Compliance Reviews

County Homeschool Reviews

Once a parent notifies their local school board of their intent to homeschool, families must participate in up to three (3) portfolio reviews each year. Homeschool portfolio reviews serve to verify that parents provide “regular and thorough instruction” to their children.

Local county homeschool liaisons do not charge for portfolio reviews. Most families find these reviews to be an easy process, often lasting around 20-minutes per child. Should a family’s homeschool portfolio be found to be deficient, the parent is given 30-days to remediate the problem.

Umbrella Reviews 

Homeschool umbrellas must be registered with the Maryland State Department of Education before they can provide homeschool oversight services on behalf of the state. Currently, umbrellas may be [1] a religious ministry of a church, synagogue, mosque, or other religious organization; [2] a church-exempt school; or [3] a nonpublic school registered with MSDE.

The cost to join an umbrella can range from $50 – $3,000+. Umbrellas must conduct homeschool reviews in accordance with COMAR regulations. They may also impose additional requirement over and beyond “regular, thorough instruction”, such as signing a statement of faith or requiring extra courses to be completed.