Home Instruction

ABOUT
Home schooling is supervised instruction provided by a parent or legal guardian in lieu of enrolling the child in a public or private school.

A parent or guardian who chooses to provide home instruction for his or her child is responsible for selecting and purchasing the curriculum and instructional materials to be used. Local school systems do not provide curriculum or materials for this purpose.

 Part 1 - How to Begin Home Instruction in Maryland Video 

Part 2 - Required Components of a Maryland Home Instruction Program Video

Part 3 - Home Schooling High School Aged Students Video

Pathway to a Maryland High School Diploma for Students Receiving Home Instruction Power Point

ARMY Presentation for Home Instruction Students

See specific school year section below for enrollment notification form.

How to enroll:

Complete all 3 sections of the Home School Notification Form.
Section I – Indicate the date home schooling will begin. Provide student and parent/guardian information.
Section II – Certify that you have read and understand the requirements in the Code of Maryland Home School Regulations COMAR 13A.10.01. Indicate if your child will be participating in standardized testing or not.
Section III- Select program type “A or ‘B” to indicate how your homeschooling program will be supervised:
Program Type A: Oversight by Carroll County Public Schools. Parents will maintain a portfolio of materials, which demonstrates that regular, thorough instruction is being provided, according to COMAR Regulations 13A.10.10.01C, .0-1D, and .01E. The portfolio will be reviewed by local school system personnel at least twice during the year, at a mutually agreeable time and place.
Program Type B: Supervision through Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Registered Non-Public School (Umbrella) Maryland State Department of Education Nonpublic Schools (marylandpublicschools.org)
Program is registered under the Non-Public Entities link above. The program you choose from the link above will provide verification of enrollment to the CCPS Home Instruction Office. CCPS will not conduct portfolio reviews for parents teaching under this option.
**If you are enrolling in an online school and they are not on the MSDE registered oversight list, then you will select “Program Type A” and CCPS will be your oversight
THIS FORM MUST BE SUBMITTED AT LEAST FIFTEEN (15) DAYS PRIOR TO BEGINNING YOUR HOME INSTRUCTION PROGRAM. Send completed form by mail to Student Services Department Carroll County Public Schools, Attn: Lisa Carver, 125 N. Court St., Westminster, MD 21157, by fax to 410-751-3695, or by email to LisaCarver@carrollk12.org

To enroll current kindergarten through 12th grade students in home school for the 2024-2025 school year:                                                                                                                                  
Complete all 3 sections of the Home School Notification Form.

2025-2026 School Year- Home School Enrollment Information  

Enrollment Notification forms for incoming kindergarten students will be available starting March 24, 2025.

Students enrolling in 1st through 12th grade: Enrollment Notification forms for students in grades 1-12 will be available starting June 1, 2025.

WHAT SUBJECTS ARE REQUIRED?

Home instruction programs in Maryland must provide regular, thorough instruction in the studies usually taught in the public schools to children of the same age including instruction in English, mathematics, science, social studies, art, music, health, and physical education.

Home instruction must take place on a regular basis during the school year and be of sufficient duration. Parents or guardians providing a home instruction program must maintain and present a portfolio of materials to be reviewed two times per year.

A parent or guardian who chooses to provide home instruction for his or her child is responsible for selecting and purchasing the curriculum and instructional materials to be used. Local school systems do not provide curriculum or materials for this purpose.

+ CCPS SCOPE AND SEQUENCE

+ MSDE CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK

+ MSDE HOME INSTRUCTION PAGE

+ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Carroll County Historical Society

Maryland Wildlife Series

Program content is geared for youth ages 8-18, (families may have siblings who are outside this age range & are welcome to bring them along as long as a parent stays to supervise them, and they understand that the content is not geared towards the littles). 

Maryland Wildlife Series flyer

Maryland Wildlife Series information

 Summary Review Form 

Spring Review Session 2025

Portfolio reviews will be held virtually via Microsoft TEAMS starting on 03/24/2025 through 05/23/2025.

Sign-Up Genius links will be available on this page from 8:00 AM on 03/10/2025 through 4:00 PM on 03/21/2025 to schedule reviews. Every student should have their own time slot, please do not double book time slots.  

Cancellations should be called in via telephone to 410-751-3120. Failure to schedule or missing a review may be considered as non-compliant under COMAR.

Spring 2025 portfolio review sign up links:

Tom Kirk 

Alison Larue 

Dolly Mersinger 

Don Mongold 

Jessie Pierson 

Lynn Smith 

Ann Tiboni 

*****    How To Join a meeting without a Teams account *****

You can join a Teams meeting anytime, from any device, whether you have a Teams account. If you don't have an account, follow these steps to join as a guest.

Note: Some meetings don't allow people to join as guests.

1.  Go to the meeting invite and select Join Microsoft Teams Meeting.
2.  That'll open a web page, where you'll see two choices: Download the Windows app or Join on the 
web instead. If you join on the web, you can use either Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome. Your browser may ask if it's okay for Teams to use your mic and camera. Be sure to allow it so you'll be seen and heard in your meeting.
3.  Enter your name and choose your audio and video settings. If the meeting room (or another device that's connected to the meeting) is nearby, choose Audio off to avoid disrupting. Select Phone audio if you want to listen to the meeting on your mobile phone.
4.  When you're ready, hit Join now.
5.  This will bring you into the meeting lobby. We'll notify the meeting organizer that you're there, and someone in the meeting can then admit you.

Notes:
•     If no one admits you to the meeting within 15 minutes, you'll be removed from the lobby. If that happens, you can try joining again.
•     Some features of Teams meetings aren't available to guests.

