Home Instruction (aka home-schooling) and School Closures due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Anne Arundel County Public Schools acknowledges that this is an uncertain time and that some families are seeking educational options for their children.

It is important to understand the difference between withdrawing your child from public school to start traditional home instruction and virtual, online instruction provided by the public school system during an emergency closure such as the current pandemic has necessitated.  Traditional home instruction, overseen by this office, involves withdrawing your child from AACPS and taking over their education. The parent becomes the child’s learning guardian and is responsible for selecting, acquiring, and delivering curriculum and materials of instruction.  Families who choose to formally home school must follow the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) for Home Instruction.  Information about formal or traditional home instruction and COMAR can be found here on our website.  It is important to know that students who are home instructed are not earning grades, credits, promotions or a diploma.

If you want your child to remain enrolled in AACPS, continue to earn grades, high school credits and promotions, and be able to access the academic resources on the county’s eLearning website:  www.aacps.org/eLearning, you would not enroll in traditional home instruction described on this web page.  None of the virtual learning resources or teacher contact provided for AACPS students is available to students not enrolled in AACPS, including home-schooled students.

Please visit the Frequently Asked Questions document which thoroughly answers questions about eLearning in Anne Arundel County Public Schools: https://www.aacps.org/elearningfaq

Parents may choose to educate their children at home, rather than enrolling them in a traditional public or private school.  AACPS supports home instruction in accordance with the Code of Maryland Regulations known as COMAR.  Use the link to the Notification Form below if you intend to withdraw you child from AACPS and start traditional home instruction.

Home Instruction Notification Form 

NOTE: ONLY for students NEW to Home Instruction

Do not submit a form for students continuing Home Instruction from last year unless you are changing supervision.

 Option 1 (printed form) MUST be sent via US mail. Emailed forms cannot be accepted. 

Option 2 (electronic form) is preferred and highly recommended.

The ABCs of State Requirements for Home Instruction

1. Parents must notify the local public school system of their decision to home-school each student. Each year, they must notify the school system of their decision to continue or discontinue home schooling.
   
   
2. Students must receive regular, thorough instruction from the parent in each of the following subjects:
   • Reading/Language arts
   • Mathematics
   • Social Studies
   • Science
   • Art
   • Music
   • Physical Education
   • Health (May be incorporated through science or physical education)  
   • Students at the secondary level may substitute alternative electives of choice for art, music, and physical education.
     
     
3. Home instruction must be supervised, either by the local public school system or by a private organization approved by the Maryland State Department of Education.

Additional Educational Opportunities Through Programs of Choice

Anne Arundel County Public Schools offers a variety of Magnet, Charter, and Contract schools to provide students a variety of educational choices.  These programs are available to families who reside in Anne Arundel County only. For further details, including brochures, videos, program requirements, and how to apply, please go to www.aacps.org/magnet.

Click here to learn about New Virtual Learning opportunities through Monarch Annapolis for Annapolis Cluster Families.