In Minnesota, the compulsory ages of attendance are between 7 and 16 years old. These are the ages at which children are required to receive education. The law also specifies that if a child younger than 7 has already begun public school kindergarten or a higher grade, the compulsory attendance requirement applies to that child, "unless the board of the district in which the pupil is enrolled has a policy that exempts children under 7 from this subdivision," according to the HSLDA web site.
To meet the Minnesota requirements for instructor qualifications, a parent must either have a state teaching license in the relevant field and grade; be under the supervision of a licensed teacher; complete an exam for teacher competence; teach in an accredited school or one that the state board recognizes; have a bachelor's degree; or have a child who is assessed "using a nationally norm-referenced standardized achievement examination," according to the HSLDA's web site.
By Oct. 1 of every year, the home-schooling parent in Minnesota must provide a report to the local superintendent, which must include the name, date of birth and address of each child in the home school. It must also include the name of the instructor (usually the parent), evidence that this person meets the instructor requirements (see "Qualifications" section in this article) and the home school's annual instruction calendar. If the parent is home-schooling according to the sixth option listed in the "Qualifications" section, he or she must also provide a quarterly report of each child's achievement in required subjects.
Minnesota home-schooling students are not required to receive education for any set number of days per year. However, they must study certain subjects: reading, writing, literature, history, geography, government, math, science, health, physical education and fine arts.
Home-schooling parents in Minnesota are required to keep certain records. This documentation must include "class schedules, copies of materials used for instruction and description of method used to assess student achievement indicating that the subjects required are being taught," according to the HSLDA web site.
Once per year, either a superintendent or a person that the superintendent appoints can visit the home where the child is being home-schooled in Minnesota "to determine if the school is in compliance with the law," according to the HSLDA. However, the law states that the visit "cannot be mandatory because it would violate the Fourth Amendment." As an alternative to the home visit, the home schooling parent can provide the information described in the "Records" section of this article.
Minnesota home schools that are accredited do not have to give standardized tests. Students at home schools that are not accredited "must be assessed using a nationally norm-referenced standardized achievement examination," according to the HSLDA. Parents who are not licensed in the grade and field taught, are not directly supervised by a licensed teacher, and have not completed a teacher competency exam must also test their children in "required subject areas not covered by the test."