MADE FOR FAMILIES IN ONTARIO
Homeschooling in Ontario, planned for you
Tell Kuraplan your children's ages and what Ontario expects. It writes lessons, worksheets and the records you need, in the language of the Ontario Curriculum.
Homeschooling in Ontario: the rules, the registration and a plan that works
Ontario is one of the easiest places in the world to homeschool. Under the Education Act a child is excused from school attendance if they are 'receiving satisfactory instruction at home or elsewhere', and Policy/Program Memorandum 131 tells school boards to accept a parent's letter of intent as evidence of that, without demanding a curriculum, a visit or a test. There is no funding and no reporting.
The catch is high school: the Ontario Secondary School Diploma requires credits from a recognised school, so homeschooled teenagers who want the OSSD enrol in online or independent-learning courses. This guide covers the letter of intent, what boards can and cannot ask, and the routes to a diploma or university.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Informational, not legal advice. Verify with Ontario Ministry of Education, Policy/Program Memorandum 131 before acting.
Step by step
How to start homeschooling in Ontario
- 1
Write a letter of intent
Send a letter to your local school board each year stating that you intend to provide home schooling for your child(ren), with their names and birthdates. The Ministry publishes a sample form. Boards must accept it and should not require further evidence unless there is reason to believe instruction is not satisfactory.
- 2
Withdraw from school if enrolled
Inform the school in writing. There is no consent process.
- 3
Teach as you see fit
No curriculum, hours, testing or reporting requirements. The Ontario Curriculum is available free as a reference. Boards may offer access to resources, assessments or courses on request.
- 4
Plan the OSSD or university
For the OSSD, enrol in Ministry-inspected online or independent-learning courses (the Independent Learning Centre and many private online schools) to earn credits. Alternatively, apply to university as a homeschooled applicant with a detailed transcript; most Ontario universities have a homeschool admissions route.
Ontario requirements at a glance
Legal basis: Education Act (Ontario) s.21(2)(a): a child is excused from attendance if receiving satisfactory instruction at home or elsewhere; PPM 131 (2002).
- Notification
- Annual letter of intent to the school board (recommended, and requested by PPM 131; boards should not investigate on receipt of it).
- Curriculum
- None required.
- Hours
- None.
- Assessment
- None. Boards may investigate only with reasonable grounds.
- Records
- Not required; keep them anyway for a future transcript.
Dates to put on your calendar
- Letter of intent: at the start of each school year (September).
Curriculum
The Ontario Curriculum (Grades 1–8 and 9–12) is a free optional reference.
Assessment
None. Parents may request EQAO or board assessments but boards are not obliged to provide them.
Funding
None. Boards may allow access to some resources or courses on request.
Plan it with Kuraplan
Turn the rules into a week that works
Kuraplan knows the Ontario Curriculum. Tell it your children's ages and it builds lessons, worksheets and the plan or report your Ontario Ministry of Education, Policy/Program Memorandum 131 paperwork asks for.
Plans in Ontario Curriculum terms
Learning plans, program summaries and progress reports written in the vocabulary your regulator expects, ready to edit and submit.
Lessons for every child at once
One family topic, output at each child's level: a drawing task, a paragraph, an essay. Printables included.
Records without the scramble
Keep completed work together so the annual review, report or portfolio is a summary, not a reconstruction.
One lesson. All your kids.
$49/yr flat, no per-child fees
Write one family lesson, then adjust the reading level, the practice and the response format for each child without rebuilding the day.
Ontario homeschooling FAQ
How do I homeschool in Ontario?
Send a letter of intent to your school board each September naming your children and stating that you will provide home schooling. That is the whole process; there is no curriculum, testing or reporting requirement under PPM 131.
Can the school board inspect my homeschool in Ontario?
Only if it has reasonable grounds to believe the instruction is not satisfactory. PPM 131 directs boards to accept the letter of intent at face value and not to investigate as a matter of routine.
Do I have to follow the Ontario Curriculum?
No. It is free and useful as a reference, but home schooled children are not required to follow it or take EQAO tests.
How does a homeschooled child get the OSSD?
By earning credits through Ministry-inspected online or independent-learning courses; the Independent Learning Centre and private online schools offer them. Alternatively, apply to university with a homeschool transcript; most Ontario universities have a route for that.
Is there funding for homeschooling in Ontario?
No. Some boards allow homeschooled students to access resources, assessments or individual courses on request.
Informational, not legal advice. Rules and forms change; verify with Ontario Ministry of Education, Policy/Program Memorandum 131 before acting. Reviewed 2026-09-07.
Homeschool guides for other countries
Your Ontario homeschooling year, in one place
Plan lessons, make printables, and keep each child's completed work organised for the records you need to keep.
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