Maryland

Compulsory ed is for ages 5 to 16.

Home school statute: MD Educ. Code Ann. 7-301(a).

Under the regulations, parents may homeschool according to either of the two below options if at least 15 days before the beginning of hsing the parents sign a notice of intent indicating either:

1. that the homeschool provides regular, thorough instruction in the required subjects and maintain a portfolio including relevant materials such as instructional materials, reading materials, and examples of the child's writings, work sheets, workbooks, creative materials, and tests. The local superintendent may review the portfolio at a mutually agreeable time and place but not more than three times a year. If the local superintendent determines after review of the portfolio that the child is not receiving "a regular, thorough instruction program in conformity with the regs," the family then has 30 days to provide evidence that the deficiency is remedied or they will have to cease homeschooling. A local school may not impose any additional requirements.

OR

2. that the child's instruction is offered through a correspondence course AND is under the supervision of a school approved by the State Board of Ed OR a school or institution offering an educational program operated by a bona-fide church organization. For a church to qualify, it only needs to send a letter to the State superintendent declaring it is in compliance with the requirements and provide documentation (such as proof from IRS or articles of incorporation) that it is bona fide.

Also, either the church or the approved school must supervise the hs program with pre-enrollment conferences, textbook and lesson plan review, annual home visits, AND periodic conferences with parents.

There are no teacher qualifications.

There is no mandatory testing.

VERMONT
Compulsory ed. is for children between the ages of 7 and 16. The VT hs statute is VT Stat. Ann. tit. 16, 1121 which states that a home study program is an educational program offered through home study which provides a minimum course of study consisting of 175 days per year. Parents must submit a written enrollment notice to the Commissioner of Ed. for each child any time after March 1 for the following year.

The notice must include:
*the name and age of the child
*names, addresses, and phone numbers of parents
*for each child previously enrolled, an assessment of progress
*for each child not previously enrolled, independent professional evidence on whether the child is handicapped.
*a detailed outline or narrative which describes the content to be provided.
*school district in which home study is located
*names, addresses, telephone numbers, and signatures of all persons providing instruction
*signatures of all custodial parents

The Commissioner will send back an acknowledgement of compliance or ask for missing information which is due in 14 days. There are no teacher qualifications.

Progress must be assessed annually by either:
1. a certified teacher
2. teacher from an approved VT independent school
3. a teacher advisory service with a portfolio
4. a parent report with portfolio
5. results of a standardized test administered by a qualified person
6. results of a standardized test administered by an approved VT school