Home Instruction Notification Forms are only being accepted electronically at this time.  Please do NOT mail or fax the forms to Central Office.

Home Instruction Notification Forms for the 2020-2021 School Year will be accepted beginning August 1, 2020

More information regarding school closure due to COVID-19

Anne Arundel County Public Schools acknowledges that this is an uncertain time and that some families are seeking educational options for their children, to include formal home instruction. There are some important facts and pieces of information for you to know and understand as you seek these options.

First, it is important to understand the difference between formally home instructing your child or children as compared to situational or crisis learning from home (our current situation).  Formal home instruction involves withdrawing your child from AACPS and taking over their education - you become your child’s learning guardian to include selecting, acquiring, and delivering curriculum (materials of instruction).  Families who choose to formally home school must follow the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) for Home Instruction.  Information about formal 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 and/or report cards from Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

Secondly, if your child continues enrollment with AACPS then you and your child can access academic resources on the county’s eLearning website:  www.aacps.org/eLearning.  If you formally home instruct your child, this learning platform/continuation of learning will no longer be available to you and your child as your child will be withdrawn from AACPS.  Beginning on April 6th, AACPS students will be able to access all of their subjects via eLearning for the remainder of the school closure period. As such, we are not planning for nor do we anticipate any student having problems with promotion to the next grade level as closures are occurring across the State of Maryland.  Please visit the Frequently Asked Questions document which thoroughly answers questions about eLearning: https://www.aacps.org/elearningfaq

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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.

NEW - Home Instruction ONLINE Notification Form

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.