Deciding on a K-12 homeschool for your child is a big commitment. Homeschooling requires time, resources and planning.

Please review these laws, policies and guidelines for teaching your child(ren) at home.

• Ashland School Committiee Policy IHBG - HOME SCHOOLING
• Ashland School Committee Policy IHBG-R - HOME SCHOOLING
• Massachusetts Law - MGL c.76, § 1 Requirements and exceptions
• Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Homeschooling Website

In accordance with Massachusetts regulations and Ashland School Committee policy, we require families who intend to homeschool their students to submit an official application, attach the required supporting documentation and forward it to the school principal at least 14 days prior to the planned start of a home education program.

The required, supporting documentation includes:

• Qualifications of teachers(s): a statement providing information about any and all persons who will serve as teachers in this program. Home school programs must include 900 hours of instruction. Please include the teacher’s name, teaching responsibility, college degrees (if any), college major and minor, past teaching experience (if any), and any other evidence to describe teaching competence for the task to be assigned.

• Proposed home education plan for each child which includes the following:
  • A description of each subject to be taught, including the scope, major goals and objectives, and the major materials and methods to be used in each area.
  • A description of the schedule for instruction during the period of which approval is requested. Include the number of hours per day or week for each subject area.
  • A statement describing the methods that you plan to use to evaluate your child’s educational progress during this period.

Once your application has been received, we will issue an approval letter. Once you receive this, your student will be officially un-enrolled from Ashland Public Schools.

• Homeschool Application

The application must be resubmitted on an annual basis as long as the child is being educated in a home-based environment.