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Connecticut

• Compulsory Attendance Ages: Between 5 and 18 Unless child is a high school graduate.
   Parents may elect not to send a 5-6, or a 16-17 year old child to school by personally appearing at the school district office and signing an option form. Connecticut General Statutes Annotated § 10-184.

• Required Days of Instruction: Generally, 180 days. See § 10-184.

• Required Subjects: Reading, writing, spelling, English, grammar, geography, arithmetic,  United States history, and citizenship, including a study of the town, state, and federal governments. (§ 10-184)

• Teacher Qualifications: None.

• Standardized Tests: Not required by statute or regulation. However, an annual portfolio review will be held with the parents and school officials to determine if instruction in the required courses has been given

   A home school may operate if the parent "is able to show that the child is elsewhere receiving equivalent instruction in the studies taught in the public schools." The duty of the local school board is to "...cause each child [of school age] … to attend school in accordance with the provisions of § 10-184...."

Interpretations of Connecticut state Homeschool Laws: From http://members.cox.net/ct-homeschool/ctregs.htm

If parents wish to educate their child in their home, they must show equivalency as described in Section 10-184 and local boards of education must determine whether or not such a child is receiving equivalent instruction as required by Section 10-220.

The following procedures have been developed in order to assist parents and local boards of education to work together in such a way as to assure children receive the education to which they are entitled by law. We would deem compliance with these suggested procedures as satisfying the requirements of Sections 10-184 and 10-220 of the General Statutes.

Suggested Procedures for Home Instruction

In determining whether the education provided a child is equivalent to the instruction provided in the local schools, it is recommended that the local board of education observe the following procedures:

A. Parents must file with the superintendent of schools in the town in which they reside a notice of intent form which provides basic information about the program to be provided to their child. A notice of Intent will be effective for up to one school year.

B. Filing must occur within ten days of the start of the home instruction program.

C. The school district will receive the notice of Intent, check it for completeness and keep it as part of the district's permanent records. A complete form will be one which provides basic program information including name of teacher, subjects to be taught and days of instruction, and the teacher's methods of assessment.

D. A parent, by filing a notice of intent, acknowledges full responsibility for the education of their child in accordance with the requirements of state law. Receipt of a notice of intent In no way constitutes approval by a school district of the content or effectiveness of a program of home instruction.

E. If a parent fails to file a notice of Intent or files an incomplete form then a certified letter shall be sent to the parent requesting compliance within ten days.

F. An annual portfolio review will be held with the parents and school officials to determine if instruction in the required courses has been given.

G. Any continued refusal by the parent to comply with the reasonable request of the school district for completion and filing of the notice of intent, or to participate in an annual portfolio review may cause the child to be considered truant

H. A school district should not accept nor require a notice of intent for any child younger than seven years or older than sixteen years.

I. The school district shall record the number of students instructed at home on the appropriate form issued by the State Department of Education.

Reference: Click Here and Click Here

Connecticut State Graduation Requirements:

  • English units: 4
  • Math units: 3
  • Social studies units: 3. Must include at least .5 unit on civics and American government.
  • Science units: 2
  • P.E./Health units: 1 unit P.E.
  • Arts: 1 unit in arts or vocational education
  • Foreign language: 0
  • Electives units: 0
  • Other units: 1 (in arts or vocational education). Local board may offer .5 unit of community service which may quality for high school graduation credit under specified circumstances.

TOTAL # units:  20.  14 state-determined units and 6 district-determined requirements or electives.

Other diploma options
State does not offer differentiated diploma pathways. State does not have policy on awarding proficiency-based credit.

CONN. GEN. STAT. § 10-221a


Related Pages:
Homeschool Support Groups in Connecticut
Colleges in Connecticut