South Dakota homeschool law for high school: graduation, diploma and records

SDCL 13-27-1 requires a child to regularly attend a public or nonpublic school or receive alternative instruction as set forth in SDCL 13-27-3. SB 177 (SL 2021, ch 76) rewrote chapter 13-27 so that alternative instruction is a way to meet the attendance requirement, with a one-time notification and no testing requirement.

SDCL 13-27-1; SDCL 13-27-3; SB 177 (2021), enrolled

The law as of September 29, 2026.

South Dakota at a glance

As of September 29, 2026

Notice to the state: One-time notice
The notification is filed on the Department of Education's standard form within 30 days after the child first begins alternative instruction while of school age, and again only within 30 days after the child enrolls in a public or nonpublic school or moves to a different school district. The form contains the child's name, birthdate, resident district (and open-enrolled district if applicable) and the parent's signature; the department may not require more details, must give the parent a signed or stamped copy, and must keep the notification confidential.SDCL 13-27-7; SD DOE, Home Schooling
Records the law asks for: None required by law
State law requires no records to be kept or submitted for alternative instruction. The Department of Education's FAQ recommends a detailed academic record including attendance and grades, and says parent-issued transcripts are needed for activities, later entry into public school, the state dual credit program, postsecondary admission and scholarship applications.SD DOE, Alternative Instruction FAQ (revised 9/10/26), 2.1
Testing or evaluation: None required by law
No testing has been required since SB 177 took effect on July 1, 2021 (the former law required test results in grades 4, 8 and 11); the Department's FAQ says families may test as they see fit at their own expense. A child who later enrolls in a public school is placed using standardized tests (SDCL 13-27-29).SD DOE, Alternative Instruction FAQ (revised 9/10/26), 4.1; SDCL 13-27-29
Graduation requirements: None set by the state
South Dakota sets no graduation or credit requirements for alternative instruction. The Opportunity Scholarship lists specific high school units for alternative instruction students (SDCL 13-55-31.3), which is a scholarship condition, not a graduation requirement.SDCL 13-27-3; SDCL 13-55-31.3
Diploma: Issued by: parent (no statute addresses it)
We found no South Dakota statute on diplomas for alternative instruction students, and the state does not issue one; in practice the parent issues the diploma and transcript. A child at least 16 may take the high school equivalency test with the written consent of a parent, guardian or other custodian (SDCL 13-27-1.4).SDCL 13-27-1.4
Compulsory school ages: A child who is five or six years old by September 1, or any child at least six by September 1, until age 18, graduation, excuse or withdrawal under chapter 13-27; each child shall attend kindergarten before age seven, and since 2025 a child may withdraw at 17 with the written consent of a parent, guardian or other custodian.SDCL 13-27-1; SDCL 13-27-1.3

How homeschooling is authorized in South Dakota

Alternative instructionThe parent files a notification with the Department of Education or the local district and provides alternative instruction in the basic skills of language arts and mathematics; the instructor need not be certified, may not instruct more than 22 children, and must give instruction that leads to mastery of the English language. Basis: statuteSDCL 13-27-3; SDCL 13-27-7

What South Dakota law means for your transcript

To take part in school activities, the parent must give the school a parent-issued transcript of the previous semester's completed coursework before the season (SDCL 13-36-7).
For the Opportunity Scholarship the parent-issued transcript must show the units listed in SDCL 13-55-31.3(3), for example one-half unit of American literature within language arts and one unit each of algebra I, geometry, algebra II and advanced math.
A student who enrolls in public school is placed in English and math by standardized tests and in other subjects by a review of transcripts under the school board's policy (SDCL 13-27-29).
No South Dakota law defines a unit or credit for alternative instruction; the Carnegie unit convention is practice.

College admission and state aid for South Dakota homeschoolers

To be eligible for the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship, an alternative instruction student must be a state resident, have an ACT composite or superscore of at least 24 (or comparable SAT), and provide a transcript issued by the parent or guardian listed on the notification showing 4 units of language arts, 3 of social studies, 4 of mathematics, 4 of science (3 laboratory), 2 of career and technical education or world languages, one-half of personal finance or economics, 1 of fine arts, one-half of physical education and one-half of health, among other conditions. Alternative instruction students in grades 11 and 12 may use the state's reduced-tuition dual credit program after filing the notification and a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Education.SDCL 13-55-31.3; SD DOE, Home Schooling (dual credit)

Recent changes to South Dakota homeschool law

SB 71 (SL 2025, ch 80), effective July 1, 2025, rewrote SDCL 13-27-1 and added SDCL 13-27-1.3 (a child may withdraw at 17 with written parental consent) and 13-27-1.4 (a child at least 16 may take the high school equivalency test with written parental consent). The alternative instruction rules themselves were last changed by SB 177 (SL 2021, ch 76), effective July 1, 2021. 2026 HB 1158, which would have required annual notices and state testing, was withdrawn in January 2026 according to HSLDA and is not law.

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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:

We found no South Dakota statute on who issues a diploma to an alternative instruction student; the statement that the parent issues it reflects practice, not law.
The July 1, 2025 effective date for SB 71 is taken from SDCL 2-14-16 (the default effective date for regular-session acts); we did not see an emergency clause in the part of the session law we read.
The withdrawal of 2026 HB 1158 comes from HSLDA; we did not open the bill's history on sdlegislature.gov.

Sources

General information about South Dakota 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].