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Homeschooling in Missouri
A year-round Missouri homeschool marketplace — curriculum, tutoring, therapy, STEM, arts and enrichment providers, plus a plain-English guide to Missouri's 1,000-hour home school law, MOScholars and the home-based FPE school route, sports and activities access, MOCAP, dual credit and college aid.
Missouri homeschooling by topic
- Missouri Homeschool Laws & Requirements
- How to Start Homeschooling in Missouri
- Missouri School Choice, ESAs & Scholarships
- Homeschool Sports & Activities in Missouri
- Dual Enrollment & College for Missouri Homeschoolers
- Special Needs & Special Education Homeschooling in Missouri
Missouri Homeschool Options at a glance
- Notice to the state: None. DESE says there is no registration with the state and no program to inspect, approve or accredit home schools. If your child is enrolled in public school, give the district a written notice that you intend to pursue another educational option and ask that your child be dropped from the rolls; the school must remove your child promptly (RSMo 167.042, effective August 28, 2025). The old optional "declaration of enrollment" filed with the recorder of deeds is no longer in the law.
- Hours and records: Offer at least 1,000 hours of instruction, at least 600 of them in reading, language arts, math, social studies, science or related academic courses, with at least 400 of the 600 at your regular home school location. Keep a plan book, diary or other written record of subjects and activities, a portfolio of work samples and a record of evaluations, or other written or credible evidence of the same (RSMo 167.012). These two requirements don't apply to a pupil 16 or older.
- Compulsory school age: 7 to 17, or until the child has completed 16 credits toward high school graduation (RSMo 167.031). For a home school, a credit is 100 hours or more of instruction in a course. A 5- or 6-year-old enrolled in public school must attend regularly unless the parent asks in writing for the child to be dropped from the rolls. A metropolitan school district may set 17 by board resolution and may lower it to 16.
- MOScholars: who qualifies: A Missouri resident K–12 student who has an IEP under the federal IDEA (the Treasurer's FAQ also accepts an IDEA service plan for a parentally placed student; plans must be dated within 36 months), or who lives in a household with income up to 300% of the free and reduced-price lunch standard and either attended public school full time for at least one semester in the past 12 months, is eligible to start kindergarten or first grade, or is a sibling of a current recipient (RSMo 166.700; Treasurer's FAQ).
- MOScholars amount and window, 2026–27: Awards are set by statute as a share of the State Adequacy Target (SAT): up to 175% of the SAT with an IEP, 160% for an English learner, 125% for a student eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and up to 100% for others, depending on available funds (RSMo 135.714). For 2026–27, 10,235 students were funded with $68.7 million, and 1,735 were on the waitlist. The 2026–27 first window ran October 1, 2025 to April 3, 2026 at 5 p.m., with a summer 2026 window. 2027–28 dates had not been announced as of October 30, 2026.
- Homeschool status (the FPE route): A traditional home school (RSMo 167.012) can't enroll a MOScholars student. An FPE school (RSMo 167.013) is defined the same way — private or religious-based instruction, ages 7 to compulsory age, no more than four unrelated children, no tuition, the same hours and records — but may enroll MOScholars students. An eligible homeschooled child applies through an Educational Assistance Organization (EAO) that works with FPE students. Account money can't be paid to the parent or any relative. The Treasurer counted 350 family paced education participants in 2026–27.
Coming up in Missouri
- Wed, Nov 11, 2026 · Love to Learn: Corn Husk Creations
St. Peters · The Family Vision
A Wednesday session from 1 to 3 PM for ages 6+ where kids explore new topics and build skills. The theme is corn husk creations. - Thu, Nov 12, 2026 · FHE Kansas City Class of 2027 Graduation Kickoff Meeting
Kansas City · Woodneath Library Center, Community Room 3, 8900 NE Flintlock Road · Graduation fee