New to Maryland Homeschooling?

Your Quick-Start Guide to Staying Legal

Homeschooling is not a race to see who reaches the finish line first, but a journey of discovering the world together.

Starting your homeschool journey can feel like a whirlwind of paperwork and questions. At CCA, we’re here to simplify the process. In Maryland, you don’t need “permission” to homeschool, but you do need to follow a specific legal path.

The “Notice of Intent”

Before you start, you must notify your local school superintendent that you are homeschooling.

  • The Form: You’ll fill out a Home Instruction Notification form (available on your county’s Board of Ed website).
  • The Selection: On the form, you will select “Option B” (Supervision by a nonpublic entity).
  • The Name: You will list Cornerstone Christian Academy as your supervising umbrella.

When: Legally, this should be submitted at least 15 days before you begin homeschooling.

The Eight Required Subjects

To stay in compliance with Maryland law (COMAR 13A.10.01.01), your instruction must be “regular and thorough” and include these eight subjects:

  1. English/Language Arts
  2. Mathematics
  3. Science
  4. Social Studies
  5. Art
  6. Music
  7. Health
  8. Physical Education

What is a “Portfolio”?

Think of a portfolio as a scrapbook of your child’s progress. It’s not about keeping every single worksheet; it’s about showing “evidence of instruction.”

What to save: Work samples, reading lists, tests, photos of projects, or logs of activities (especially for PE and Art).

The Review: Once or twice a year, you’ll meet with a CCA volunteer to look through this portfolio together. We aren’t here to “grade” you—we are here to verify that you are indeed teaching your child.

Pro-Tip for Beginners: Don’t let the list of eight subjects scare you! Music can be piano lessons, Health can be a discussion about nutrition during dinner, and PE can be a neighborhood soccer league.