How to Join from a Mobile device

Even if you don't have a Teams account, you can still join a Teams meeting on the mobile app. 
Here's how:

1.   In the meeting invite, select Join Microsoft Teams Meeting.
2.   If you don't already have the Teams mobile app, you'll be taken to your app store to download it.

3.   Download the app and open it right from the app store page. Teams will ask if it's okay to use your mic. Be sure to allow it so others in the meeting will be able to hear you.
4.   Next, you'll be given two options for joining your meeting: Join as a guest or sign in and join. Choose Join as a guest.

How to Join from a MAC     

Download Microsoft Teams for macOS (easy instructions)

https://www.lifewire.com/install-and-set-up-microsoft-teams-for-mac-5071035
 

UNDERSTANDING THE PORTFOLIO REVIEW PROCESS

What is a Portfolio?

For the purpose of home schooling, a portfolio is an organized collection of student work and instructional plans for each subject area that demonstrates regular, thorough instruction.

Will I need a portfolio review?

All home instruction programs in Carroll County require two annual reviews by either Carroll County Public Schools or by an MSDE registered umbrella group.

What happens at the CCPS Portfolio Review?

The parent/guardian will present the portfolio in a meeting with a Home School Reviewer. Students are not required to attend the meeting but are encouraged to attend and participate in the portfolio review.

What is the purpose of the Portfolio Review?

The portfolio review is required by law to ensure that each child participating in a home instruction program is receiving regular, thorough instruction during the school year, in the studies usually taught in the public schools, to children of the same age. Keep in mind that the purpose of the review is not to judge the quality of the instruction, but to document evidence of compliance with COMAR 13A.10.01.01.01-.05.

Where and when are CCPS Portfolio Reviews held?

Reviews are held virtually. First semester reviews are held in November and December. Second semester reviews are held in April and May.

Who will review my portfolio?

Our portfolio reviewers are Tom Kirk, Rose Mattavi, Carol 
Richardson, Dolly Mersinger, and Lynn Smith. Emails are sent out mid-October and mid-March with a link to sign up for a portfolio review date/ time.
 

Portfolio Guidelines
Home instruction law 13A.10.01.01, 11 states that a parent or guardian who chooses to provide a home instruction program for his or her child shall maintain a portfolio of materials which demonstrates that the parent or guardian is providing regular, thorough  instruction during the 
school year in the areas of language age arts, math, social studies, science, art, music, health and 
physical education. It includes relevant materia.ls such as instructional materials, reading materials, and examples of the child's writing, worksheets, workbooks, creative materials and 
tests. The portfolio shall be viewed by the superintendent's designee at such times as are mutually agreeable to the designee and the parent or guardian."

Parents or guardians may elect to provide a transcript from an accredited or unaccredited online program or college in lieu of a portfolio.

Suggestions for compiling an effective portfolio:

•     Place daily work in a large box tabbed with the subjects. At the end of the month, have your child pick their best work and have them place it in the portfolio.

•     The portfolio will have writing samples, creative materials, photos, tests, book summaries, journals, workbook pages, and other materials that show the child's work. There would be 8 to 10 examples of the child's best work at the end of the school year.

•     This portfolio then can be shown to the superintendent's designee (home school monitor) and can be kept by the family for a record of that child's work for the year.
 

+ Tips for Creating a Portfolio Review

If schools are closed due to inclement weather, but Central Office is still open, your reviews will occur as scheduled. If schools are closed, including Central Office, your review will be cancelled and rescheduled. If you do not hear from us, please call Student Services the next working day to make a new appointment. 410-386-1822

+ Special Considerations for Home Schooling High School Aged Students Video

RETURNING TO HIGH SCHOOL 

Before registering at your districted high school, contact the Department of Curriculum and Instruction to schedule a credit review for any coursework you are seeking high school credit for (i.e. grades/transcripts from online coursework, and/or actual student coursework). Credit reviews are separate from portfolio reviews. Any coursework that receives high school credit will be awarded a P/F grade.

A maximum of eight credits per school year shall be awarded to a high school student returning from home instruction under CCPS oversight to a comprehensive high school.

Middle school students registered under CCPS oversight are eligible to request a portfolio review for the awarding of high school credit in Algebra I and Spanish I only.

Please contact the Department of Curriculum & Instruction to schedule your credit review: 410-751-3046.

For additional information, please review page 240 in the CCPS Student Services Manual which further outlines our procedures for home schooling students returning to school. StudentServicesManual.pdf

GED INFORMATION

Home instruction students may take the GED beginning at age 16.

You must be at least 16 years of age to register to take the GED® tests. If you are 16, 17, or 18 and are receiving or have completed home instruction:

You must provide verification of participation in home instruction by submitting a GED home instruction verification form to the Maryland GED® Office. Please complete the student contact information section of the form and contact the Home Instruction Office at 410-751-3120 to schedule an appointment for your form to be certified.  In most cases, the form can be completed and mailed to you. 

 DL-300.pdf (maryland.gov)

Maryland State Law requires all applicants for a learner’s permit, under the age of 16, to demonstrate acceptable school attendance in the prior school semester.

If under 16, additional proof of parental relationship or dependency is also required:

• ​Verification of identity and/or school attendance, form (#DL-300)​
  The completed attendance form must be presented to the MVA in a sealed, unopened envelope provided by the applicant's school or county home school coordinator, Maria Martin 410-386-1822 ,if home schooled.
  OR
• Verification of Identity and/or School Attendance by Parent or Guardian (DL-300A)
  This form must be co-signed by a parent or guardian and provided to the MVA with proof of parental relationship or dependency, such as a tax return or health insurance card/policy.​