South Dakota Homeschool Laws: Requirements, Withdrawal, and Getting Started

South Dakota is a relatively homeschool-friendly state with straightforward requirements. The state does require annual registration with the local school district — something that sets it apart from the most permissive states — but the process is simple, and South Dakota does not require curriculum approval, portfolio review, or standardized testing.

The Legal Foundation: SDCL §13-27

South Dakota's homeschooling law is found in South Dakota Codified Laws (SDCL) §13-27. Under this statute, parents may educate their children at home when they meet the state's registration and instructional requirements. Homeschooling has been legal in South Dakota since 1993.

The state does not require a teaching degree or certification. Any parent may homeschool regardless of their educational background.

Who Must Comply with South Dakota Homeschool Law

Compulsory attendance in South Dakota applies to children ages 6 through 18. A child who has turned 6 and not yet turned 18 must either attend an accredited school or be enrolled in a legally compliant home school program.

Once a child turns 18 or graduates, the compulsory attendance requirements no longer apply.

Annual Registration Requirement

South Dakota requires parents to register their home school annually with the local school district superintendent. Registration must be completed each year — it is not a one-time process.

The registration requires you to provide:

• The name, address, and grade level of each child you are homeschooling
• Your intended curriculum or course of study (a general description is sufficient — the district cannot require you to submit or seek approval for specific materials)
• The name of the instructor(s)

Registration should be submitted at the start of each school year, or before you begin homeschooling if starting mid-year. There is no official state form, but most districts have a local form available. If your district does not provide one, a written letter to the superintendent with the required information suffices.

Important: Because registration is required before you begin, withdrawing your child from a South Dakota public school and registering your home school should happen concurrently, not sequentially.

What South Dakota Requires You to Teach

Under SDCL §13-27-3, home schools in South Dakota must provide instruction in the following subjects:

• Language arts (reading, writing, spelling, grammar)
• Mathematics
• Social studies (including U.S. history, government, and geography)
• Science

South Dakota does not specify a minimum number of instructional hours per year. The requirement is that instruction in the listed subjects is provided — the law does not prescribe the schedule, pace, or materials.

Record-Keeping: What You Must Maintain

South Dakota does not require you to submit records to the school district or state agency during the school year. However, the registration requirement implicitly assumes you are providing the instruction you stated. Maintaining records protects you if questions arise.

Reasonable documentation to maintain:

• A daily or weekly instructional log noting subjects covered
• Student work samples — completed assignments, tests, projects, writing samples
• Evaluations — grades or written assessments demonstrating progress

These records are yours to keep. The state does not audit them on a routine basis, but they are your evidence of compliance if a concern is ever raised.

For high school students: maintain a cumulative transcript tracking courses and credits from the start of 9th grade. You will generate this transcript yourself — South Dakota does not issue diplomas to home school graduates.

Standardized Testing: Not Required

South Dakota does not require home school students to take standardized tests at any grade level. There is no annual testing requirement and no obligation to submit scores to the school district or DESE.

Families who want to test voluntarily can access the Iowa Assessment or California Achievement Test through private testing services. These are norm-referenced tests that show how your child compares to national peers. Scores are kept by the family and not submitted to anyone.

How to Withdraw Your Child from a South Dakota Public School

If your child is currently enrolled in a South Dakota public school, withdrawing and registering your home school happen together. The process:

1. Draft a withdrawal letter stating your child's name, grade, current school, and effective withdrawal date. Request transfer of all academic records under FERPA (grades, test scores, health records, any special education records).

2. Draft or complete the home school registration — whether the district's form or a written letter — providing the required information about your program.

3. Deliver both to the superintendent's office — send by certified mail with return receipt, or hand-deliver with a signed confirmation copy.

4. Keep the receipt or confirmation permanently. This establishes that your child's subsequent absences from public school are legal home education, not truancy.

Do not allow your child to miss school days before the withdrawal and registration are both submitted. Mid-year withdrawals create a truancy window if paperwork lags behind the actual absence from school.

What If the District Adds Requirements?

South Dakota school districts occasionally request documentation beyond what the law requires — detailed curriculum outlines, teaching credentials, or consent to check-in visits. The state statute does not authorize these requests.

You are legally required to register and provide a general course of study. You are not required to submit curriculum materials for approval, demonstrate teaching credentials, or allow home visits. If a district makes demands that exceed the statutory requirements, consulting South Dakota's homeschool advocacy groups — South Dakota Christian Home Educators (SDCHE) or similar organizations — can help you respond appropriately.

Homeschooling Through High School in South Dakota

South Dakota home school graduates do not receive a state-issued diploma. Parents issue their own diploma, which is legally valid for employment and most military enlistment purposes.

For college admission, South Dakota universities and community colleges vary in their requirements for homeschool graduates. Most require ACT or SAT scores in addition to a parent-generated transcript. Students planning to attend South Dakota Board of Regents universities should research institution-specific admissions requirements. South Dakota State University, the University of South Dakota, and South Dakota School of Mines each have their own policies for homeschool applicants.

Dual enrollment at community colleges — taking college courses while still technically a high school-age student — is available in South Dakota and does not require a high school diploma. This is a common path for advanced homeschool students who want college credits before graduation.

South Dakota Homeschool Law: The Short Version

South Dakota's registration requirement is the main distinction from states like Missouri or Texas, which require no notification of any kind. The registration itself is not burdensome — a brief annual letter to the superintendent — but it must happen before your child stops attending public school.

For families who are used to Missouri's completely notification-free framework, South Dakota's registration requirement is the one new step to plan for. Handle the withdrawal and registration simultaneously, send everything by certified mail, and your legal foundation is solid before your first homeschool day begins.

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