Maine offers two homeschool pathways: a state-regulated “home instruction program” and enrollment as a non-approved private school. The home instruction path is the most common.
Legal framework
Home instruction is governed by 20-A Maine Revised Statutes §5001-A(3)(A)(4). The Maine Department of Education publishes current notification forms and guidance.
Notification & registration
Parents file a written notice of intent with the Maine Department of Education and the local school administrative unit within 10 days of starting and annually thereafter, along with an annual letter of intent and an end-of-year assessment.
Recordkeeping
Maine requires at least 175 days of instruction in specified subject areas and an annual assessment, which can be a standardized test, a portfolio review by a certified teacher, or another method approved in the statute.
Graduation requirements
Maine does not prescribe specific high school graduation requirements for home-instructed students. The parent determines completion. Aligning the transcript with Maine public high school graduation requirements is a useful reference.
Who issues the diploma
The parent operating the home instruction program issues the diploma in the name of the family's program.
College & military recognition
University of Maine system institutions and the Maine Community College System admit home-instructed graduates routinely. Homeschool graduates qualify for Tier 1 military enlistment under current DoD policy.
Official source
For current statutory text, forms, and procedural updates, the authoritative source is the Maine Department of Education. Homeschool laws change, so confirm specific requirements directly with the state before relying on them.