Is homeschooling legal in Oregon?
Yes, homeschooling is fully legal in Oregon. Oregon keeps homeschooling refreshingly simple: send one letter when you start, and have your child tested four times across their whole school career. There are no required subjects, no hour counts, and no parent qualifications. Most families find the paperwork takes less than an afternoon.
Oregon homeschool requirements at a glance
| Notice required | Yes, a one-time written notice to your local Education Service District (ESD). |
|---|---|
| Required subjects | No, Oregon does not mandate subjects for homeschoolers. |
| Testing / assessment | Yes, an approved standardized test after grades 3, 5, 8, and 10. |
| Recordkeeping | No state requirement, but keeping test results and basic records is wise. |
| Parent qualifications | None. |
Oregon 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 ORS 339.035 (Teaching by private teacher, parent or guardian).
Notice / letter of intent
Within 10 days of starting to homeschool, or of withdrawing your child from public school, send a written notice to your local Education Service District (ORS 339.035). This is a one-time notice per child, not an annual filing, and it stays valid as long as you remain in that ESD. The notice should include your name plus each child's name, address, and birth date, along with the school your child currently or last attended (or your resident district if the child never attended school). The ESD must acknowledge receipt in writing within 90 days, and most ESDs offer a simple online or printable form.
Required subjects
Oregon law does not prescribe subjects, curriculum, or course content for homeschooled students. Parents have full freedom to choose materials and methods. Because the required tests cover reading, language arts, and math, most families naturally include those, but that is a practical choice rather than a legal mandate.
Required days or hours
There is no required number of instructional days or hours for homeschooling in Oregon. You set your own calendar and daily schedule.
Recordkeeping
Oregon does not require homeschool families to keep or submit records, attendance logs, or portfolios. That said, keep your ESD acknowledgment letter and your child's test results, since the superintendent can request scores after a tested grade. A simple file of yearly work samples and course lists also helps later with high school transcripts, sports eligibility, or re-enrollment.
Testing and assessment
Children must take a standardized test approved by the State Board of Education by August 15 following grades 3, 5, 8, and 10, administered by a qualified neutral person (ORS 339.035; OAR 581-021-0026). Scores are reported to the parent, who keeps them and provides them only if the ESD superintendent requests. If a child was withdrawn from public school, the first test is due at least 18 months after withdrawal; if never enrolled, the first test follows grade 3. If a composite score falls below the 15th percentile, a retest within a year can follow, and only after continued decline can the superintendent require supervision by a licensed teacher or, ultimately, school enrollment. Children with disabilities may instead be evaluated according to an IEP or a privately developed plan (OAR 581-021-0029).
Withdrawing from public school
To pull your child out of public school, notify your local ESD in writing within 10 days of withdrawal, just as with any new homeschool start. It is also smart to send a short written withdrawal note to the school itself so your child is removed from attendance rolls and not marked truant. Keep dated copies of both. Remember the 18-month grace period before the first required test applies to children withdrawn from public school.
Good to know
Oregon has one of the strongest sports-access laws in the country: ORS 339.460 guarantees homeschooled students the chance to participate in interscholastic activities (athletics, music, speech, and more) at their resident school, conditioned on an annual test score at or above the 23rd percentile. Compulsory attendance runs ages 6 to 18. Note that enrolling in an online public charter school is public school, not homeschooling under ORS 339.035, and the homeschool rules stop applying while enrolled.
How to start homeschooling in Oregon
- Find your local Education Service District (ESD). Oregon's ODE homeschool page links every ESD's homeschool registration contact.
- Within 10 days of starting (or of withdrawing your child from public school), send the ESD a written notice with your name and your child's name, address, birth date, and current or last school. Use the ESD's form or the letter template below.
- If your child was enrolled in public school, also send the school a short withdrawal letter and keep a copy.
- Choose any curriculum and schedule you like. Oregon has no subject, hour, or recordkeeping mandates, though keeping a simple record of each year is good practice.
- Calendar the required tests: an approved standardized test, given by a qualified neutral person, by August 15 after grades 3, 5, 8, and 10. Keep the scores in your files unless the ESD requests them.
File your notice
Oregon requires a one-time written notification of intent to your resident Education Service District within 10 days of starting, but there is no single statewide form, each of the 19 ESDs provides its own notification form or online registration.
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 Oregon
We're verifying Oregon'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 Oregon one-time ESD notice template
Fill-in-the-blank and ready to send. Free, no email required.
Download the free templateFind homeschool families near you in Oregon
Co-Op
- Arrows Christian Homeschool Community · Medford & Grants Pass (Rogue Valley)
A Christian homeschool community in the Rogue Valley offering a weekly parent-led co-op with a mix of academic and enrichment classes, a two-day hybrid academy with campuses in Central Point, Grants Pass, and Ashland, and a high school co-op with classes that count for credit.
