Homeschoolers of Maine: HOME, MHEA, and HSLDA Explained

New Maine homeschoolers often encounter three names quickly: HOME (Homeschoolers of Maine), MHEA (Maine Homeschool Association), and HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association). These organizations are frequently mentioned in the same breath, but they serve quite different functions. Joining the wrong one for your actual needs — or skipping all of them when you should not — is a common mistake.

Here is a plain-English breakdown of what each organization does, what it costs, and which situations call for which resource.

HOME: Homeschoolers of Maine

HOME is the oldest and most established homeschool organization in Maine. It has operated for over three decades and maintains a statewide infrastructure with regional representatives covering all counties from Aroostook to York.

What HOME actually provides:

• Regional representatives. County-level contacts who serve as a first point of call for families new to homeschooling. They know local resources, informal co-ops, and the practical realities of homeschooling in their area.
• Curriculum unit studies. HOME sells pre-assembled unit studies specifically designed to satisfy two of Maine's most unusual required subjects: Maine Studies and Library Skills. These are not generic downloads — they are built around the state's actual statutory requirements and are frequently recommended by evaluators. Prices range from roughly $10.95 to $27.50 per unit.
• Portfolio review. HOME membership includes access to a free portfolio review by a certified Maine teacher, which satisfies the annual assessment requirement under Option 1.
• Convention and community events. Annual convention, graduation ceremonies for homeschool graduates, and organized field trips throughout the year.

What HOME is not:

HOME operates as a ministry-based, Christian organization. Their advocacy language, event programming, and community culture reflect that orientation. For secular families or those from different faith backgrounds, this is worth understanding before joining. The educational resources themselves (particularly the Maine Studies and Library Skills units) are broadly useful regardless of religious background, but the organizational context is explicitly faith-based.

HOME's website is extensive but not easy to navigate. Finding specific legal procedures requires clicking through multiple layers. If you arrive there during a withdrawal emergency looking for a step-by-step checklist, expect to spend time searching.

Cost: Membership options include a lifetime membership (approximately $1,000) and annual convention registration (approximately $35). Individual curriculum units are sold separately.

Best for: Families who want community connection, pre-built Maine-specific curriculum resources, and access to portfolio review. Particularly useful for families aligned with HOME's faith-based orientation or families who specifically need Maine Studies and Library Skills materials.

MHEA: Maine Homeschool Association

MHEA is a smaller organization focused primarily on legal advocacy and legislative monitoring at the state level. Unlike HOME, MHEA's work is centered on tracking changes to Maine homeschool law, analyzing statutes, and advocating for homeschooler rights in areas where policy intersects — particularly sports access.

What MHEA actually provides:

• Legal analysis. MHEA publishes analysis of Maine homeschool statutes and tracks legislative changes that affect home instruction requirements. If there is a bill moving through Augusta that would affect homeschoolers, MHEA is typically following it.
• Sports access advocacy. MHEA has specifically focused on Title 20-A Section 5021 (public school access) and MPA eligibility for homeschooled athletes. Families encountering resistance from schools on sports participation can find MHEA resources useful.
• Community information sharing. MHEA communicates through newsletters and member updates on legal developments.

What MHEA is not:

MHEA does not provide the same depth of hands-on community support as HOME. It does not have a regional representative network, organized field trips, or curriculum products. It is more of an advocacy organization than a support organization.

Best for: Families who are politically engaged in homeschool policy, who want to stay current on legislative developments, or who are actively navigating a sports access dispute with a school district.

HSLDA: Home School Legal Defense Association

HSLDA is a national organization, not Maine-specific. It operates as a legal defense association — effectively an insurance and legal representation membership for homeschooling families who face legal challenges.

What HSLDA actually provides:

• Legal representation. Member families who receive contact from school officials, truancy officers, or DHHS can call HSLDA and have an attorney handle the communication. This is the core service. If a superintendent is demanding information beyond what Maine law requires, or if DHHS has contacted you about educational neglect, an HSLDA attorney can respond on your behalf.
• Attorney-drafted withdrawal templates. Members get access to Maine-specific withdrawal letters and Notice of Intent templates drafted by attorneys, including specialized versions for withdrawing a child with an IEP.
• 24/7 legal hotline. For members facing an urgent situation — a truancy threat, a school refusing to process withdrawal — the hotline provides immediate access to legal guidance.

What HSLDA is not:

HSLDA is not a free resource. The membership fee is approximately $150 per year (or $15/month). Their withdrawal templates and legal guides are entirely behind a paywall — nothing is accessible without an active paid membership. If you join purely to download a withdrawal template and then cancel, that is technically an option, but the ongoing value is in the legal coverage.

HSLDA is also a national organization with a conservative, religious organizational identity. Like HOME, this matters to some families and not to others.

Best for: Families who have already encountered resistance from their school district, families withdrawing a special-needs child with an IEP who are concerned about educational neglect allegations, or families in rural Maine where superintendents have a history of overreach. The $150/year fee is reasonable as legal insurance for families in high-conflict withdrawal situations.

Comparing the Three

What If You Do Not Join Any of Them?

You are not required to join any of these organizations to legally homeschool in Maine. The state's home instruction requirements — filing a Notice of Intent, completing 175 days of instruction across ten required subjects, submitting an annual assessment — can all be met independently without organizational membership.

Where organizations become important is when something goes wrong: a hostile superintendent, a DHHS contact, a school refusing to honor your withdrawal. At that point, having HSLDA legal coverage or knowing your HOME regional representative matters more than whether you used their curriculum.

The most important administrative step is getting the withdrawal itself done correctly before any of these organizational questions arise. If you are still working through the initial withdrawal process — figuring out Option 1 versus Option 2, writing your withdrawal letter, understanding what the Notice of Intent must actually contain — the Maine Legal Withdrawal Blueprint covers all of that in detail, including how to respond if the school pushes back.

Once your program is legally established, you can evaluate which organization's ongoing support fits your family's needs and priorities.

See more United States homeschool guides →