Illinois homeschool requirements, in plain English.
Five things every Illinois homeschool family should know: whether you file a notice, which subjects to cover, how much instruction time is expected, what evaluations look like, and which records to keep.
Notice & registration
No — Illinois homeschools operate as private schools and no registration or notice is required.
No filing is required with anyone. ISBE offers a voluntary Home Schooling Registration Form (ISBE form 87-02) that families may submit if they wish, and ISBE recommends (but does not require) giving a dated withdrawal letter to the public school when pulling a child out mid-enrollment. A 2025 bill (HB 2827, the Homeschool Act) that would have required annual notification did not pass; as of July 2026 the law is unchanged.
Required subjects
Illinois expects instruction in the subjects below.
- language arts
- mathematics
- biological and physical sciences
- social sciences
- fine arts
- physical development and health
Instruction time (hours or days)
Illinois sets no minimum hours per day or days per year for private schools, including homeschools; courts expect instruction at least equivalent to what public schools provide, and it must be taught in English.
Evaluations & assessments
No testing is required, and parents who choose to test their children privately do not have to share results with any school official.
Record keeping
No records are required to be kept or submitted; families are simply encouraged to keep copies of any withdrawal letter or voluntary registration form for their own files.
Common questions
Do I have to register with the state to homeschool in Illinois?
No. Illinois treats homeschools as private schools, and no registration, notice, or approval is required. The state offers a voluntary registration form you can submit if you like, but skipping it is completely legal. If you're withdrawing a child from public school, sending the school a dated withdrawal letter is a smart (though optional) step.
Didn't Illinois pass a law requiring homeschool registration?
No. A 2025 bill called the Homeschool Act (HB 2827) would have required an annual notification form, but it stalled in the Illinois House in April 2025 and was never enacted. As of July 2026, nothing has replaced it — confirm the latest with ISBE or a homeschool association if you're reading this later.
What subjects does Illinois require homeschoolers to teach?
The same branches of education taught in public schools, in English: language arts; mathematics; biological and physical sciences; social sciences; fine arts; and physical development and health. Illinois leaves curriculum choices, materials, and methods entirely up to you.
How many hours a day does Illinois require for homeschooling?
There's no required number of hours or days. Illinois sets no time minimums for private schools, including homeschools. Courts have said the education should be at least equivalent to what public schools offer, but how you schedule it is your call.
Does my homeschooled child have to take state tests in Illinois?
No. Illinois has no testing requirement for homeschooled students. If you choose to test your child privately to track progress, you don't have to share the results with any school official.
Does Illinois have ESA money for homeschoolers?
No. As of July 2026, Illinois has no education savings account or voucher program at all. Its only private-school-choice program, the Invest in Kids tax-credit scholarship, ended December 31, 2023 and was never usable for homeschooling anyway. ISBE says it knows of no state financial resources for homeschool expenses.
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Sources
- 105 ILCS 5/26-1 — Compulsory attendance and private-school exemption (accessed 2026-07-03)
- ISBE — Illinois Home Schooling FAQ (subjects, no registration, no testing, Levisen) (accessed 2026-07-03)
- ISBE — Homeschool page (voluntary registration) (accessed 2026-07-03)
- ILGA — HB 2827 (Homeschool Act) bill status: re-referred to Rules 4/11/2025, not enacted (accessed 2026-07-03)
- Illinois Dept. of Revenue — Invest in Kids sunset December 31, 2023 (accessed 2026-07-03)
- HSLDA — Illinois homeschool laws (cross-check) (accessed 2026-07-03)
This page is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements with your state before acting on them.