Can Unschooling Really be Legal?

Yes, but legal requirements vary by state/country.

Legal Requirements

Asking if unschooling is legal is an important question for parents. You may be worried that taking your kids out of the traditional system will create a legal problem.

Or you may think that something as intuitive and freeing as unschooling must have legal restrictions.


The answer is that it is essential to know your local laws well.


Unschooling, as a form of homeschooling, is legal in all 50 states and all US territories. Therefore, from a legal standpoint, unschooling is simply a homeschooling method. However, that means you do need to know and follow your state’s homeschooling laws. 


Each state has regulations to govern home-educating families. For example, some states require testing or coverage of certain subjects while others don't.
Some states demand a lot of paperwork or assigned evaluators, but others do not. Many states require no contact at all. 


Learn about all the nuances of staying in compliance with the law.

International Unschooling 

If you live outside the US, you must check that country's laws. Unschooling is legal in various countries, including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, and more. Some nations allow homeschooling with heavy restrictions. For example, Austria requires home education to be equal to public standards.


Unfortunately, m
any countries have laws mandating public education. Greenland, Cuba, Guatemala, Germany, and Greece fall under this category. In some countries, the regulations may be in place, but enforcement varies.


Unschooling families sometimes use umbrella programs that allow them more freedom - as their children are enrolled in these unschooling-friendly programs.


Local Unschooling Legal Insights

Unschooling parents have learned to navigate legal requirements all over the world. However, the best way to learn the ins and outs of the laws in your area is to connect with other homeschoolers and unschoolers.

To help you find a group near you or online in your area, Sue has put together an extensive listing:

Find Local Groups.

Additionally, in the Unschooling Mom2Mom free Facebook group, there are threads to check out by country.


For a deeper dive and other resources:

More Explanation About the Laws

Want to talk it over?

Sometimes it helps to have a real person on the other end of the phone who has been there and can help you find the resources you need.



After being involved in the homeschooling/unschooling community for over 25 years - and living in multiple states - I have a lot of information to help you find what you need.



Schedule a Coaching Call
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