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When searching for country property, one thing to keep in mind is the laws of the land.
 We have two boys and in planning to live in the country for their benefit also means selecting a location that is friendly to homeschooling. America is not the same as it was a century ago, and everyone knows that many of our freedoms are being taken away. There is good news in the area of homeschooling, there still are some places that adhere more or less to the freedoms that have made America great. This article seeks to share information that we have discovered about the differences in state laws regarding homeschooling.
My wife and I recently did some research on the internet to narrow down possible states that would allow us to raise our boys in the best way possible.
Below is a chart that we think might get you started in finding out the information that you need to make the best decisions.
How to Read the Chart
The "Rank" column is a total of each particular state's "unfriendliness" towards home schooling. The higher the number the more restrictive and invasive it is. The lower number, the more "friendly" and freedom supporting the state is.
The numbers don't tell the whole story however, for example, some states might appear to be friendly and have a low "Rank" number, yet they have some rules that are just unacceptable such as mandatory testing or home inspections.
We developed this chart based on our own research and for our own use and share it with you here, it reflects our own opinions, and we recommend that you research the laws of the state you are thinking of moving to yourself. Please do not copy our work, but you can create a link to this webpage. If there are other states you wish us to add to this chart please let us know.
Explanation of Columns:
Rank - A lower number is better.
Affidavit - Many states require you to file an intent to Home School Affidavitt yearly while others do not.
|
Rank |
Affidavitt |
|
Affidavit Yearly |
|
Tests |
|
Inspect. |
|
Parent Qual. |
|
Attendance or other Record Keeping |
|
Immunization Records |
|
Teaching Plan |
|
Beaucratic Paperwork |
| Arizona |
(1) |
1 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
| Idaho |
(0) |
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
| Alaska |
(0) |
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
| Utah |
(2) |
1 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
| Nevada |
(2) |
1 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
| California |
(4) |
1 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
| Oregon |
(2) |
1 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
| Washington |
(6) |
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
| Montana |
(5) |
1 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
0.5 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
| Colorado |
(6) |
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
| North Dakota |
(5) |
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
| South Dakota |
(4) |
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
| Nebraska |
(4) |
1 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
| Oklahoma |
(0) |
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
| Kansas |
(4) |
1 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
| New Mexico |
(4) |
1 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
| Wyoming |
(3) |
1 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
1 |
|
0 |
| Minnesota |
(6) |
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
