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South Dakota homeschool law

Notice, days or hours, subjects, testing and records, in plain words, with the source for each.

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

Checked on against the sources linked on this page.

What to file in South Dakota

File
A notice, once. File an Alternative Instruction Notification on the Department of Education's form with your local school district or the Department of Education. §
To
Local school district or the Department of Education (the online form notifies both) §
By
Within 30 days of first starting, and within 30 days of a transition §
Keep
The law asks for none. §
Test
No testing is required. §
Starting this year
  • Within 30 days of starting: File an Alternative Instruction Notification on the Department's form (online it goes to both the district and the Department).
  • Within 30 days of a change: File again if your child enrolls in a school or you move to another district.
Already homeschooling
  • Within 30 days of a change: File again if your child enrolls in a school or you move to another district.
Leaving a school mid-year

A child who enrolls in a public school is placed at their demonstrated level of proficiency set by one or more standardized tests, according to the Department of Education's FAQ. File an updated notification within 30 days if the child enrolls in a school, moves districts, or stops homeschooling.

Open your attendance recordStart the Tap Clock, if you want to

What South Dakota's law asks you to keep, as tools: Attendance. The same rows for every state: what to file, by state.

Checked (quoted from the record below). § = source: SD Department of Education: Home Schooling / Alternative Instruction Notification; SD Department of Education: Alternative Instruction FAQ (PDF, revised 9/10/26). Information, not legal advice.

Quick answers

Notice
One-time noticeFile an Alternative Instruction Notification on the Department of Education's form with your local school district or the Department of Education. The online system sends it to both. The Department says it is required only one time for each child unless a transition happens: file within 30 days of first starting alternative instruction, and again within 30 days of enrolling the child in a public or nonpublic school or moving to a different district. The school board does not approve it. Checked October 27, 2026. Source: SD Department of Education: Home Schooling / Alternative Instruction Notification, SD Department of Education: Alternative Instruction FAQ (PDF, revised 9/10/26)
Days or hours
None setThe law names no number of days or hours for alternative instruction. It asks for instruction in the basic skills of language arts and mathematics, given so as to lead to a mastery of the English language. Checked October 27, 2026. Source: SDCL 13-27-3, alternative instruction (South Dakota Legislature)
Subjects
At a minimum by law, the basic skills of language arts and mathematics. The instruction must lead to a mastery of the English language. Checked October 27, 2026. Source: SDCL 13-27-3, alternative instruction (South Dakota Legislature)
Testing or evaluation
No testing requiredNo testing is required. The Department of Education says alternative instruction students are no longer required to take and submit standardized achievement tests in fourth, eighth or eleventh grade (changed by Senate Bill 177, in effect July 1, 2021). Families may choose to test at their own expense. Checked October 27, 2026. Source: SD Department of Education: Alternative Instruction FAQ (PDF, revised 9/10/26)
Records
The law asks for none. The Department of Education recommends keeping a detailed academic record, including attendance and grades, because transcripts from the parent are needed for school activities, returning to public school, dual credit, college and scholarship applications. Checked October 27, 2026. Source: SD Department of Education: Alternative Instruction FAQ (PDF, revised 9/10/26)
Who must attend school
A child who is not younger than five or older than six by September 1, and any child at least six by then, must regularly attend a public or nonpublic school or receive alternative instruction until age eighteen, graduation, or an excuse. Each child must attend kindergarten before age seven (SDCL 13-27-1). The state calls home school 'alternative instruction'. Source: SDCL 13-27-1, duty of person controlling child (South Dakota Legislature)
Education savings accounts and vouchers
No program foundWe did not find a state-funded education savings account or voucher open to homeschool families on the Department of Education's pages (checked 2026-10-27). The Department's page on the federal scholarship tax credit says donors can fund scholarship organizations and that South Dakota intends to support homeschool students too; it says a list of eligible organizations will be available in early 2027. That is donor money with a federal tax credit, not a state account. Source: SD Department of Education: Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Program

What to do first

  1. Read South Dakota's own pages, linked under each row below, so you know what applies to your situation.
  2. Notice: Within 30 days of first starting, and within 30 days of a transition To: Local school district or the Department of Education (the online form notifies both).
  3. If your child is in school now: A child who enrolls in a public school is placed at their demonstrated level of proficiency set by one or more standardized tests, according to the Department of Education's FAQ. File an updated notification within 30 days if the child enrolls in a school, moves districts, or stops homeschooling.
  4. Plan the year around the days or hours and the subjects below.
  5. Start your records on day one: a simple attendance log, a list of books read and a work sample or two for each subject.

The state's own form or page: altinstructionnotification.appssd.sd.gov/

Records to keep

The law asks for none. The Department of Education recommends keeping a detailed academic record, including attendance and grades, because transcripts from the parent are needed for school activities, returning to public school, dual credit, college and scholarship applications. Whatever the law asks, many families also keep a simple attendance log, a list of books read and a few work samples for each subject; they cost nothing and help if you move or return to school.

Good to know

  • Who may teach: the person providing instruction is not required to be certified, and no person may instruct more than twenty-two children (SDCL 13-27-3).
  • Activities: each public school district must allow a child receiving alternative instruction to take part in athletics, fine arts or activities in the district where the child lives (SDCL 13-36-7). The child must meet the same requirements as publicly enrolled students.
  • Textbooks: the Department of Education says districts loan textbooks without charge to all persons ages five to nineteen (SDCL 13-34-23).
  • Birth certificate: the Department of Education says families do not have to send a birth certificate or affidavit with the notification, although many activities ask for one.
  • The Department of Education says the penalty for not having a compulsory-age child attend school, including alternative instruction, is a Class 2 misdemeanor for a first offense.

Where this comes from

Checked on October 27, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice; check your state's own page, and confirm with your school district or the department before you rely on a date. Something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.