How to Start Homeschooling in Saskatchewan: A Step-by-Step Guide

Most families who decide to homeschool in Saskatchewan spend weeks researching before they realize the actual process is straightforward. Saskatchewan is a moderate-regulation province: you register with your school division, submit a written educational plan, and report progress at the end of the year. There is no curriculum approval, no mandatory testing, and no government inspector coming to your house.

Here is exactly what you need to do, in order.

Step 1: Understand Your Legal Framework

Home-based education in Saskatchewan is governed by The Education Act, 1995 (Part VII) and the Home-Based Education Program Regulations, 2015. These two documents establish your right to educate your child at home and define what you must provide to your school division.

The key legal distinction: your school division is a registering authority, not an approving authority. Divisions cannot evaluate your curriculum and refuse to register you because they disagree with your approach. They receive your application, confirm it meets the minimum requirements, and record you as a home-based education family. That's the full extent of their role during registration.

This matters because some families receive pushback from division staff who aren't familiar with the regulations. Knowing the legal framework protects you if that happens.

Step 2: Identify Your School Division

Saskatchewan has 27 school divisions. You register with the division that covers your home address — not the division your child currently attends if they're enrolled elsewhere.

Look up your division on the Saskatchewan School Boards Association website, or call the division office nearest to you. When you call, ask to speak with the home-based education coordinator or designated official. This is not the school principal and not a classroom teacher — it's a specific administrator within the division office who handles all home-based education registrations.

City-specific notes:

• Saskatoon: Saskatoon Public School Division or Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, depending on your preference and address
• Regina: Regina Public School Division or Regina Catholic School Division
• Prince Albert: Prince Albert Catholic School Division or Prince Albert School Division No. 3
• Rural areas: Divisions like Prairie Spirit, Sun West, Light of Christ, or North East School Division — confirm your address falls within their boundaries

If French is your primary language of instruction, you may be served by a conseil scolaire rather than a public or Catholic division.

Step 3: Submit Your Home-Based Education Application

The deadline for starting at the beginning of the school year is August 15. For mid-year starts, you give 30 days' notice before your intended start date.

If your child is currently enrolled in school, you withdraw them from their school at the same time — or immediately after — submitting your home-based education application. You do not need the school's permission to withdraw. Inform the school in writing that your child will no longer be attending, and request that their records be transferred to you.

Your application package includes two components:

1. The Home-Based Education Application form Each division has its own form, but all ask for the same basic information: student's name, grade level, parent/guardian contact details, and confirmation that you understand your obligations as the instructing parent.

2. Your Written Educational Plan

This is the substantive part of the registration. It does not need to be elaborate — it needs to cover:

• Your philosophical approach to home-based education (a paragraph is sufficient — structured, interest-led, classical, Charlotte Mason, etc.)
• Minimum three broad annual goals for each of the four core subjects: Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies
• The educational activities, methods, and resources you plan to use
• How you'll assess your child's progress throughout the year

What you do NOT need: daily schedules, scope-and-sequence documents, lesson plans aligned to provincial curriculum outcomes, or proof of purchased materials. The plan is a declaration of intent, not a detailed syllabus.

If you're withdrawing partway through the year, you write goals for the remainder of the year, not the full year.

Step 4: Know What Happens After You Submit

Your division acknowledges receipt of your application within a few weeks. After that, you're registered. There's no further approval step. You can begin your home-based education program immediately — you don't wait for a confirmation letter before starting.

The school division may schedule a check-in or introductory meeting, particularly if this is your first year. This is informal. It's an opportunity to ask questions, not a compliance inspection.

During the school year, you teach your program as described in your educational plan. You're not required to submit progress reports mid-year, though some divisions offer optional support services you can access.

Step 5: File Your Annual Progress Report

At the end of each school year, you submit an Annual Progress Report to your school division. You have two options:

Option A: Portfolio of work — a collection of samples showing your child's learning across the core subject areas. There's no prescribed format. A binder of writing samples, math work, science projects, and social studies activities is standard. A brief narrative summary of what you covered and how your child progressed is often included.

Option B: Standardized test results — divisions are required to make standardized testing available to home-based families upon request. If you choose to use testing as your assessment method, those results satisfy the annual reporting requirement.

Most families use portfolios. Testing is available but never mandatory.

Funding Available Through Your Division

Saskatchewan does not have a province-wide per-student funding program for home-based education families. However, several divisions offer their own funding:

• Regina Public School Division: approximately $800 per student, with a September 15 application deadline
• Saskatoon Public School Division: approximately $500 toward technology and curriculum resources
• Northwest School Division: approximately $750 reimbursement for eligible expenses
• Prairie Spirit School Division: prorated amounts based on enrolment date, with a March 1 cutoff for new applications

Ask your division directly what's available and what the application process looks like — amounts and conditions change, and not every division offers funding.

Online Courses and the Sask DLC

The Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre (Sask DLC) offers online courses to home-based education students. The rule to know: if your child takes 1 or 2 courses through Sask DLC, they remain classified as a home-based student. If they take 3 or more courses, they're reclassified as an institutional student and you lose your home-based education standing for that year.

This matters for families who want to supplement with online courses for subjects like high school science or French — keep it to two or fewer per semester to stay within the home-based framework.

Support and Legal Resources

The Saskatchewan Home Based Educators (SHBE) is the provincial advocacy and support organization. Membership is $35 per year and includes access to resources, a community of local families, and occasional conventions. It's worth joining in your first year for the community connection alone.

HSLDA Canada offers legal representation and membership at $220 per year. Most Saskatchewan families never need legal help — the registration process is well-defined and division staff are generally cooperative. But if you're withdrawing from a school that's resisting, or dealing with a division that's overstepping its authority, having legal backing matters.

If you want a detailed, step-by-step withdrawal package specific to Saskatchewan — including a Notice of Intent template, Written Educational Plan framework, and withdrawal letter — the Saskatchewan Legal Withdrawal Blueprint covers the full process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a teaching certificate to homeschool in Saskatchewan? No. There is no teaching qualification requirement in Saskatchewan.

Can I homeschool high school students? Yes. Home-based education applies to all grade levels, including grades 10-12. For university preparation, check the admissions requirements of your target institution — U of S and U of R have specific processes for home-educated applicants.

Can I homeschool part-time? Saskatchewan law doesn't define a minimum number of hours or days. You're responsible for providing an educational program that meets your child's needs. Part-time arrangements — where a child attends school for some subjects and is home-based for others — require coordination with the school and division.

What if my division gives me incorrect information? Refer to the Home-Based Education Program Regulations, 2015. The regulations define exactly what divisions can and cannot require. If a division official tells you that you need provincial curriculum alignment, daily logs, or prior approval of your curriculum, they're wrong, and the regulations support you.

Starting is simpler than most families expect. Submit your application before August 15, write a reasonable educational plan, and you're registered for the year.

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