Homeschooling

Last updated on August 2, 2024

Homeschooling is a classroom alternative offered outside the B.C. educational system. Typically, a home educator (e.g. a parent or guardian) delivers the entire educational program to children at home.

Homeschooling programs are not

  • Supervised by a B.C.-certified teacher
  • Required to meet provincial standards
  • Inspected by the Ministry of Education and Child Care

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Parents should consider

Homeschooling comes with great responsibility – choosing this option means parents must provide and supervise their child’s entire educational program, including curriculum and learning materials.

See a comparison of classroom alternatives to see if online learning may better meet your needs.

Responsibilities of parents or guardians

By law, all children in B.C. must be educated, making it necessary for homeschooled children to be registered.

Parent/guardian(s) who choose to homeschool must register their child by September 30 of each year. Contact a B.C. school to complete the registration process:

  • Public school – Public school principals register homeschoolers. Contact the school district office to learn more about its homeschooling policy.
  • Independent school – Independent schools may determine whether the school registers homeschoolers. Contact the school to learn more about its homeschooling policy.

Note: Children in Grades 10, 11, or 12 may enrol in a online learning course and also be registered as a homeschooler.

Responsibilities of schools and districts

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Public schools

The principal must register the child of any parent who wishes his/her child to be educated at home.

The school principal will offer to the homeschooled child or their parents free of charge:

  • Evaluation and assessment services to determine the child's educational progress in relation to students of similar age and ability
  • The loan of educational resource materials authorized and recommended by the Minister of Education, and which, in the school district’s opinion, are sufficient to enable the child to pursue his/her educational program

The parent and/or homeschooled child is free to accept or reject evaluation/ assessment services or the loan of learning resource materials offered by the school.

The school has no authority to approve or supervise the educational program of a homeschooled child.

 

Independent schools

The independent school authority may determine if a particular independent school will register homeschooled children.

The authority may also set a fee for the registration of a homeschooled child. An independent or independent online learning school may register a homeschooled child who resides anywhere in the province.

The school principal shall offer to the homeschooled child or the parent(s) free of charge:

  • Evaluation and assessment services normally offered to the students at that independent school
  • Educational resource materials, on loan, which the school believes are sufficient to enable the child to pursue his/her educational program

The school may require a deposit for the loan of such materials.

 

Protecting homeschooled children

Anyone who believes that a school-aged homeschooled child is not registered, or is registered, but not receiving an educational program, may report this belief to:

After receiving a report, the superintendent, or directeur général must investigate the complaint:

  • If the superintendent or directeur général determines that the child is not registered and the child's parent refuses to comply with the law, the superintendent, or directeur général must inform the police
  • If the superintendent or directeur général determines that the child is not receiving an educational program and that the child is in need of protection, the superintendent, or directeur général must report their belief to the Ministry of Children and Family Development
  • No action can be taken against the superintendent or directeur général for investigating a report, nor against the person making such a report, unless it was made maliciously

See the Investigation By Superintendent Order (PDF, 145KB)

Provincial funding grants are sent to each registering school; no funding is sent to parents. The provincial funding grant amounts are as follows:

  • Public schools receive $250 for each registered homeschooled child
  • An independent school authority (PDF, 107KB) holding a certificate of group 1 or group 2 classification receives $175 for each registered homeschooled child

Children attending school participate in B.C.’s program for immunization to protect against disease. Parents must ensure that homeschooled children also get immunized at the right age: 4 – 6, 11 and 14 years old.