INDIANA
Homeschooling in Indiana: Requirements, Paperwork, and How to Start
Keep a daily attendance record, teach the equivalent of what public schools teach, and Indiana asks nothing else. The scholarship account is a separate matter, and it is disability-based.
Homeschooling in Indiana, Summarized
The Seven Things Indiana Asks of You
Legal in Indiana
Yes
as a non-accredited nonpublic school
Compulsory ages
7 to 18
Funding available
Disability-based · up to $20,000
siblings up to $8,000
Do I notify anyone?
Only to withdraw an enrolled child
registration is voluntary
Paperwork load
Low
attendance record only
Parent qualification
None required
Standardized testing
Not required
Legal requirements last reviewed: June 2026 · Plain English · Not legal advice
Homeschooling is legal in Indiana
What You Need to Know
Your homeschool is a non-accredited nonpublic school, which exempts it from the state's curriculum and content requirements. Two obligations are enforceable: keep a daily attendance record you produce if the Department asks, and give instruction equivalent to the public schools'. Registration exists but is voluntary.
What Indiana Asks of You
Two real obligations, and one optional registration.
Must do
Keep an accurate daily attendance record for each child
Provide instruction equivalent to that given in the public schools
Notify the school in writing if you are withdrawing a currently enrolled child
Dates that matter
The attendance record is produced on request rather than filed
Withdrawal notice goes in before or as you begin homeschooling
High-school withdrawals use a specific state form signed at the point of withdrawal
Good practice — not required
Register voluntarily with the Department to appear on its list — it carries no legal weight
Keep your own academic records: the Department holds none for homeschooled students
'Equivalent' is not defined and no curriculum requirements apply. The Department expects 180 days as guidance, not as a statutory figure. There is no annual reporting.
Indiana wants a daily attendance record it can ask for at any time. StudyPug keeps one while your child works.
Funding for Indiana Home Education
The key numbers before the details.
PROGRAM
Education Scholarship Account — disability-based
AMOUNT
Up to $20,000 a year for a student with disabilities
SIBLINGS
Up to $8,000 a year
BASE AWARDS
Roughly $6,033 to $8,329 by school corporation for 2026-27
How It Works
From registration to reimbursement, step by step.
1
Check eligibility first
This is the part that catches families out: eligibility is disability-based, with siblings included. It is not a universal account, and there is no income cap on the disability route.
2
Apply for the account
Awards for a student with disabilities reach $20,000 a year, combining 90% of per-student state funding with the full special-education amount. Sibling awards reach $8,000.
3
Know your corporation's base
The base award varies by school corporation, running from roughly $6,033 to $8,329 for 2026-27. Your figure depends on where you live rather than a statewide rate.
Funding rules move faster than law. Amounts and eligibility can change every school year and every legislative session — always confirm with the official program sources below before you spend. Funding facts last reviewed: August 2026.
What StudyPug Handles for You
Not templates you fill in — records that fill themselves in.
Work-samples portfolio that assembles itself
Hours & attendance log that fills itself in
Progress reports you can download and share
Scope & Sequence showing instruction equivalent to the public schools
One-click attendance package if the Department ever asks
Every child in one account — up to 5
Questions About Homeschooling in Indiana
Quick answers for homeschooling families.
Is homeschooling legal in Indiana?
Yes. Homeschools are non-accredited nonpublic schools under IC 20-33-2-12, and that classification exempts them from the state's curriculum and content requirements. It is one of the least regulated arrangements in the country.
Do parents need a teaching certificate?
No. Indiana requires no teacher certification, credential or qualification of any kind, and nothing about your suitability is reviewed. The exemption that makes your homeschool a non-accredited nonpublic school is what removes the question entirely.
Does Indiana fund homeschooling?
Only in specific circumstances. The Education Scholarship Account is disability-based rather than universal: a student with disabilities may receive up to $20,000 a year, and siblings up to $8,000. Base awards vary by school corporation, from roughly $6,033 to $8,329 for 2026-27. There is no income cap on the disability route.
What exactly do I have to keep?
An accurate daily record of attendance for each homeschooled student. It is not filed anywhere, but it must be produced if the Department of Education requests it. That, and providing equivalent instruction, are the only enforceable obligations.
What does 'equivalent instruction' mean?
The statute does not define it, and the same section exempts homeschools from the curriculum and content requirements that apply elsewhere. In practice it is a standard you meet rather than a specification you follow, which is why following recognized standards is the simplest way to evidence it.
Should I register with the Department?
It is entirely up to you. Registration is voluntary, one-time, and carries no legal weight — it neither grants permission nor creates an obligation. Some families do it for their own peace of mind; many never do.
Can my child sit the state tests?
No, not while homeschooled. Homeschool students may not participate in the state assessments unless they are enrolled. If a benchmark matters to you, a nationally normed test taken privately is the usual route.
Official Sources
Confirm the rules and apply directly with your state.
Indiana Homeschool Information
→The Department's overview — what is required and what is optional.
in.gov/doe — Homeschool Information
Homeschool Help Sheet
→Attendance, withdrawal and the voluntary registration, set out plainly.
in.gov/doe — Help Sheet
Withdrawal to a Nonpublic School
→The form a high-school withdrawal uses.
in.gov/sboe — Withdrawal form (PDF)
Other States:
Homeschooling in Iowa·Homeschooling in Kansas·Homeschooling in Kentucky— each reviewed against its own official sources
See How Families Run Their Homeschool on StudyPug
Lessons, practice, and the records above — one family plan.
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StudyPug is a records tool, not legal advice. Homeschool rules, funding amounts, and deadlines change at least yearly — always confirm with the official sources above before you act. Requirements can also differ at the school-board or district level, so check with your local board or district too. We review every jurisdiction page and show you the date we last checked it; each requirement in your dashboard carries its own source and last-verified date.
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