Legal Withdrawal Blueprint covers the full dual-notification process in detail — the exact language to use in your EdAccess registration, what to include in your district withdrawal letter, how to create a compliance file that protects you if any questions arise later, and what to do if the district pushes back. Delaware's system works in your favor once you understand how the two pieces fit together.

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