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Withdrawing from school to homeschool in Illinois

How to take your child out of school to homeschool in Illinois, step by step: what to file first, what to tell the school, and a letter to print.

This is general information, not legal advice; check your state's own page. Laws change, and Illinois's own statute and education department are the final word. The links below go straight to them.

Deadlines, forms and amounts checked on against the sources linked on this page.

Step by step

  1. Before your child's last day, do what Illinois asks of a new homeschool. No. The State Board of Education says Illinois does not require parents to register before they begin home schooling and requires no other forms or procedures. The state offers a voluntary ISBE Home Schooling Registration Form.Source: Illinois State Board of Education: Illinois Homeschooling
  2. Tell the school. When you take your child out: No withdrawal procedure is set in state law, but the State Board strongly recommends giving the school a dated letter saying you are withdrawing your child to home school, and keeping a copy. (Suggested, not required.)Source: Illinois State Board of Education: Illinois Homeschooling
  3. Ask for your child's records (report cards, test results, any evaluations or plans) so you know where your child stands. Good practice, not a legal step.
  4. If your child has an IEP or a 504 plan, ask the district before you leave what, if anything, it offers homeschooled students, and get a copy of the plan. Good practice, not a legal step.
  5. Keep copies of everything you send and anything you get back, with the dates. Good practice, not a legal step.
  6. Start your records on day one. The state requires no particular records. The Board says parents decide what records of the student's accomplishments should be kept. It also says the burden is on parents to show, if asked, that the home instruction meets state requirements.Source: Illinois State Board of Education: Illinois Homeschooling

What Illinois's law or education agency says about leaving school

State law sets no formal withdrawal procedure. The Board says parents should tell the public school they intend to home school, because otherwise the school may mark the student absent and eventually refer the student to a truancy officer. It recommends a dated letter, with a copy kept, and suggests sending the same letter and the voluntary registration form to your Regional Office of Education.Source: Illinois State Board of Education: Illinois Homeschooling

A letter to the school

Fill this in and print it. It tells the school your child is leaving to be taught at home and asks for the records. It is not the state's notice.

For example a copy of your notice, or the acknowledgement the state sent you.

Nothing you type here is saved or sent.

Your letter

________________

To: ________________

I am withdrawing ________________ from your school. My child will be educated at home under the law of Illinois.

Please send me a copy of my child's school records.

Thank you.

SignatureDate
Keep a copy with the date you handed it in or mailed it.

Where this comes from

Checked on October 29, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Laws and forms change; confirm a date with your school district or the state agency before you rely on it. For legal advice, ask a lawyer licensed in Illinois; homeschool legal-help organizations and your state's homeschool groups can also point you to help. Something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.