Connecticut does not have a statute about home schooling, but a child may be excused from attending public school if the parent can show that the child receives equivalent instruction elsewhere in the studies taught in the public schools. The required subjects are reading; writing; spelling; English grammar; geography; arithmetic; United States history; and citizenship, including a study of the town, state, and federal governments.

The Connecticut Department of Education has established guidelines and suggested procedures applicable to home schooling. The guidelines recommend that local school boards follow these procedures:

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  Parents must file a notice of intent form with the superintendent of schools in the town in which they live. The notice of intent form, which is effective for up to one school year, provides basic information about the program to be provided to their child;

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  The notice of intent must be filed within 10 days of the beginning of the home instruction program;

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  When the school district receives the notice of intent, it will check that it is complete and will keep it as a permanent record; a complete form provides basic program information that includes the teacher's name, subjects to be taught, days of instruction, and the teacher's methods of assessment;

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  By filing a notice of intent, the parent acknowledges full responsibility for the education of his/her child in accordance with state law;

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  Parents and school officials will hold an annual portfolio review to determine whether instruction in the required courses was provided; and

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  A child may be considered truant if the parent continues to refuse to comply with a reasonable request by the school district for completion and filing of the notice of intent or to participate in an annual portfolio review.

Ask the parent to submit evidence from the local school board of compliance with the guidelines. The student must also meet federal standards for full-time attendance and all other requirements for the payment of benefits.

In response to your request for a survey of state laws regarding the requirements for home schooling in the states in the Boston Region, we provide below a summary of the applicable laws for each New England state. If you have any questions about how these laws would apply to the facts of any specific claim for child's benefits, please let us know.

Attendance at school is required for persons “five years of age and over and under eighteen years of age.” A child is excused from attending public school if the parent “is able to show that the child is elsewhere receiving equivalent instruction in the studies taught in the public schools.” Required subjects are reading, writing, spelling, English grammar, geography, arithmetic, United States history, and citizenship, including a study of the town, state and federal governments.

Connecticut does not have a statute concerning home schooling, but the Connecticut Department of Education has established specific guidelines and suggested procedures applicable to home schooling (a copy of the state guidelines is available at http://www.cthomeschoolnetwork.org/CtLaw-StateGuidelines.htm). These guidelines recommend that local school boards observe the following procedures:

1. a) 

   parents must file with the superintendent of schools in the town in which they reside a notice of intent form which provides basic information about the program to be provided to their child. A notice of intent will be effective for up to one school year;

2. b) 

   the filing of the notice of intent must occur within ten days of the start of the home instruction program;

3. c) 

   the school district will receive the notice of intent, check it for completeness and keep it as part of the district's permanent records. A complete form will be one which provides basic program information including name of teacher, subjects to be taught and days of instruction, and the teacher's methods of assessment;

4. d) 

   a parent, by filing a notice of intent, acknowledges full responsibility for the education of their child in accordance with the requirements of state law;

5. e) 

   an annual portfolio review will be held with the parents and school officials to determine if instruction in the required courses has been given; and

6. f) 

   any continued refusal by the parent to comply with the reasonable request of the school district for completion and filing of the notice of intent, or to participate in an annual portfolio review may cause the child to be considered truant.

See CT. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 10-184; CT Homeschool Newtwork, Inc. website at http://www.cthomeschoolnetwork.org/CtLaw-LegalFAQs.htm