How to start homeschooling in Rhode Island
The legal steps, in order, checked against Rhode Island law.
Short answer: In Rhode Island, at-home instruction must be approved by the school committee of the town where the child lives before the child is removed from public school. To be approved, home instruction must provide attendance substantially equal to public schools, keep attendance registers like public schools do, and teach required subjects in English. The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) does not supervise home instruction itself, and it hears appeals when a school committee denies a plan.
Checked against R.I. Gen. Laws 16-19-1 on Nov 8, 2026. Compulsory school ages: 6 to 18. This is what the law says, not legal advice.
At-home instruction approved by the school committee
Parents who want to teach their child at home under a plan approved by their local school committee.
Steps
- Contact your local superintendent's office to learn the district's process. RIDE says the process can begin with a letter of intent to homeschool sent to the superintendent.
- If your child is new to the district, enroll the child in the district first. RIDE says this comes before the home instruction plan is approved.
- Prepare an at-home instruction plan that meets the state requirements for attendance, attendance registers, and required subjects taught in English. Include any online programs you plan to use, since RIDE says those must also be approved by the school committee.
- Agree with the school committee on how your child's progress will be evaluated. RIDE says this is decided during plan approval.
- Wait for the school committee's approval before removing your child from public school.
- Keep attendance registers in the same form as public schools and return them as the law requires.
- If the school committee denies your plan, you may appeal to RIDE, which holds a hearing at no cost to the parties.
| Notice to the state | Yes To: School committee of the city or town where the child resides, which must approve the plan When: Before the child is removed from public school, according to RIDE |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Reading, writing, geography, arithmetic, United States history, Rhode Island history, and the principles of American government, taught in English substantially to the same extent as in public schools. Other subjects and other languages may be added. |
| Time | A period of attendance substantially equal to that required by law in public schools |
| Parent qualifications | None required by law |
| Testing or evaluation | Not confirmed in our check. Ask the state education department. |
| Records to keep | Attendance registers kept the same way as public school registers and returned to the school committee, the superintendent, truant officers, and RIDE |
Leaving public school mid-year
RIDE says school committee approval must come before a parent removes a child from public school. A child removed earlier may be treated as out of compliance with the compulsory attendance law.
High school, transcripts and diplomas
RIDE says some districts issue a certificate of completion for a home instruction program and others issue certificates for individual courses. Students may take the GED for a high school equivalency diploma. No statute on home instruction diplomas was confirmed.
After the paperwork
Common questions
Do I have to tell the state I am homeschooling in Rhode Island?
Yes, under the at-home instruction approved by the school committee route, you notify school committee of the city or town where the child resides, which must approve the plan before the child is removed from public school, according to RIDE.
What subjects are required for homeschooling in Rhode Island?
Reading, writing, geography, arithmetic, United States history, Rhode Island history, and the principles of American government, taught in English substantially to the same extent as in public schools. Other subjects and other languages may be added.
What ages must be schooled in Rhode Island?
Ages 6 to 18, per state law.
Sources
We read each source on Nov 8, 2026 and recheck every guide each quarter. Laws change. If something here no longer matches the state, write to us and we will fix it.