Ontario Notice of Intent to Homeschool: How to Write It

Verified June 2026. Reflects the Education Act and Policy/Program Memorandum No. 131 (PPM 131).

The Notice of Intent at a Glance

What it is	A short written letter telling your school board you intend to home educate.
What to include	Each child's name, gender, and date of birth, plus your home address and phone number.
Where it goes	Your local district school board. Email or mail both work.
Do you describe your program?	No. You only state your intent. No curriculum or plan is required.
What you get back	An acknowledgment letter confirming your child is excused from attendance.
How often	PPM 131 recommends a fresh notice each year.

What to Put in the Letter

The notice is short by design. PPM 131 asks for a handful of facts, and nothing more. Your letter should state that you intend to provide home schooling for your child, and include each child's name, gender, and date of birth, along with your home address and telephone number. That is the whole required content. You do not list curriculum, you do not explain your reasons, and you do not outline a teaching plan. A clear paragraph does the job.

Keep the tone plain and factual. You are notifying the board, not asking permission, so the letter states a decision rather than makes a request. For the full legal context behind this, see our main guide on how to homeschool in Ontario.

A Simple Template You Can Adapt

Here is the shape of a notice that meets the requirement. Put it on paper or in an email, fill in your details, and you are done:

• A line stating you are providing home schooling for your child under the Education Act
• Each child's full name, gender, and date of birth
• Your home address and phone number
• The date, and your name and signature

You can write it as a few sentences: "I am writing to notify the board that I am providing home schooling for my child, [name], born [date]. Our address is [address] and our phone number is [number]." That meets the requirement on its own.

Where and How to Send It

Send your notice to your local district school board, not to an individual school. Most boards accept it by email, and some have a homeschooling contact or address listed on their website. Email gives you a timestamp, which is handy. If you mail it, consider sending it in a way you can track. Either way, save a dated copy for yourself before it goes.

Using the Notice to Withdraw From School

If your child is currently enrolled in a public or Catholic school, the notice of intent is how you take them out. When the board receives your letter, it processes the withdrawal, removes your child from the attendance roll, and treats them as excused from attendance. You do not need a separate withdrawal form. Sending the notice promptly matters more in this case, because it stops the school from logging absences while the paperwork catches up.

What the Board Sends Back

After it processes your notice, the board should send you an acknowledgment letter. This letter confirms that it has received your notice and that your child is considered excused from attendance. Keep it. For most Ontario homeschoolers, that acknowledgment is the only official document they ever hold, and it is worth having on file in case anyone ever asks. The board normally does not investigate further unless it has reasonable grounds to suspect your child is not receiving satisfactory instruction.

Renewing Each Year

PPM 131 recommends sending a fresh notice each year you keep homeschooling. It is the same short letter with the same details, updated to the current year. Some families set a reminder for late summer so the notice goes in before the new school year starts. Renewing keeps your file current and avoids any confusion with the board about whether you are still home educating.

Val's Note: What This Really Means for You

I have watched parents agonize over this letter as if it were a court filing. It is not. It is a note that says, in plain words, I am teaching my kid at home, here are our details. The board is not grading your sentences or judging your plan, because you are not required to share one. Write it like you would write a quick email to your child's old teacher, and send it.

My only real advice is to keep your copies. Save the notice you sent and the acknowledgment you got back, in a folder or an email label you can find later. You will almost never need them, but the one time someone asks whether you are homeschooling legally, you will have the answer in ten seconds. Send the letter, file the reply, and move on to the part that matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is a Notice of Intent?

It is a short written letter telling your school board you intend to home educate. Under PPM 131, the board accepts it, considers your child excused, and normally does not investigate.

What Do I Include?

Each child's name, gender, and date of birth, plus your home address and phone number, and a sentence stating your intent. You do not have to describe your program.

Where Do I Send It?

To your local district school board, by email or mail. Keep a dated copy for your records.

Do I Send One Every Year?

PPM 131 recommends a fresh notice each year you continue homeschooling. It is the same short letter, updated to the current year.

How Do I Withdraw My Child From School?

Sending the notice of intent is how you withdraw an enrolled child. The board processes it, removes the child from the attendance roll, and acknowledges that they are excused.

Sources

This guide was verified in June 2026 against the following primary sources. Board practices vary, so confirm your board's preferred contact and process with it directly.

• Government of Ontario: Policy/Program Memorandum No. 131
• Ministry of Education: PPM 131 (full text)
• Education Act (Ontario)