District of Columbia homeschool law for high school: graduation, diploma and records

D.C. Code § 38-202(a) requires a parent to place a child of compulsory age 'in regular attendance in an educational institution', a term that includes 'a private instructor' (§ 38-201(2A)). The home schooling rules adopted by the State Superintendent of Education in 2008 are codified in Title 5, Subtitle E, Chapter 52 of the DCMR (§§ 5200 to 5210 and 5299) and are administered by OSSE.

D.C. Code § 38-201(2A); D.C. Code § 38-202(a); 5-E DCMR § 5200; OSSE Notice of Final Rulemaking, Chapter 52, District of Columbia Home Schooling (55 DCR 7988, July 25, 2008)

The law as of September 29, 2026.

District of Columbia at a glance

As of September 29, 2026

Notice to the state: Notice every year
A parent must notify OSSE on its official form, indicating consent to the chapter's requirements, at least 15 days (not counting weekends or District holidays) before the first day of home instruction, and must file a notification form identifying each child by August 15 of every year the program continues. A parent must also notify OSSE in writing 15 such days before discontinuing home schooling.5-E DCMR § 5202.1; 5-E DCMR § 5203.1-5203.2; OSSE, Homeschooling in the District: Local Requirements
Records the law asks for: Required
The parent 'shall maintain a portfolio' for each child with evidence of current work (writings, worksheets, workbooks, creative materials, assessments or other materials showing thorough, regular education in a range of subjects). The regulation says the portfolio 'should be maintained for at least one year' and made available to OSSE on written request; OSSE's guidance states it must be kept at least one year.5-E DCMR § 5205.1-5205.2; OSSE, Homeschooling in the District: Local Requirements
Testing or evaluation: None required by law
No testing is required. OSSE may, at its discretion, review the portfolio (on written request, at a mutually agreeable time and place, no more than twice a school year) and the regulation states that nothing requires a regular periodic review of all portfolios; a home schooled child may take part free of charge in the standardized testing given at the public school the child is eligible to attend.5-E DCMR § 5206.1; 5-E DCMR § 5209.1
Graduation requirements: None set by the state
The District sets no graduation or credit requirements for home schooling. Instruction must include, but need not be limited to, language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, art, music, health and physical education, and a program need not follow public school curricular frameworks.5-E DCMR § 5204.1-5204.2
Diploma: Issued by: parent
No regulation provides for a home school diploma; in practice the parent issues it, and OSSE states that the regulations do not allow it to create report cards or transcripts for home schooled students. OSSE says a home schooled student may earn a District diploma through the GED tests or the National External Diploma Program.OSSE, DC Homeschool Frequently Asked Questions (Q11, Q19)
Compulsory school ages: From age 5 (or turning 5 on or before September 30 of the school year) until the child reaches 18; a minor who has graduated from high school is excused.D.C. Code § 38-202(a)-(b)

How homeschooling is authorized in District of Columbia

Home schooling under OSSE regulationsA parent or legal guardian with a high school diploma or its equivalent (or an OSSE waiver) may home school after notifying OSSE, providing thorough, regular instruction in the listed subjects and keeping a portfolio. The compulsory attendance statute counts a 'private instructor' as an educational institution, and 5-E DCMR chapter 52 sets the procedures. Basis: regulationD.C. Code § 38-201(2A); D.C. Code § 38-202(a); 5-E DCMR §§ 5200-5210, 5299

What District of Columbia law means for your transcript

OSSE does not create transcripts or report cards for home schooled students (OSSE FAQ Q11), so the parent's transcript is the student's academic record.
If the student enrolls in a DC public school, placement and any credit toward graduation are decided by evaluation, which may include tests and interviews (5-E DCMR § 5210.1), so a transcript with course descriptions and the portfolio can support that evaluation (practice).
District law does not define a high school credit for home schooling; the 120-hour Carnegie unit is a convention, not a requirement.
AP exam scores taken at DCPS under D.C. Code § 38-381 are outside evidence a transcript can cite.

College admission and state aid for District of Columbia homeschoolers

D.C. Code § 38-381 requires DCPS to let a home schooled District resident sit for an Advanced Placement test at the student's right-to-attend DCPS school (or a reasonable alternate location) once OSSE certifies timely home schooling notification and a timely test request; the student pays the test and processing fees. OSSE also states that home schooled students may apply to the CARE dual enrollment program at the University of the District of Columbia.D.C. Code § 38-381; OSSE, DC Homeschool Frequently Asked Questions (Q15)

Recent changes to District of Columbia homeschool law

The Access to Advanced Placement Tests Act of 2022 (D.C. Law 24-252), effective February 23, 2023, added D.C. Code § 38-381 requiring DCPS, beginning no later than 180 days after that date, to let home schooled students certified by OSSE take AP tests; OSSE says this began in the 2023-2024 school year. The home schooling regulations in 5-E DCMR chapter 52 have not been amended since their 2008 adoption.

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What we could not confirm

These points could not be checked against the statute or regulation text, so treat them with care:

The rules are codified in Subtitle 5-E of the DCMR (dcregs.dc.gov lists them as 5-E5200 to 5-E5299 and OSSE's FAQ cites 5-E DCMR chapter 52), not 5-A. The dcregs section pages did not render their text for automated reading; we read the text in OSSE's published copy of the 2008 final rulemaking, and dcregs lists that rulemaking (55 DCR 7988, July 25, 2008) as the only source for each section.
OSSE's main homeschooling page describes compulsory education as ages 5 to 17, while § 38-202(a) runs until the minor reaches 18 and OSSE's requirements page says 5 to 18; we used the statute.
OSSE's FAQ says a verification letter is emailed after approval and that the family may begin once it is received; the regulation requires only advance notification, and we did not find a regulatory approval step.
We did not find a statute or regulation on home schooled students' eligibility for the DC Tuition Assistance Grant.

Sources

General information about District of Columbia law as of September 29, 2026, not legal advice. Laws change, so check the statute before you rely on it. Found an error? Email [email protected].