Is homeschooling legal in Kentucky?
Yes, homeschooling is fully legal in Kentucky. Homeschooling in Kentucky is simpler than most parents expect. The state treats your homeschool as a small private school, so there is no application to file and no one to approve your curriculum. You send one short letter a year, keep basic records, and teach your kids.
Kentucky homeschool requirements at a glance
| Notice required | Yes. A short letter to your local superintendent each school year. |
|---|---|
| Required subjects | Yes. A basic list of core subjects taught in English. |
| Testing / assessment | No. Kentucky does not require testing of homeschooled students. |
| Recordkeeping | Yes. Attendance records and scholarship (progress) reports. |
| Parent qualifications | None. No diploma, degree, or certification required. |
Kentucky homeschool law in detail
We link the governing law so you can read it yourself instead of taking our word for it. The governing law is KRS 159.030 (Exemptions from compulsory attendance).
Notice / letter of intent
Kentucky has no homeschool statute; your homeschool operates as a private school under the compulsory attendance exemption in KRS 159.030. Each year, within the first two weeks of the local public school year (or within two weeks of starting mid-year), send your local district superintendent a letter listing the name, age, and address of each child attending your homeschool There is no required state form; a plain letter works. Sending it by certified mail with return receipt is a smart habit so you have proof of delivery.
Required subjects
Kentucky expects private schools, including homeschools, to teach reading, writing, spelling, grammar, history, mathematics, science, and civics. Instruction must be offered in the English language. How you teach those subjects, and which curriculum you use, is entirely up to you.
Required days or hours
Your homeschool term should match the public school minimum: at least 170 instructional days totaling at least 1,062 hours per year (the public school standard set in KRS 158.070, applied to private schools through KRS 158.080). You choose the schedule; there are no rules about which days or hours you teach.
Recordkeeping
Keep an attendance record showing the days your homeschool was in session, plus scholarship reports (think simple report cards or progress reports) for each child. The Kentucky Department of Education recommends updating these every six to nine weeks, roughly in step with public school grading periods. Records should be kept available in case a local attendance official ever asks to see them. Nothing is filed with the state on a schedule; you simply maintain them at home.
Testing and assessment
Kentucky requires no standardized testing, portfolio review, or professional evaluation of homeschooled students at any grade level. Many families still test privately every year or two for their own information, but that is a choice, not a requirement.
Withdrawing from public school
If your child is currently enrolled in public school, send your homeschool notice letter to the superintendent and notify the school in writing that your child is withdrawing to attend a private school at home. Do this before you stop sending your child, so the absence is never recorded as truancy. Keep copies of both letters. Once the school confirms the withdrawal, you are free to begin.
Good to know
Kentucky homeschools sometimes hear from a Director of Pupil Personnel (the district attendance officer); a polite reply with your notice letter copy and records almost always resolves it. The Kentucky Department of Education publishes a Homeschool Information Packet with best practices that are recommendations, not law. Bills in the 2026 session (HB 275 and HB 298) would have opened the KEES college scholarship to homeschool graduates but did not pass, so watch that issue in future sessions.
How to start homeschooling in Kentucky
- Step 1: Decide on a name for your homeschool if you like (optional, but it makes letters and records feel official) and pick your curriculum for the core subjects.
- Step 2: Write your notice letter to the local district superintendent listing each child's name, age, and address, and send it within the first two weeks of the school year or within two weeks of starting.
- Step 3: If your child is enrolled in public school, send a written withdrawal notice to the school at the same time and keep copies of everything.
- Step 4: Set up a simple attendance log and a folder for scholarship reports, updated every six to nine weeks.
- Step 5: Plan a calendar that reaches at least 170 days and 1,062 hours, then start teaching. Repeat the notice letter each school year.
File your notice
Kentucky requires a written intent-to-homeschool notification letter to the local school district within the first two weeks of the school year, and the official KDE packet contains a sample letter rather than a separate fillable statewide form.
No login and no fee to file. If you need wording, our fill-in-the-blank letter template is just below.
Form links checked when we built this page.
Homeschool funding in Kentucky
We're verifying Kentucky's funding programs against official sources right now, dollar amounts and rules change yearly, and we'd rather be right than first. Check back soon.
Free Kentucky homeschool notice letter template
Fill-in-the-blank and ready to send. Free, no email required.
Download the free templateFind homeschool families near you in Kentucky
Co-Op
- Bluegrass Homeschool Learning Cooperative · Lexington
Serving the greater Lexington area since 2007, this strictly secular cooperative welcomes homeschool families from all walks of life. They offer enrichment classes, robotics, extracurriculars, and field trips for pre-K through high school.
Visit website - FAITH (Families Acquiring Instruction Through Homeschooling) · Elizabethtown (Hardin County)
A Christian homeschool support group serving over 200 families with co-op academics for grades 6-12, enrichment for K-6, plus athletics, field trips, and family events like fall festivals and spelling bees. Moms get their own monthly night out too.
