How to Withdraw Your Child from School in Saskatchewan
How to Withdraw Your Child from School in Saskatchewan
Pulling your child out of school in Saskatchewan is a legal right, not a request — but the process involves two separate steps that most families don't realize are both required. Getting only one of them right creates a gap that leaves your family technically non-compliant with the province's compulsory attendance rules, even when you're acting in good faith.
Here is the full process, from decision to registered homeschooler.
Understand What Saskatchewan Actually Requires
Saskatchewan home-based education is governed by the Education Act, 1995 (Part VII) and the Home-Based Education Program Regulations, 2015. The short version: any parent can provide home-based education. The school division does not approve or deny it. You notify — you don't apply.
This distinction matters because some families delay for weeks waiting for a response from the school division that amounts to "permission to proceed." No such permission exists. The division receives your documentation, confirms receipt, and files it. Your authority to educate your child at home comes from provincial statute, not from the division's sign-off.
There are 27 school divisions across Saskatchewan. Each processes registrations independently, so procedures vary slightly — but the core requirements are consistent province-wide.
Step 1: Send a Withdrawal Letter to the School Principal
The first document goes to the principal of your child's current school. This is how your child's enrollment is officially severed. Until this letter is received, your child remains on the school's attendance register — meaning absences can be marked and, eventually, flagged as truancy.
The withdrawal letter should include:
- Your child's full name, grade level, and current teacher
- The date withdrawal takes effect
- A statement that you are registering with the school division under the Home-Based Education Program
- A request to remove your child from the attendance register
- A request for release of your child's cumulative record (report cards, assessments, any IEP documentation)
- A brief reference to the Education Act, 1995 as your legal basis
Send this by email with read receipt, or by certified mail. If you go the email route, follow up by phone if you haven't received confirmation within two business days.
Do not wait for the school's response before moving to Step 2. The two documents should go out simultaneously.
Step 2: Submit a Notice of Intent to the School Division Board
The second document goes to your school division's central administrative office — not the school. This registers your home-based education program under provincial law.
The Notice of Intent must include:
- Your child's name, date of birth, and previous school (if applicable)
- Your contact information
- A Written Educational Plan: a description of how you will deliver instruction in each required subject area
The required subject areas under Saskatchewan law are: language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, health education, the arts, and physical education.
The Written Educational Plan does not need to be elaborate. A paragraph or bulleted list per subject — naming the curriculum or approach you intend to use — is sufficient. You are describing a program, not writing lesson plans. Most divisions accept a plain one- to two-page document.
Timing: If you are withdrawing at the start of the school year, the Notice of Intent deadline is August 15. For mid-year withdrawals, you must submit the notice 30 days before you intend to begin home-based instruction.
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What Happens During the 30-Day Window
Here is the part of the process that catches families off guard: if you are switching mid-year, there is a 30-day period between when you submit your Notice of Intent and when your home-based education registration is formally in effect. During that window, your family is technically still subject to compulsory attendance requirements.
This does not mean you will receive a truancy notice — school divisions generally do not pursue families who have clearly initiated the registration process. But the legal exposure is real, which is why submitting the withdrawal letter and Notice of Intent on the same day is the right approach. Your paper trail demonstrates that you acted in compliance with the regulatory framework.
If your situation requires a faster transition — a safety concern, a medical situation, a custody arrangement — contact the division office directly. Many divisions will expedite processing on request when circumstances warrant it.
What the School Can and Cannot Do
Once your child is withdrawn, the school's role is administrative: remove the child from the attendance register and release the cumulative record. That's it.
The school principal cannot:
- Refuse to process the withdrawal
- Require you to attend an exit meeting
- Demand a home visit before confirming registration
- Ask you to explain or justify your decision to homeschool
- Withhold your child's records (you are entitled to them)
Some principals, especially in smaller communities, will attempt to schedule a meeting or ask questions about your plans. These conversations are optional. Declining politely is completely within your rights.
Occasionally families report division staff describing the process as an "application" that needs to be "approved." This is incorrect under provincial law. The Notice of Intent is a notification. If you encounter pushback, reference the Home-Based Education Program Regulations, 2015 directly — most staff will recognize the regulatory language and defer to it.
What You Need to Teach
Once you're registered, Saskatchewan law requires that your home-based program covers the seven subject areas listed above. The province does not prescribe a specific curriculum, does not require standardized testing, and does not set minimum daily or weekly instructional hours.
You can use a commercial packaged curriculum, an online school, library and internet resources, or a combination of approaches. Religious families can integrate faith-based content without conflict with provincial requirements.
Annual reporting is required: each spring, you submit a progress report to the school division describing what your child studied and what progress was made. It is a written summary — not a test, not a portfolio audit, not an external evaluation.
Re-Enrollment: What to Expect If You Return
If your family decides to return to public school at some point, re-enrollment is handled at the school level. Schools in Saskatchewan are not required to automatically recognize grades or credits completed during home-based education. Placement decisions are at the principal's discretion and are typically based on a portfolio review, academic assessment, or both.
This is worth planning for if your child is approaching high school. Students who want to earn a provincial diploma should register to write Grade 12 provincial exams as independent candidates — this produces an official Saskatchewan transcript recognized by Canadian universities.
The Paperwork in Plain Terms
Switching from public school to homeschool in Saskatchewan comes down to two documents sent to two recipients on the same day:
- A withdrawal letter to the school principal, stating the effective date and requesting record release
- A Notice of Intent to the school division board, with a Written Educational Plan attached
Send both. Keep copies and delivery confirmations. Begin home-based education when the withdrawal is in effect and the notice is filed.
The Saskatchewan Legal Withdrawal Blueprint includes ready-to-use templates for both documents, plus guidance on handling division-by-division variation, the 30-day notice window, and what to do if a school resists the withdrawal. If you want to get through this process without spending days researching what each division actually accepts, it covers everything in one place.
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