The Short Answer
Ohio Revised Code §3321.042 governs home education. As of 2023 (HB 33), Ohio is notification-only. File a written notification with your school district superintendent by August 30 each year, or within 5 calendar days of starting home education, moving into a new school district, or withdrawing from school. The notification contains your name and address, your child's name, and an assurance that your child will receive instruction in the required subjects. No parent credential, no minimum hours, and no annual assessment are required. Required subjects: English language arts, mathematics, science, history, government, and social studies. No ESA or voucher for homeschool families, but a nonrefundable state income tax credit of up to $250 per student covers some home education expenses.
A plain-language summary of the rules, not legal advice. We are not lawyers. Requirements change and summaries go out of date. Confirm anything you plan to act on with the department that oversees home education where you live.
Ohio Home Education at a Glance
| Annual notification | Written notice to district superintendent by August 30 each year (or within 5 calendar days of starting, moving districts, or withdrawing from school); contains parent name/address, child's name, assurance of instruction in required subjects |
|---|---|
| Parent credential | Not required (repealed 2023) |
| Required subjects | English language arts; mathematics; science; history; government; social studies |
| Annual hours | Not required (repealed 2023) |
| Annual assessment | Not required (repealed 2023) |
| Records | Kept by the family; not submitted to the district |
| High school diploma | Parent-issued |
| State funding | No ESA or voucher program for homeschool families; nonrefundable state income tax credit of up to $250 per student for home education expenses |
What Ohio Law Requires
Ohio Revised Code §3321.042 is the statute that governs home education. Ohio's 2023 budget bill (HB 33) made the law notification-only. The three requirements that existed before 2023 -- a parent credential, a minimum of 900 instruction hours per year, and an annual independent assessment -- were all repealed. What remains is a single annual written notification filed with the district superintendent. If the notification is filed, the school district has no further role in your child's education.
Ohio's compulsory school age runs from 6 through 18. Children in that range who are not enrolled in a public school, an approved private school, or a registered home education program are subject to the attendance law. The annual notification is the step that places your child inside the home education exemption.
Filing the Annual Notification
Each year, submit a written notification to the superintendent of the school district where you live by August 30. When you first start home education, move into a new school district, or withdraw your child from a public or nonpublic school, the notification is due within 5 calendar days. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce offers a notification form, but using it is optional; a letter with the required information works too.
The notification must contain your name and address, your child's name, and an assurance that your child will receive instruction in the required subject areas. That is what the current statute requires. No curriculum outline, no hours count, and no credential statement are included in the notification under the current law. The superintendent cannot demand content beyond what the statute specifies. The superintendent must send you a written acknowledgment within 14 calendar days of receiving the notification.
Keep a copy of every notification you send and any confirmation the district provides. If you move to a different school district, file a new notification with the new district within 5 calendar days of the move. A brief letter with the required elements is enough. Before you start planning the school year, a free reading assessment gives you a concrete starting point for language arts.
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Required Subjects
Ohio law requires instruction in English language arts, mathematics, science, history, government, and social studies. Ohio does not specify textbooks, publishers, grade-level benchmarks, or instructional approaches for any of these subjects. You choose what to teach and how to teach it. The notification assures the district that your child will be taught these subjects; you do not submit your curriculum or materials list to anyone.
The subject list is short and broad, and it fits into a standard home school curriculum. Language arts and math are covered by any core curriculum. Science and history are standard subjects in most programs, and government and social studies fit alongside history. Ohio simplified this list in 2023; older guides that list geography, health, first aid, safety, and fire prevention as separate required subjects describe the pre-2023 law. Ohio does not set grade-level standards or minimum time allocations per subject. You decide what materials to use and how far to advance in each area during the year.
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No Assessment, No Hours, No Credential
Before 2023, Ohio required a minimum of 900 hours of instruction per year, an annual independent assessment showing reasonable progress, and a parent with a high school diploma or GED. Ohio's 2023 budget bill repealed all three. Under the current law, no hours are tracked, no assessments are conducted by third parties, and no parent credential is required.
If your child was in an Ohio home education program before 2023 and you were maintaining an attendance log and scheduling annual evaluators, those obligations are gone. You may choose to continue those practices for your own tracking purposes, and many families do, but they are no longer requirements under Ohio Revised Code Section 3321.042. Some districts may not be aware of the 2023 change and may ask for documentation beyond what the law requires. The current statute specifies the notification content; the district cannot require more than that.
Extracurricular Access
Ohio allows homeschool students to take part in extracurricular activities at their resident public school. Students must meet the same eligibility requirements that apply to enrolled students, including academic and behavioral standards. Policies on how to enroll for activities differ by district; contact your district's activities director early in the school year to understand the process and any required documentation.
Pulling Your Child Out of an Ohio Public School
Notify the school in writing that you are withdrawing your child to enroll in a home education program. The school updates its records. Then, within 5 calendar days of withdrawing, file your notification with the district superintendent. Keep copies of both the withdrawal letter and the superintendent notification. For the full step-by-step, see our guide to withdrawing from public school in Ohio.
