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Homeschool laws · South Carolina

How to homeschool in South Carolina

Most families join an association rather than use the district option.

Checked November 2026 against the HSLDA summary for South Carolina. Laws change, so confirm with the source before you file.

South Carolina requirements at a glance

Notice to the state or district

Depends on the option. Depends on the option. The district-approved option needs board approval and semiannual reports. The association options are handled through the association.

Minimum school time

180 days a year (4.5 hours a day in the district-approved option).

Required subjects

Reading, writing, math, science, social studies, and composition and literature in grades 7–12.

Parent qualifications

A high school diploma or GED.

Testing or evaluation

Only the district-approved option requires the state tests.

Records to keep

A plan book or log, a portfolio of work samples, and a semiannual progress report.

Compulsory school ages

5–17

Legal ways to homeschool in South Carolina

  • South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools (SCAIHS)
  • Association with 50 or more families
  • District-approved homeschool

Each option has its own rules. The table above mainly describes the first option listed; read the source before choosing.

What to do, step by step

  1. 01

    Pick your legal option, then file what it asks

    Depends on the option. The district-approved option needs board approval and semiannual reports. The association options are handled through the association.

  2. 02

    Plan 180 school days

    180 days a year (4.5 hours a day in the district-approved option). Pick your start date and breaks, and the calendar shows the exact day you reach 180 days.

    Plan the school year
  3. 03

    Track attendance as you go

    Records South Carolina asks for: a plan book or log, a portfolio of work samples, and a semiannual progress report. Even where nothing is required, a dated log protects you if you move, return to school or apply to college.

    Open the attendance tracker
  4. 04

    Keep everything in one place

    Attendance, report cards, reading and field trip logs, test scores and work samples, in the order an evaluator or a school district usually asks for them.

    See the Records Binder

South Carolina homeschool questions

Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in South Carolina?

Depends on the option. The district-approved option needs board approval and semiannual reports. The association options are handled through the association.

How many days do you have to homeschool in South Carolina?

180 days a year (4.5 hours a day in the district-approved option).

What subjects are required in South Carolina?

Reading, writing, math, science, social studies, and composition and literature in grades 7–12.

Does South Carolina require testing for homeschoolers?

Only the district-approved option requires the state tests.

Do parents need a teaching certificate in South Carolina?

A high school diploma or GED.

Confirm before you file

This page summarizes the law in plain English and is not legal advice. Read the HSLDA legal summary for South Carolina and your state’s own education department page, and compare all 50 states in our homeschool laws by state guide.

Homeschool laws in other states