How to Switch to Homeschool in Delaware: What Parents Need to Do First

Most parents who decide to pull their child from a Delaware public school hit pause at the same moment: they want to move quickly, but they are not sure whether they need permission, which office to notify, or how to avoid their child racking up unexcused absences while the paperwork is in flight. That uncertainty usually adds weeks of delay.

Delaware is one of the lighter-regulation states. You do not need curriculum approval, portfolio reviews, or standardized testing to operate a legal home education program. But you do need to notify two offices in the right order before your child stops attending school — and the sequence matters.

Understand Delaware's Legal Framework First

Delaware classifies home education programs as "nonpublic schools" under Title 14, Section 2703A of the Delaware Code. That label sounds heavier than it is. It simply means your home education program is treated as a private school rather than as an extension of the public school system. The practical effect is that once you have properly registered, you operate with substantial independence: you choose your own curriculum, set your own schedule, and issue your child's diploma and transcript.

The key condition is that nonpublic school status requires advance notification. Delaware is not a notify-and-start state where you can submit paperwork the same morning your child stops attending. The notification process involves two offices, and most families need a few business days to complete it.

The Two-Office Notification Process

Step 1: Register with EdAccess (Delaware Department of Education)

Your first notification goes to the Delaware Department of Education through the EdAccess portal. You will need to create an account and register your home education program as a nonpublic school. Have your child's basic information ready: full legal name, date of birth, grade level, and address.

EdAccess registration establishes your program in the state's system. Without it, you have no legal standing as a nonpublic school, and your local district has no record of your transition.

Step 2: Notify Your Local School District

After completing EdAccess registration, notify your local school district directly — typically by writing to the superintendent's office. Your notification should state that your child is being withdrawn to attend a nonpublic (home education) school, include your child's name, grade, and date of last attendance, and reference your EdAccess registration. Keep a copy of everything you send.

The district notification protects you on the attendance side. Once the district receives written notice that your child is enrolled in a nonpublic school, absences stop accruing as unexcused. Skipping this step while expecting EdAccess alone to close the loop is a mistake — district records and state records are not automatically synchronized.

Timing: When Can You Start?

You can begin home education as soon as both notifications are complete. There is no waiting period, no approval to wait for, and no one who signs off giving you permission. Delaware does not require the state or district to approve your program before you start.

The practical timeline for most families is two to four business days: one to two days to complete EdAccess registration, and one to two days for the district notification to be received and processed. If you are switching mid-year, keep your child in school until both steps are done to avoid any gap in attendance records.

What Delaware Does Not Require

It helps to know what you are not being asked to do:

• No curriculum approval. You choose your own materials. The state does not review or sign off on what your child studies.
• No portfolio review. Unlike Pennsylvania and New York, Delaware does not require an annual portfolio evaluation by a certified teacher or school official.
• No standardized testing. Delaware does not mandate annual standardized tests for home-educated students.
• No home visit. No state official will inspect your home learning environment.

The 180-day instructional requirement applies, but Delaware leaves it to the parent to track and document days of instruction. There is no mechanism requiring you to submit attendance records unless a dispute arises.

The Truancy Risk Window

The window between when you decide to homeschool and when your notifications reach the district is the only genuine legal risk in this process. Delaware's compulsory attendance law defines truancy as three or more unexcused absences. Once a student crosses that threshold, the district is required to refer the matter to the Division of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (DSCYF).

DSCYF involvement does not automatically mean consequences — investigators assess the situation — but it creates paperwork, stress, and scrutiny that is entirely avoidable if you file notifications before your child's last day of school attendance.

If your family is in a situation where you need to act quickly — a school conflict that has escalated, a safety concern, or a health situation — the priority is to file EdAccess registration and send a same-day written notice to the district before the child misses a third day. A notice sent today stops the clock for tomorrow's attendance record.

What Comes After Withdrawal

Once both notifications are filed, you are legally operating a nonpublic school in Delaware. The state's limited oversight requirements mean your day-to-day experience looks quite different from what families in high-regulation states deal with:

Recordkeeping. Delaware does not prescribe a format, but maintaining a simple attendance log and basic lesson records is good practice. These become valuable if you ever need to document academic history for college applications, re-enrollment in a public school, or co-op admission.

Transcripts and diplomas. You, as the parent-educator, issue your child's diploma and create their academic transcript. Delaware does not have a state-issued home education diploma. This is standard for home educators operating under the nonpublic school framework.

Extracurricular access. Delaware does not have a statewide Equal Access or "Tim Tebow Law" guaranteeing home-educated students access to public school sports or activities. The Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) prohibits home-educated students from participating in public school athletics, with limited exceptions. Check with your district directly for access to individual programs.

Military Families at Dover AFB

Delaware's nonpublic school framework works well for active-duty families stationed at Dover Air Force Base. The withdrawal process is the same — EdAccess registration plus district notification — and Delaware's low-regulation approach means you can maintain a consistent academic program across a PCS move without worrying about annual evaluations or curriculum review in the new state.

Getting the Withdrawal Right

The most common mistake families make when switching to homeschool in Delaware is notifying only one of the two required offices. EdAccess registration without district notification leaves your child's attendance record open. District notification without EdAccess registration means your program has no legal standing in the state system. Both steps are necessary, and both need to happen before your child's last day of school attendance.

The Delaware Legal Withdrawal Blueprint walks through the full dual-notification process in detail, including template letters for your district notification and guidance on what to include to protect your family from any attendance disputes.

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