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Homeschooling in Mississippi

A year-round Mississippi homeschool marketplace — curriculum, tutoring, therapy, STEM, arts and enrichment providers, plus a plain-English guide to Mississippi's home instruction law, the new August 15 filing deadline and the state programs homeschool families can and can't use.

Mississippi homeschooling by topic

Mississippi Homeschool Options at a glance

Homeschool law: Home instruction is one of the exceptions to Mississippi's Compulsory School Attendance Law (Miss. Code 37-13-91(3)(c)). A child is of compulsory school age if they turn 6 on or before September 1 and have not turned 17 on or before September 1 of that year, plus any 5-year-old enrolled in full-day public kindergarten. The only test in the law is that the program must not be operated to avoid or get around the compulsory attendance law. MDE's Office of Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement and its local School Attendance Officers administer it.
Filing: One form a year: the certificate of enrollment, due to the school attendance officer where the child lives on or before August 15. SB 2103 (2026) moved the deadline from September 15, effective July 1, 2026. MDE also accepts the form by email at homeschool@mdek12.org. It asks only for the child's and parent's names, address and phone, the child's date of birth, the school district, a simple description of the education program and a signature.
Testing: None. The law sets no testing, curriculum approval, required subjects or teacher qualification for home instruction. It requires no 180-day year for nonpublic schools either: their term is whatever number of days the school requires for promotion (37-13-91(2)(e)). MDE recommends keeping a portfolio of work, a log of books and materials, and results of any national tests.
State ESA for homeschoolers: No. The ESA (up to $8,421 for 2026–27, for students with an IEP within the past three years), the Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship and the Nate Rogers Scholarship all require enrollment in an eligible private or special-purpose school. ESA parents must agree in writing not to file a home instruction certificate of enrollment.
College aid: Homeschool graduates can apply for the state's MTAG, MESG and HELP grants. They send the Office of Student Financial Aid a signed, notarized transcript with an unweighted seven-semester GPA, plus an official ACT or SAT score report. Minimum ACT: 15 for MTAG, 29 for MESG, 20 for HELP.
Federal tax credit: Mississippi is on the IRS list of states taking part in the federal scholarship tax credit for 2027 (as of October 22, 2026). The Governor's office said it would designate the scholarship-granting organizations. We found no Mississippi list yet. Whether these scholarships can pay homeschool costs is unsettled: the proposed federal rules tie eligible expenses to a "school" as defined by state law, and Treasury says more guidance is coming.

Read the full guide: Mississippi Homeschool Options — Home Instruction Law, the ESA and College Aid

Coming up in Mississippi

Wed, Nov 11, 2026 · UM 15th Annual Mathematics Specialist Conference
Oxford · University of Mississippi, Jackson Ave. Center, Auditorium B, 1111 Jackson Ave. W · Free
One-day conference, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., for Mississippi mathematics specialists and instructional leaders to share practices and support; 0.6 CEUs available.
Wed, Nov 11, 2026 · Mississippi Aquarium Homeschool Day: Keystone Species
Gulfport · Mississippi Aquarium, 2100 E Beach Boulevard · Advance:
8.50 per student (pre-K-12),
0 per adult; Learning Lab add-on $5 student / $7 adult
Homeschool program 8:45-10 a.m. on keystone species, with an optional K-5 Learning Lab (10:30-11:30 a.m., "Build a Beaver Dam"); tickets let families stay in the aquarium all day.
Thu, Nov 12, 2026 · Get2College FAFSA 101 Training (Wesson)
Wesson · Co-Lin Community College (Wesson Campus), H F McCarty Dr
In-person overview of the new 2027-28 FAFSA for people who help students and families complete it, November 12, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Co-Lin's Wesson Campus. Registration is required.
Thu, Nov 12, 2026 · Homeschool Hangout: Planters (Woolmarket Library)
Biloxi · Woolmarket Public Library, 13034 Kayleigh Cove
Hands-on lesson on hydroponic planters at the Woolmarket Public Library's Homeschool Hangout at 2:00 p.m.; participants learn how to grow their own plant.
Fri, Nov 13, 2026 – Sat, Nov 14, 2026 · FIRST Tech Challenge Mississippi Biloxi Qualifier
Biloxi · St. Patrick's Catholic High School, 18300 Saint Patrick Rd, Biloxi, MS
FIRST Tech Challenge qualifying tournament for Mississippi robotics teams (team capacity 20). The Mississippi Championship is scheduled at the University of Mississippi March 5-6, 2027.
Fri, Nov 13, 2026 – Sat, Nov 14, 2026 · Hernando Dickens of a Christmas
Hernando · Historic Hernando Town Square, 475 W. Commerce St. · Free
The City of Hernando's free annual event turns the historic town square into a Victorian-era holiday village, with a Christmas market, live performances, carriage and trolley rides, ice skating, high tea and cemetery ghost tours.
Fri, Nov 13, 2026 – Sun, Nov 15, 2026 · National Folk Festival
Jackson · Downtown Jackson · Free
Free three-day festival in downtown Jackson with traditional music and dance, craft exhibits and demonstrations of Mississippi folklife, and family activities.
Fri, Nov 13, 2026 · National Folk Festival Performances at the Mississippi Children's Museum
Jackson · Mississippi Children's Museum, 2145 Museum Boulevard
Puppeteer Jeghetto (Tarish Pipkins) presents his recycled puppet theater at 10:00 and 11:30 a.m. as part of the National Folk Festival.
Fri, Nov 13, 2026 – Sun, Nov 15, 2026 · The Crucible (The W and MSMS)
Columbus · Cromwell Theater, Mississippi University for Women, 1100 College Street ·
2 general admission
Mississippi University for Women and the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science stage Arthur Miller's The Crucible, their first joint production, November 13–15. W and MSMS students are admitted free with ID.
Fri, Nov 13, 2026 – Sat, Nov 14, 2026 · The W Fall 2026 Preview Weekend
Columbus · Mississippi University for Women, 1100 College Street (Welcome Reception at the Culinary Arts Building)
Mississippi University for Women's Preview Weekend opens with a Welcome Reception on Friday evening, November 13 (check-in 6:00 p.m.), followed by the main event Saturday, November 14: academic programs, student organizations, and…

See all 129 upcoming Mississippi events

Mississippi homeschool & school choice news

Judge puts closure of Canton charter school on hold — WLBT
IRS lists Mississippi among states opting into 2027 federal scholarship tax credit — IRS
Poll: Majority of Mississippi voters support property tax elimination, school choice, restoration of the ballot initiative — Magnolia Tribune
Mississippi SB 2294: Breaking Down the New Mandates — Progress Learning (vendor blog)
Investing in Mississippi's Next Generation — Mississippi State Treasury

All news & regulations

Co-ops, groups and vendors

163 homeschool co-ops, support groups, microschools and hybrid schools across Mississippi — browse the list. Homeschool vendors serving Mississippi.

Homeschooling by city

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Articles for Mississippi families

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