Letter of intent to homeschool: a template for every state that needs one
Some states want a letter, some want their own form, and some want nothing at all. Here is which is which, from the statutes.
A letter of intent to homeschool is the notice some states ask a parent to send before teaching at home. Peabody's state law pages, checked against statutes and education department pages, show 13 states that accept a letter you write, 18 that use their own form or portal, and 5 that ask for no notice. The table links a free letter maker for each.
Checked October 27, 2026.
This is a plain-words summary, not legal advice. Laws change: check your state's current law and its education department before you act.
Which states take a letter I write?
These states' laws ask for a notice and accept one the parent writes. Each name opens Peabody's letter maker for that state, which already knows the addressee, the deadline and the details the law asks for.
| State | What the law calls it | Send it to | When | Notarized |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Affidavit Of Intent | The county school superintendent of the county where you live | Within 30 days of the child starting homeschool | No |
| Colorado | Notice Of Intent | A school district in Colorado (the law says any district within the state) | At least 14 days before you start, and each year after | No |
| Florida | Notice Of Intent | The district school superintendent of the county where you live | Within 30 days of starting the home education program | No |
| Hawaii | Letter Of Intent | The principal of the public school your child would otherwise attend | Before you start; again only if you move or your child changes school level | No |
| Kentucky | Notice Of Intent To Homeschool | The superintendent of the local board of education where you live | Within the first two weeks of the school year (or of withdrawing), every year | No |
| Minnesota | Report To The Superintendent | The superintendent of the school district where your child lives (not the state department) | By October 1 of the first year after age 7, or within 15 days of withdrawing; then a letter by October 1 each year | No |
| Montana | Notice Of Home School Attendance | The county superintendent of schools of the county where your home school is | Each school fiscal year (the law sets no date) | No |
| North Dakota | Statement Of Intent To Supervise Home Education | The superintendent of your child's school district of residence (or the county superintendent if the district employs none) | At least five days before you begin, and once each year after | No |
| Ohio | Notice Of Home Education | The superintendent of your school district of residence | Within 5 calendar days of starting (or moving, or withdrawing); then by August 30 each year | No |
| Pennsylvania | Notarized Affidavit | The superintendent of your school district of residence | Before the program starts, then by August 1 each year | Yes |
| Utah | Letter Of Intent To Home School | The local school board of your district of residence | Once, when you withdraw your child or choose not to enroll | No |
| Virginia | Notice Of Intent To Provide Home Instruction | The division superintendent of your school division | By August 15 each year (as soon as practicable if you start mid-year) | No |
| West Virginia | Notice Of Intent To Provide Home Instruction | The county superintendent (or county board) of the county where you live | When you start; for a child in public school, on or before the first day of home instruction | No |
Which states use their own form or portal?
Here the state's own form, or an online filing, is the way to give notice, so a home-made letter is not the route. The link goes to the state's form.
Which states ask for no notice at all?
No notice to the state or district: Alaska, Idaho, Michigan, Oklahoma and Texas. A notice is optional in Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Wyoming; each page says what the option is for.
And the rest?
Alabama, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon and South Carolina ask for notice in a way that depends on the route you choose or that has no single letter. Open the state page for the details and the statute.
What goes in a letter of intent?
- Your name and the date, and the child's name (and, where the law asks, birthdate, age or grade).
- The sentence the law names, for example Florida's notice that you are establishing a home education program.
- Anything the law says goes with it, such as Pennsylvania's outline of objectives and immunization evidence.
- A signature line, and a notary block where the law asks for an affidavit.
Should I keep a copy?
Yes. Print two, sign both, send one by a method that shows the date (or save the portal's confirmation), and keep the other with your records. A letter you can show beats one you remember sending.
Make your letter
Open your state in the table above, or find it in the laws table. Peabody's letter maker builds the letter in your browser from what you type and prints it with a signature line; nothing you type is stored or sent. Blank answers leave a line to fill in by hand.
Sources
- Peabody's state homeschool law pages (each lists its statutes and state education department pages) (checked October 27, 2026)