How to start homeschooling in Mississippi
The legal steps, in order, checked against Mississippi law.
Short answer: Mississippi law treats a home instruction program as a nonpublic school. A parent files a certificate of enrollment with the school attendance officer for the district where the child lives by September 15 each year. The statute says it gives no state agency authority to control a home instruction program's operation, curriculum, or management.
Checked against Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(2)(i), (3), (9) on Nov 8, 2026. Compulsory school ages: 6 to 16 (a child who turns 6 on or before September 1, until the child turns 17 on or before September 1). This is what the law says, not legal advice.
Home instruction program
Parents who want to teach their children at home as a nonpublic school.
Steps
- Contact the school attendance officer for the district where the child lives. The Office of Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement at the Mississippi Department of Education is the only entity that distributes and collects the certificate of enrollment.
- Complete the certificate of enrollment with the child's name, address, phone number, and date of birth, the parent's name, address, and phone number, and a short description of the child's education.
- Sign and return the certificate to the school attendance officer by September 15 of each year.
- Run a home instruction program that is not set up to avoid the compulsory attendance law.
| Notice to the state | Yes To: The school attendance officer for the district where the child lives When: On or before September 15 of each year |
|---|---|
| Subjects | None required by law |
| Time | None required by law for home instruction programs |
| Parent qualifications | None required by law |
| Testing or evaluation | None required by law |
| Records to keep | Not confirmed in our check. Ask the state education department. |
The law: Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(2)(i), (3), (9) Mississippi Board of Education Home School Guidelines (Policy 3107)
Leaving public school mid-year
The Board of Education guidelines say district staff may not hand out or fill in the certificate of enrollment and must notify the state school attendance officer when a parent seeks to enroll a child in home school. If a parent is found out of compliance, the parent has 10 days after written notice to comply.
High school, transcripts and diplomas
The Board of Education guidelines say a certificate of enrollment is accepted for a student over compulsory school age only if the student is or was already in a home instruction program. A student over compulsory age registering for home instruction for the first time is not accepted.
After the paperwork
Common questions
Do I have to tell the state I am homeschooling in Mississippi?
Yes, under the home instruction program route, you notify the school attendance officer for the district where the child lives on or before September 15 of each year.
Is testing required for homeschoolers in Mississippi?
No. Mississippi law does not require testing under the home instruction program route.
What subjects are required for homeschooling in Mississippi?
None. Mississippi law does not set required subjects under the home instruction program route.
What ages must be schooled in Mississippi?
Ages 6 to 16 (a child who turns 6 on or before September 1, until the child turns 17 on or before September 1), per state law.
Sources
- Miss. Code Ann. 37-13-91(2)(i), (3), (9)
- Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement
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.