Visit website - Firmly Planted Hillsboro · Hillsboro
A Christ-centered homeschool co-op that gathers Monday mornings for fall and spring terms, with classes like baking, creative writing, STEM, art, drama, and Bible study for K-7th graders. Families with little ones in tow are welcomed into the community too.
Visit website - Knowledge Seekers Homeschool Collective · Portland
A small secular collective in NE Portland where students, parents, and teachers collaborate to design project-based learning two days a week. Classes are capped at eight students, so upper-elementary kids really get a voice in shaping what they learn.
Visit website - Oregon Home Education Network (OHEN) · Statewide
OHEN is a volunteer-run nonprofit that helps Oregon families navigate homeschool law, testing requirements, and getting started, then connects you to real community through local meetups, Facebook groups, and statewide events like the annual homeschool prom. A great first stop no matter where in Oregon you live.
Visit website - Round Table Homeschool Collective · Eugene-Springfield
A vibrant community of Eugene-Springfield homeschoolers built around mutual support, connection, and growth, with fall and spring class sessions plus park days, hikes, teen events, themed parties, and parent nights throughout the year.
Visit website - Uplift Central Oregon · Bend & Redmond (Central Oregon)
A homeschool community serving Bend, Redmond, Prineville, and Sisters with weekly community days, resource classes, and a dedicated teens program. Their big annual events, including a homeschool expo, science fair, and talent show, bring families together from across the high desert.
Visit website - Village Home · Beaverton (Washington County)
A grade-free, test-free learning community offering more than 130 classes and clubs for ages 5-18, from theater and mock trial to teen leadership, plus a two-day Rivers program for younger kids. Homeschooling, unschooling, and charter families from across the Portland metro all find their people here.
Visit website
Forest & Nature School
- Bend Forest School · Bend
A nature-immersion, play-based, and place-based program for ages 3-11, with forest preschool, forest kindergarten, and primary grades held in outdoor classrooms around Bend and Tumalo. Unstructured play and deep connection to place are the heart of every day.
Visit website - Nearby Nature · Eugene
A beloved Eugene nonprofit offering the Wonder Keepers nature preschool three mornings a week, after-school nature programs, no-school-day adventures, and summer day camps. A wonderful way to get kids learning and playing outdoors all year long.
Visit website - Portland Forest School · Portland
A nature-first K-8 school where small multi-age pods journey outside into nature every single day, blending academics with earth skills. Low teacher-student ratios keep the learning personal and the forest feeling like a second home.
Visit website
Waldorf School
- Corvallis Waldorf School · Corvallis
A tech-free, arts-integrated PreK-8 school with over three decades of history, where early childhood days include daily outdoor playtime and a warm meal, and older grades enjoy specialty classes in music, handwork, agriculture, Spanish, and woodworking.
Visit website - Eugene Waldorf School · Eugene
Serving preschool through eighth grade since 1980, with an arts-integrated curriculum that weaves together art, music, math, language, movement, and play to develop the whole child. After-school care until 5:30 and summer camps make it work for busy families.
Visit website - Madrone Trail Public Waldorf School · Central Point (Medford area)
A tuition-free public Waldorf charter school serving preschool through 8th grade in the Rogue Valley, educating the head, the heart, and the hands through the Waldorf approach inspired by Rudolf Steiner.
Visit website - Portland Waldorf School · Milwaukie (Portland Metro)
The only nursery-through-high-school Waldorf program in the Pacific Northwest, offering an arts-integrated, holistic education that nurtures intellectual curiosity alongside artistic expression and emotional well-being, just fifteen minutes from downtown Portland.
Visit website
Homeschooling in nearby states
Oregon homeschooling FAQ
Do I have to register every year in Oregon?
No. The notice to your ESD is one-time per child. You only need to notify again if you move into a different ESD's territory.
Who can administer the required tests?
A qualified neutral person, which generally means someone trained on the test who is not the child's parent. ESDs and Oregon homeschool groups maintain lists of approved testers, and group test days are common and affordable.
What happens if my child scores low on a test?
A composite score below the 15th percentile triggers a retest within a year, and intervention only escalates if scores keep declining. In practice very few families ever face more than the retest step.
Does Oregon require specific subjects or a set number of school days?
No. Oregon law sets no required subjects, no instructional hour minimums, and no curriculum approval. You design the education that fits your child.
Can my homeschooled student play school sports?
Yes. Under ORS 339.460, districts must allow homeschooled students to participate in interscholastic activities if they live in the school's attendance area, meet non-attendance eligibility rules, and submit an annual standardized test score at or above the 23rd percentile.
My child has an IEP. Do the testing rules still apply?
Children with disabilities can be evaluated using the methods recommended in their IEP or a privately developed plan instead of the standard tests (OAR 581-021-0029). This gives families of special-needs learners a flexible, individualized path.
Sources
- Oregon DOE, Home Schooling in Oregon
- HSLDA, Oregon
- ORS 339.035, Teaching by private teacher, parent or guardian
- ORS 339.460, Interscholastic activities
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.