Indiana Homeschool Laws: What You Need to Know Before You Start

Indiana is one of the most homeschool-friendly states in the US. If you've been researching homeschool laws and spent time reading about states with mandatory notification, portfolio reviews, and annual assessments, Indiana's framework will come as a relief: the state requires very little, and what it does require is straightforward.

Indiana Homeschooling Under State Law

Indiana Code § 20-33-2-8 establishes age seven as the start of compulsory attendance, and the obligation generally lasts until age 18. Children in this age range must either attend a public school, an accredited private school, or receive instruction "equivalent to that given in public schools."

Homeschooling falls under the "equivalent instruction" provision. Indiana does not have a separate homeschooling statute — homeschool families simply operate as non-accredited private schools at home. This is similar to the California model.

What Indiana Does NOT Require

• No state notification or registration. You do not inform the Indiana Department of Education or your local school district that you are homeschooling.
• No standardized testing. Indiana imposes no mandatory academic testing on homeschoolers.
• No portfolio submission. You are not required to submit student work for review.
• No teacher certification. Parents do not need a teaching license or college degree to homeschool in Indiana.
• No curriculum approval. The state does not review or approve curriculum choices.

Indiana is genuinely hands-off. The "equivalent instruction" standard is the main academic standard, alongside the 180-day instruction and attendance-record requirements.

What Indiana Does Require

Compulsory attendance and records. Children are subject to compulsory attendance beginning at age 7 and through age 18. Indiana requires 180 days of instruction and an accurate daily attendance record; there is no prescribed daily-hour minimum.

Instructional content. Indiana does not prescribe a specific homeschool curriculum or subject list. State law does require instruction equivalent to that given in public schools, but it does not define equivalency for non-public, non-accredited schools.

Withdrawal from public school. If your child has been enrolled in public school, notify the school in writing that your child is withdrawing to receive home instruction. For a high-school student, the parent or guardian must also sign Indiana's Withdrawal to Non-Accredited Non-public School Located in Indiana form.

Starting Homeschooling in Indiana: The Process

1. If currently enrolled, notify the school in writing that you are withdrawing your child to homeschool. For a high-school student, complete the required withdrawal form with the school. Request any records (grades, health immunization records, IEP documentation if applicable).
2. Choose curriculum. No state approval is needed.
3. Begin instruction.

Indiana's process is genuinely this simple. There's no waiting period or homeschool approval to obtain, and enrollment reporting is optional; families must still keep attendance records and provide them if requested.

Participation in Public School Activities

Participation in public school extracurricular activities and sports is a local decision, not a statewide guarantee. For sports, the Indiana High School Athletic Association lists eligibility criteria, so contact the school and IHSAA before assuming participation is available.

The practical implementation varies by school district. Some districts integrate homeschoolers smoothly; others require more documentation or have informal barriers. Contact your local school athletic director or activities coordinator before the school year begins if this is important to your family.

Record Keeping Best Practices

Indiana does not require general educational records, but it does require an accurate daily attendance record. Keeping additional records serves practical purposes:

Moving to another state: If you move to a state with reporting requirements (Pennsylvania, for example, requires annual assessment), you'll need records to establish your child's grade level and course history.

High school transcripts: Indiana has no state requirements for homeschool graduation, but colleges expect transcripts. Maintaining annual course records — subjects studied, curricula used, grades or evaluations — makes transcript preparation straightforward at the end of high school.

Subject and date logs: A simple spreadsheet tracking subjects covered and school days completed (tracking 180 days/year) is sufficient for most purposes.

High School and College Planning

Indiana does not issue a homeschool diploma; parents maintain the high-school record and may award their own diploma.

Indiana's public universities — Purdue, Indiana University, Ball State — all have defined processes for homeschool applicants. The most important factors are:

• SAT or ACT scores (typically ACT in Indiana)
• Transcript with course descriptions — list each course with a brief description of the curriculum used, credit hours, and the grade awarded
• Dual enrollment — Indiana homeschoolers can enroll at Ivy Tech Community College as early as high school, earning simultaneous high school and college credit

Indiana's higher education system is generally homeschool-friendly. Strong ACT scores (27+ for competitive programs) and a clear transcript are the main admission factors; accreditation is not required.

Special Needs and Indiana Homeschooling

Indiana homeschoolers with disabilities do not retain the same FAPE/IEP entitlement as public-school students. They may still be eligible for evaluation and equitable special-education services through the public school under a Service Plan, typically with a different level of service than an IEP.

Families who homeschool primarily because of special needs often find Indiana's flexibility to be an asset — they can choose specialized curriculum without needing district approval or IEP adherence. Dyslexia programs (Orton-Gillingham based), ADHD-friendly curriculum structures, and asynchronous grade-level work are all freely available.

Choosing Curriculum as an Indiana Homeschooler

Indiana's lack of testing requirements means you have complete flexibility. You're not preparing for state assessments — you're preparing your child. That opens the door to any pedagogical approach: classical, Charlotte Mason, Montessori, unit studies, school-at-home, or eclectic mixes.

The challenge most Indiana homeschoolers face isn't legal compliance — it's curriculum selection from a market with hundreds of options. The US Curriculum Matching Matrix organizes the major programs by subject, learning style, cost, and worldview, making it easier to narrow down the options that genuinely fit your child before spending money on curriculum that might not work.

See more United States guides →