How to start homeschooling in Alaska
The legal steps, in order, checked against Alaska law.
Short answer: Alaska's compulsory attendance law does not apply to a child being educated at home by a parent or legal guardian, and the statute attaches no notice, testing, or recordkeeping duty to that route. Families may also use a religious or other private school that follows the state's private school reporting rules, or enroll in a department-approved public correspondence program.
Checked against Alaska Stat. 14.30.010(b)(12) on Nov 8, 2026. Compulsory school ages: 7 to 16. This is what the law says, not legal advice.
Alaska gives you 3 legal ways to homeschool. Pick one and follow its steps.
Option 1: Home education by a parent or legal guardian
Parents or legal guardians who teach their own child at home without enrolling in a district program.
Steps
- Teach your child in your home. The compulsory attendance statute lists education in the child's home by a parent or legal guardian as an exemption.
- If your child is enrolled in public school, you decide when to begin home education. The statute sets no filing or approval step for this route.
| Notice to the state | No notice required |
|---|---|
| Subjects | None required by law |
| Time | None required by law |
| Parent qualifications | None required by law |
| Testing or evaluation | None required by law |
| Records to keep | None required by law |
The law: Alaska Stat. 14.30.010(b)(12)
Option 2: Religious or other private school (AS 14.45.100 to 14.45.130)
Families who enroll in, or operate, a religious or other private school that elects to follow the state's private school reporting requirements.
Steps
- Enroll your child in a religious or other private school that complies with AS 14.45.100 to 14.45.130.
- Each year, file a notice of enrollment with the local public school superintendent on the department's form, signed by you and the school's chief administrative officer.
- The school operates on a regular schedule for at least 180 days a year, keeps monthly attendance records, and reports the number of students per grade and its calendar to the commissioner each year.
- The school gives a nationally standardized test in grades 4, 6, and 8 that measures English grammar, reading, spelling, and math.
- The school keeps permanent student records and certifies to the department that it does so.
| Notice to the state | Yes To: The local public school superintendent, on a form provided by the department, signed by the parent and the school's chief administrative officer When: Annually |
|---|---|
| Subjects | AS 14.45.100 to 14.45.130 set no subject list. AS 14.30.010(b)(1) describes the exemption as an academic education comparable to that offered by the local public schools. |
| Time | The school operates on a regular schedule, apart from reasonable holidays and vacations, for at least 180 days a year. |
| Parent qualifications | None required by law |
| Testing or evaluation | A nationally standardized test, chosen by the school's chief administrative officer, given at least once a year to students in grades 4, 6, and 8. |
| Records to keep | Monthly attendance records, plus permanent records of immunizations, physical exams, standardized testing, academic achievement, courses taken, and Alaska performance scholarship eligibility. |
The law: Alaska Stat. 14.30.010(b)(1)(C) Alaska Stat. 14.45.100 Alaska Stat. 14.45.110 Alaska Stat. 14.45.120 Alaska Stat. 14.45.130
Other legal routes
Alaska law also allows these. We have not confirmed their full rules, so ask the state education department before you choose one.
- Correspondence study program: Families who want a district-supported public program completed at home.
Public school sports and activities
State law lets a full-time student in grades 9 to 12 in an alternative education program join interscholastic activities at a public school, subject to the school's and the statewide governing body's eligibility rules and documentation. The statute's definition of alternative education program includes a home school program accredited by a recognized accrediting body, so the statute does not reach an unaccredited home school.
After the paperwork
Common questions
Do I have to tell the state I am homeschooling in Alaska?
Not under the home education by a parent or legal guardian route.
Is testing required for homeschoolers in Alaska?
No. Alaska law does not require testing under the home education by a parent or legal guardian route.
What subjects are required for homeschooling in Alaska?
None. Alaska law does not set required subjects under the home education by a parent or legal guardian route.
What ages must be schooled in Alaska?
Ages 7 to 16, per state law.
Sources
- Alaska Stat. 14.30.010(b)(12)
- Alaska Stat. 14.45.100
- Alaska Stat. 14.45.110
- Alaska Stat. 14.45.120
- Alaska Stat. 14.45.130
- Alaska Stat. 14.30.365 (interscholastic activities eligibility)
- Alternative Schooling Options, Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
We read each source on Nov 8, 2026 and recheck every guide each quarter. Laws change. If something here no longer matches the state, write to us and we will fix it.