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How to withdraw from public school to homeschool in Rhode Island

In Rhode Island the district approves your home education plan first. Then you withdraw.

Checked November 2026 against the HSLDA summary for Rhode Island. Not legal advice: confirm with the source before you file.

Before your child’s last day at school

  1. 01

    Get your home education plan approved first

    A notice of intent to the local school committee (through the superintendent) before each school year. Many committees have their own policies and may ask for more. Keep your child in school until the approval arrives, so there is no gap the district could count as absences.

    Write the notice of intent
  2. 02

    Send the school a withdrawal letter

    Tell the principal in writing that your child is leaving to be homeschooled, and the date. Without it, the school may keep marking your child absent. Hand-deliver it or send it by certified mail, and keep a copy.

    Fill in the letter below
  3. 03

    Ask for records and return school property

    Request a copy of the cumulative file (grades, test scores, any IEP or 504 plan, health records). Return the laptop, textbooks and library books so nothing is held against the records.

Rhode Island school withdrawal letter

Fill in the details and the letter updates on the right. Nothing is uploaded: it stays in this browser.

Children

[Parent name(s)]
[Street address, city, state, ZIP]
[Email · phone]

November 5, 2026

[Principal’s name], Principal
[School name]
[School address]

Re: Withdrawal of [child’s full name] to homeschool

Dear Principal,

Please accept this letter as notice that we are withdrawing the following child from [school name] to be educated at home, in accordance with the laws of the State of Rhode Island:

  - [Child’s full name, grade]

Please remove our child from the attendance roll as of that date. Our home education plan has been approved by the district.

We also request a copy of the cumulative school records, including grades, test scores, health records and any IEP or 504 plan, sent to the address above.

Thank you for your help with this transition.

Sincerely,


______________________________
[Parent name(s)]

Keep a dated copy and note how it was delivered. Some districts also have their own withdrawal form.

Your first two weeks at home

  • Start light. A child coming out of a classroom often needs a few days to adjust. Reading together, a library trip and a little math are enough at first.
  • Cover what Rhode Island asks for. Reading, writing, geography, arithmetic, health, physical education, US history, Rhode Island history and civics.
  • Set the calendar. The same number of days as public schools, about 180. Plan the school year.
  • Log attendance from day one. What Rhode Island expects: an attendance register, given to the school committee at the end of the year. Open the attendance tracker.
  • Make a simple weekly schedule. Build it here, print it and put it on the fridge.

Questions about withdrawing in Rhode Island

Do I need the school’s permission to withdraw my child to homeschool in Rhode Island?

The school does not approve the withdrawal itself, but in Rhode Island the district reviews and approves your home education plan before you start. A notice of intent to the local school committee (through the superintendent) before each school year. Many committees have their own policies and may ask for more.

Can I withdraw my child in the middle of the school year in Rhode Island?

Yes. Families start homeschooling at any point in the year. File what Rhode Island asks before the last day at school: a notice of intent to the local school committee (through the superintendent) before each school year. Many committees have their own policies and may ask for more.

Will my child be marked truant after I withdraw?

Not if the paperwork is in place first. Keep your child in school until the withdrawal letter is delivered and any required notice is filed, and keep dated copies of both. Most truancy problems come from simply stopping attendance without telling anyone.

What happens to my child’s IEP or 504 plan?

Once your child is no longer enrolled, the school’s IEP or 504 plan stops applying the way it did. Some districts still offer services to homeschooled students, for example speech therapy or part-time enrollment, so ask the district what is available before you withdraw. Request a copy of the plan for your own records either way.

How long does it take to start homeschooling in Rhode Island?

It depends on how long the district takes to approve your plan, so send it as early as you can and keep your child in school until it is approved.

The full Rhode Island requirements

Days, subjects, testing and records are on the Rhode Island homeschool laws page. This page is not legal advice; read the HSLDA summary for Rhode Island before you file.

Withdrawing in another state