How to Withdraw from Public School in Kansas for Homeschool or Microschool

Pulling your child from public school in Kansas is legally straightforward, but the sequence matters. If you skip steps — particularly the formal withdrawal notification and the NAPS registration — the public school is legally required to report your child's absence to the Department for Children and Families (DCF) or the local district attorney. Kansas truancy law has teeth, and triggering it is easy to do by accident.

This guide walks through exactly what Kansas law requires, what you need to do, and in what order.

Step 1: Understand the Legal Framework

Kansas does not have a separate legal category called "homeschool." Instead, every family educating children outside the public system — whether individually or in a cooperative microschool — operates under the Non-Accredited Private School (NAPS) designation, governed by K.S.A. 72-4346 and K.S.A. 72-53,101.

As a NAPS, you are registering as a private school. The state explicitly does not approve, monitor, or assess the quality of NAPS education. The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) registration exists solely so that future schools have a documented institution from which to request academic records when your child later transfers.

Kansas compulsory attendance law (K.S.A. 72-3120) requires children aged seven through seventeen to attend school. Once you register a NAPS and formally enroll your child in it, you satisfy this requirement.

Step 2: Register Your NAPS with the KSDE

Before you withdraw your child from public school, register your Non-Accredited Private School. The registration is completed online through the KSDE portal at apps.ksde.gov/naps_form. Select "New" registration, provide the school's name (you choose it), the physical address where instruction will occur, and the county.

A few important details:

• Registration is a one-time filing — not annual. You only need to re-register if the school name, physical address, or primary custodian changes.
• There is no fee.
• There is no approval process. Registration is immediate and administrative.
• You designate one adult as the "custodian of records" — the person responsible for maintaining attendance and student records.
• The state does not mandate curriculum, does not require teaching credentials, and does not require state-licensed instructors. Kansas law requires only that instruction be provided by a "competent instructor" — a term the Kansas Attorney General has affirmed does not require formal certification.

Step 3: Withdraw Your Child from Public School

Once your NAPS is registered, submit a written withdrawal notification to your child's current school. The notification should include:

• Your child's full name and date of birth
• The name of the NAPS they are transferring to
• The effective date of withdrawal
• A statement that your child will be continuing their education at a registered Kansas Non-Accredited Private School

Kansas law does not require a specific form or format. A simple letter delivered to the school office — in person, by email, or certified mail — is sufficient. Request confirmation of receipt.

The public school must release your child from their enrollment rolls. They may ask for additional information or push back; you are not required to provide curriculum details, teaching credentials, or educational plans. Your child is transferring to a private school, which is a legal right.

If your child has an active IEP, be aware that their right to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) ends at the moment of formal withdrawal from the public system. The local public school district may offer some equitable services to private school students but is not legally obligated to provide the full spectrum of special education therapies. Factor this into your decision timeline if services are critical to your child's current support structure.

Step 4: Establish Your Educational Records System

As a NAPS, you are fully responsible for maintaining attendance records and issuing transcripts. The state does not provide forms or templates. Your records should document:

• Daily or weekly attendance
• Courses taught and completion status
• Assessment results (standardized tests, portfolio documentation, or any method you choose — no state-mandated testing for NAPS students)
• For high school students: a transcript showing credit earned toward graduation

Kansas does not dictate the format of these records, but they need to be organized enough to support a future school transfer or college application. For high school students aiming at Kansas Board of Regents universities (KU, K-State, WSU), admission is generally available with a minimum ACT composite score of 21 or a passing GED score, alongside a transcript from your NAPS.

The Kansas Micro-School and Pod Kit includes record-keeping templates, parent agreements, and the full NAPS registration walkthrough — everything you need to set up a legally compliant system from the first day.

Step 5: Meet the Instructional Time Requirement

Kansas requires NAPS students to receive instruction for a period "substantially equivalent" to public schools: 186 days or 1,116 hours per year for grades 1 through 11, and 465 hours for kindergarten.

The important thing to know is that this is an aggregate time standard, not a rigid daily schedule. Kansas law defines instructional time broadly to include direct classroom instruction, field trips, library research, experiential learning activities, and specialized program activities. A four-day instructional week, a hybrid home-and-classroom model, or a schedule built around project-based learning all satisfy this standard provided the hours accumulate appropriately over the year.

Timing: When to Withdraw

You can withdraw your child from public school at any point in the school year. Mid-year withdrawals are common. There is no waiting period in Kansas — unlike Arkansas, for instance, which has a five-day mandatory waiting period before withdrawal takes effect.

If you are withdrawing to join an existing microschool or learning pod, coordinate the withdrawal date with the microschool to avoid any gap in enrollment records.

Common Questions

Can the school refuse to process the withdrawal? No. A parent's right to withdraw a child from public school and enroll them in a private school (NAPS) is guaranteed under Kansas law. If a school attempts to delay processing, contact the KSDE or the Kansas Association of Christian Home Educators (KACHE/KSHE) for guidance.

Do I need an attorney? For a standard withdrawal with no IEP complications, no. The process is administrative, not legal. Kansas homeschool law is among the most permissive in the country, and the NAPS framework is designed to be accessible without professional legal assistance.

What if we want to return to public school later? Your child can re-enroll in public school. The new school will request academic records from your NAPS (which is why maintaining good records matters). Public schools must accept returning students and place them appropriately.

Getting It Right the First Time

The withdrawal and NAPS registration process in Kansas is genuinely simple — simpler than in most states. The risk is not complexity; it is the sequence. Register the NAPS before you withdraw, deliver written notification to the school, and maintain organized records from day one.

If you are withdrawing to form or join a Kansas microschool with other families, the Kansas Micro-School and Pod Kit provides the exact documents, templates, and step-by-step guidance to handle the NAPS setup, parent agreements, and record-keeping from the start.

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