Visit website - Graves County Home Education Co-op · Mayfield (Graves County)
A well-organized, conservative Christian, parent-led co-op meeting Friday mornings in Mayfield since 2014. They welcome homeschooling families from Fulton, Graves, Marshall, McCracken, and surrounding far-western Kentucky counties for classes and social activities.
Visit website - PACHEK (Pennyroyal Area Christian Home Educators of Kentucky) · Hopkinsville (Christian County)
A volunteer parent-run support group serving Christian, Trigg, and Todd counties in western Kentucky, with twice-yearly eight-week co-op sessions covering everything from science and writing to cooking and PE. Beyond the co-op there are sports, clubs, field trips, family events, and even graduation support.
Visit website - Peanut Butter and Jelly Homeschool (PB&J) · Louisville
A secular, parent-led co-op where learning comes to life through hands-on, project-based activities in science, arts, and STEM. Families meet weekly and enjoy monthly field trips all over the Kentuckiana area, with kids from preschool through high school welcome.
Visit website - Strong Oaks Academy · Hebron (Northern Kentucky)
A Christian homeschool co-op serving Northern Kentucky families with group classes and a tight-knit community. Spots fill fast - rosters have been full with an active waitlist for the coming year, so it's worth getting your name in early.
Visit website - The PLACE Co-op · Bowling Green
The oldest homeschool co-op in Bowling Green, running since 2002, with Friday morning classes for preschool through high school plus Tuesday STEM classes for high schoolers. Classes are kept small and the community encourages a Biblical worldview, with every family pitching in.
Visit website
Forest & Nature School
- Evergreen Nature School · Lexington
A 100% outdoor nature-immersion school in Lexington offering year-round nature school, homeschool enrichment, and seasonal camps for roughly ages 3-12, with Spanish language woven in. Kids learn through child-led exploration in forest and field instead of a classroom, and trial days are available.
Visit website - Forest Pals · Clermont (Bernheim Forest)
An arts-inspired nature school at Bernheim Forest offering Waldorf-inspired caregiver-child playgroups for ages 1-5 and homeschool enrichment for ages 6-12, outdoors in all weather from September through May. Families from Louisville, Shepherdsville, and Bardstown gather for unstructured play, lantern walks, and a spring campout.
Visit website - Red Oaks Forest School · Stanton (Red River Gorge)
An eastern Kentucky forest school using the Red River Gorge as its classroom, where exploration meets education through nature-based play and hands-on environmental learning. Offerings span the whole family, from Forest Families for babies through Mighty Acorns, Forest Friends, Trailblazers, and teen conservation programs.
Visit website - Thrive Forest School · Goshen (Oldham County)
Louisville's first all-outdoor, nature-based preschool, tucked into the woodlands of Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve. Programs run from the Acorns toddler class (starting at age 2) through preschool and Afternoon Adventurers for older kids, all built on child-led exploratory learning.
Visit website
Waldorf School
- Waldorf School of Louisville · Louisville
Kentucky's only full Waldorf school, offering screen-free, arts-supported education from parent-child classes for the littlest ones through 8th grade, with over 30 years of history. Small classes, play-based early childhood programs, and developmentally aligned academics, with tuition assistance available for qualifying families.
Visit website
Homeschooling in nearby states
Kentucky homeschooling FAQ
Do I need anyone's approval to homeschool in Kentucky?
No. Kentucky is a notice state, not an approval state. You inform the superintendent that your private school at home exists; no one reviews or approves your curriculum or qualifications.
Do I have to send the letter every single year?
Yes, the notice is annual. Plan to send a fresh letter within the first two weeks of each school year listing every child you are homeschooling that year.
Will my kids have to take state tests?
No. Kentucky has no assessment requirement for homeschooled students. Some families test privately to track progress, but the state never asks for scores.
Do I need a teaching degree or high school diploma?
No. Kentucky sets no qualification requirements for homeschooling parents. You are legally the teacher of your own private school.
What records should I actually keep?
An attendance log and simple progress reports or report cards, updated every six to nine weeks. Many parents also keep a list of curriculum used and samples of work, which helps if your child ever returns to public school.
Can my homeschooled student earn a diploma?
Yes. As the administrator of your homeschool you issue the diploma and transcript yourself. Kentucky colleges and employers routinely accept parent-issued homeschool transcripts, often alongside ACT or SAT scores.
Sources
- Kentucky DOE, Homeschool
- Kentucky DOE, Homeschool Information Packet (PDF)
- HSLDA, Kentucky
- HSLDA, How to Comply with Kentucky's Homeschool Law
This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. Homeschool laws change, always confirm current requirements with your state's official sources before relying on them.