Rhode Island Homeschool Notice of Intent

Approval Through Your Local School Committee

Rhode Island takes a unique approach to homeschool oversight: the process runs through your local school committee rather than a state agency. Under R.I. Gen. Laws 16-19-2, you must contact the school committee of the town where your child resides and present an at-home instruction plan that demonstrates your intent to provide adequate education.

Rhode Island's compulsory attendance law covers children ages 6 through 18. Each school committee may have slightly different procedures, so start by calling your town's school department to ask about their specific submission requirements and timelines. You will generally need to submit a Notice of Intent each year.

While the school committee has the authority to review your plan, the state Commissioner of Education has encouraged districts to be supportive of homeschool families. In practice, most school committees approve plans without difficulty as long as you cover the required subjects and demonstrate a genuine commitment to educating your child.

Required Subjects

Rhode Island is one of the states that mandates specific subjects for homeschoolers. You must provide instruction in the following areas "to the same extent as these subjects are required to be taught in the public schools":

• Reading
• Writing
• Geography
• Arithmetic
• United States history
• History of Rhode Island
• Principles of American government
• Health and physical education (required each year)

You are not required to follow Common Core State Standards, grade-level expectations, or any particular curriculum. You have freedom to use whatever resources best fit your child's needs, as long as the required subject areas are addressed.

Instructional Time

Your homeschool must operate for a term "substantially equal to that required by law in public schools." In practice, this means 180 days of instruction per year, matching the Rhode Island public school calendar. There is no specific daily hour minimum, but the overall instructional time should be comparable to what students receive in public school.

Teacher Qualifications

Rhode Island does not require homeschool parents to hold any special licenses, certifications, or educational credentials. You must simply be "willing and able to provide thorough and efficient instruction" to your child. There is no testing or screening of the parent's qualifications.

Attendance and Recordkeeping

You are responsible for maintaining attendance records and submitting them to your local school district. Keep careful track of instructional days to demonstrate compliance with the 180-day requirement. While the state does not mandate specific formats for recordkeeping, organized records of attendance, subjects covered, and materials used will serve you well during annual plan reviews.