If your child has an IEP, mandatory special education services through the public school end at withdrawal. Ohio school districts may make certain services available to home education students on a voluntary basis, but the services tied to an IEP end when the child leaves the public system. Discuss your child's situation with the district's special education coordinator before withdrawing so you understand what changes when the transition happens.
Once you have filed your notification and started your program, use the guide to build your year-plan so subjects and pacing are mapped before the first week of school.
High School, Transcripts, and Diplomas in Ohio
Ohio does not establish graduation requirements or diploma standards for home education programs. You set your own graduation criteria, issue the diploma when the student meets them, and create the transcript that documents their coursework. Ohio Revised Code Section 3313.6110 says a diploma granted this way serves as proof of the successful completion of the student's high school curriculum and is satisfactory to fulfill any legal requirement to show such proof, and it counts as proof of high school completion on an application for employment. Individual colleges and employers still set their own admission and hiring standards, so ask what they want to see alongside the diploma.
Ohio public universities and the Ohio State University system are experienced reviewing home education transcripts. Most ask for ACT or SAT scores from homeschool applicants in addition to the transcript. Check each institution's admissions page for specific home education applicant requirements, as they differ across campuses.
For students who want additional documentation, the GED or HiSET exam is available in Ohio and provides a state-recognized credential alongside or in place of a parent-issued diploma. For the full step-by-step, see our guide to homeschooling high school in Ohio.
Ohio Homeschool Funding: No ESA or Voucher, One Tax Credit
Ohio's EdChoice Scholarship Program provides scholarships for students to attend private schools and is not available to families operating a home education program under ORC §3321.042. Ohio does not have an education savings account or voucher program for homeschool families. Ohio does offer a nonrefundable state income tax credit for home education expenses. For tax year 2025 and later, it is the lesser of $250 per qualifying student or the amount you paid. Qualifying expenses are books and subscriptions, school supplies and supplementary materials, and computer software and applications. Computers and other devices, tuition or lesson fees for someone else to teach your child, co-op fees, and field trips do not qualify.
For a fuller picture of where Ohio homeschool funding currently stands, including the ACE account and what has changed, see our Ohio homeschool funding guide.
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A Note from Homeschool Teacher Guide: What This Really Means for You
Ohio used to be one of the more demanding middle-tier states, and if you have been home schooling in Ohio for several years you may still have habits from the old framework. The 900 hours, the annual evaluator, the parent credential check -- all of that is gone as of 2023. What remains is a short annual letter to your district superintendent by August 30. Your name, your child's name, and a statement that your child will be taught the required subjects. That is it.
If a district contacts you and asks for more than the notification requires under the current statute, you are not obligated to provide it. The law is clear that the notification is the annual obligation. We would still encourage you to keep your own records of what you teach and a file of your child's work, not because Ohio asks for it, but because those records are the raw material for a high school transcript, and because good records keep you honest about whether your program is covering what you think it is covering. The freedom is real now. Use it well.
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☕ Buy us a coffee ($5)Frequently Asked Questions
What do we include in the Ohio annual notification?
Your name and address, your child's name, and an assurance that your child will receive instruction in the required subject areas. Send it to your school district superintendent by August 30 each year, or within 5 calendar days of starting home education, moving into a new school district, or withdrawing from school. Under the current law (ORC Section 3321.042 as amended in 2023), no credential statement, hours count, or curriculum outline is required in the notification.
Does Ohio still require 900 hours of instruction or a parent credential?
No. Ohio's 2023 budget bill (HB 33) repealed both requirements. No minimum hours and no parent high school diploma or GED are required under the current law. Ohio's home education statute is now notification-only.
Does Ohio require an annual assessment or portfolio review?
No. The annual assessment requirement was repealed by Ohio's 2023 budget bill. No third-party assessment, portfolio review, or progress documentation is required under the current law. You may choose to assess your child's progress for your own planning purposes, but no submission to the district is required.
What subjects does Ohio require home education programs to cover?
English language arts, mathematics, science, history, government, and social studies. You choose the curriculum and approach. Ohio does not set grade-level benchmarks or require specific textbooks.
Does Ohio offer any funding for homeschool families?
Not through a scholarship, education savings account, or voucher. Ohio's EdChoice Scholarship Program provides funds for private school tuition and is not available to home education families operating under ORC Section 3321.042. Ohio does have a nonrefundable state income tax credit for home education expenses: for tax year 2025 and later, the lesser of $250 per qualifying student or the amount you paid for books, subscriptions, school supplies, supplementary materials, and educational software.
Sources
- Ohio Revised Code §3321.042, Home Education (Ohio Legislature)
- Ohio Department of Education and Workforce: Home Education
- HSLDA: How to Comply with Ohio's Homeschool Law
- Ohio Department of Education and Workforce: Home Education Notification Form (PDF)
- Ohio Department of Taxation: Individual Income Tax Credits FAQ (Home School Expenses Credit)
- Ohio Revised Code Section 3313.6110, Diploma for Home-Educated Students (Ohio Legislature)