Wisconsin homeschool checklist for this year
Answer two questions and get the year's deadlines with their dates, the notice, testing and records, each linked to the law. Print it or tick it off here.
- Wisconsin law
- This year's checklist
- Withdrawing from school
This is general information, not legal advice; check your state's own page. Laws change, and Wisconsin'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.
Wisconsin homeschool checklist, school year
Things to do, with their deadlines
File the online PI-1206 Homeschool Enrollment Report with the Department of Public Instruction.
Source: Wis. Stat. 115.30, reports to the department (Wisconsin Legislature); DPI: Home-Based Private Education Program (Homeschooling)
The state's own form: PI-1206 Homeschool Enrollment Report (online, DPI).
All year
Teach the subjects Wisconsin names: reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, health.
Source: Wis. Stat. 118.165, private school criteria (Wisconsin Legislature)Keep count of the hours. The program must provide at least 875 hours of instruction each school year (Wis. Stat. 118.165(1)(c)).
Source: Wis. Stat. 118.165, private school criteria (Wisconsin Legislature)The law asks for no instruction records. DPI says the statutes give no agency or school district authority to monitor home programs or verify the hours, but recommends keeping records of the instruction, which employers, the military and colleges may ask for later. DPI says it is the parent's responsibility to keep copies of the submitted PI-1206 forms; DPI keeps them for seven years.
Source: DPI: Home-Based Private Education Program (Homeschooling)
Good habits (not in the law)
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Keep a copy of everything you send, and of any acknowledgement you get back, with the date.
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Start simple records on day one: the days you teach, the books you read and a few samples of work in each subject. They help if you move, return to school or apply to college.
Where this comes from
- Wis. Stat. 118.15, compulsory school attendance (Wisconsin Legislature) (the law)
- Wis. Stat. 118.165, private school criteria (Wisconsin Legislature) (the law)
- Wis. Stat. 115.30, reports to the department (Wisconsin Legislature) (the law)
- DPI: Home-Based Private Education Program (Homeschooling) (state agency)
- DPI: Homeschool Frequently Asked Questions (Word document) (state agency)
- DPI: Private School Choice Programs (state agency)
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 Wisconsin; 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.