Is it Home Education?

Home education has been a part of Montana families’ lives for generations. The state currently recognizes homeschooling as a legal, parent-directed, home-based, privately-funded, nonpublic education option.

For decades, families generally had three clear options for educating their children:

1. Traditional Public Schools
2. Private or Parochial Schools
3. Home Education
    

Today, educational opportunities have expanded. Online learning, hybrid programs, and community-based education now exist, often sharing some characteristics of home education. Legally, however, Montana home education remains defined the same way: it is parent-directed, home-based, and privately funded.

Home education does not mean learning in isolation. Many families find support and enrichment through community organizations:

• Support Groups:
  • Focus on encouraging parents through networking, resource sharing, social opportunities, and field trips.
     
  • May host co-ops or informal classes within the group.
     
• Co-ops:
  • Provide additional learning opportunities for students.
     
  • Can range from informal parent-led classes to structured programs with designated teachers and fees.
     
  • True homeschool co-ops are parent-led, where instruction is primarily provided by parents or volunteers.

Some families explore alternatives that resemble home education but have key differences:

• These are state-funded schools delivered at home via online classes.
• Students are legally public school students and must follow state and school rules.
• Families have limited control, and accountability lies with the public school system.

Of Special Note

The Open Ed and Harmony programs are public school options that allow students to do their work at home. While this may look like homeschooling, it is not the same as the independent homeschooling protected under Montana law.

Open Ed and Harmony are funded by public education dollars—taxpayer money that comes with public school rules. Families enrolled in these programs are considered public school students. They are required to follow program guidelines, use approved curriculum, and report to certified teachers.
 

• Often operate like homeschool programs but are not considered home education if:
   
  • Classes are taught by paid teachers rather than parents
     
  • Instruction is structured and not parent-directed
     
  • Students attend classes multiple times per week with homework assigned by the teacher
     
• Families choosing these programs may face additional regulations and liabilities.
   

• Using a tutor for one or two subjects is a common way to supplement a parent-directed homeschool program.
   
• Hiring someone to homeschool another family’s children is not recommended by Homeschool Montana.
   
  • It may trigger regulations for private schools, zoning, taxation, and business licensing.
     
  • Families should consult an attorney before pursuing such arrangements.
     
• Tutoring for high school or college-level subjects within a parent’s program is generally acceptable.

• Homeschooling in Montana is legally defined as parent-directed, home-based, and privately funded.
• Families can participate in support groups and co-ops without jeopardizing their legal homeschool status.
• Options like virtual public schools, hybrid programs, or tutoring arrangements may have different legal implications.
• Parents should be cautious when others are involved in teaching a child, particularly when it extends beyond the home.
• Homeschool Montana provides guidance and advocacy for families educating their own children, but legal advice should be sought for more complex arrangements.