Making the decision to start homeschooling in Ontario is comparatively easy from the rest of the provinces in Canada, and around the world. Ontario has few regulations and requirements for homeschooling. We’ve broken down the process into 10 steps, with Steps 1-4 being the MOST important, and steps 5 thru 10 as optional, though recommended for best results.
Please contact us for direct support, if you have questions. You can view our answers to the most frequently asked questions here.
Before you withdraw or decide to register your school-aged child, consider what it means to homeschool. The OFTP defines homeschooling as “educational responsibility undertaken directly by parents and/or guardians, outside of formally-organized education institutions.” In other words, parents or guardians are the ones who provide for the education of their child(ren), without sending them to publicly-funded or private schools.
We recommend that before you start the process, take some time to consider what homeschooling is, and what the pros and cons are to your family.
Check out our recommended reading list and our online resources for further research.
When choosing to homeschool, it’s best to make a firm commitment. Homeschooling is a lifestyle, not just an educational alternative. So make the decision to homeschool and commit to at least 1 full year for best results.
It’s normal and natural to feel uncertain about homeschooling, and be tempted to want to “try it” for a season. But homeschooling really doesn’t work well on a “trial” basis, as the uncertainty will undermine you and your children’s efforts. Natural bumps in parenting will be blamed on homeschooling, and families are often tempted to give up too soon.
Check out our recommended reading list and our online resources for further research.
According to the Education Act, every child aged 6 – 18 must attend a public school. There are exceptions, notably Section 21(2) “A person is excused from attendance at school if,” (a) – “the person is receiving satisfactory instruction at home or elsewhere;”
Under 6 years old:
If your child is under 6 years old, you can choose to NOT register your child for kindergarten, and keep them home. Once you decide to homeschool, you do not have to register your child for school at any age.
6 years old and older:
Alternately, if your child is 6 years old or older, AND you have NEVER registered them for school, you can homeschool without doing anything. Simply do not register them with your local school board, and homeschool happily.
In the case that you have already registered them for school, you need to “formally” withdraw your child from school. For public schools, this entails a simple notification to the school, or school board, that you are withdrawing them. Children attending a private school should follow the private school’s withdrawal process.
You can withdraw your child by sending in a “formal” notice of withdrawal to the school board, with a copy to the school. There is no need to mention homeschooling in your notice of withdrawal. You can withdraw your child, just the same as if you were moving out of the region or province.
If you choose to, you can use the “Notice of Intent to Homeschool” form to withdraw your child from public school. Most public school boards offer variations of this form, and many of them ask for extra information that isn’t required. However, the OFTP has created a form for your use, with a minimal amount of information required. You can download it here. You send this form to your local school board and copy it to the school as a courtesy.
**Note** You do not have to provide a plan of education or a list of materials used. You do not have to meet with a guidance counsellor, principal, attendance counsellor or social worker. And you do not have to answer questions about why you choose to homeschool.
If you use the “Notice of Intent to Homeschool” form, you should receive a Letter of Acknowledgement from your school board.
This is the process of transitioning your family from formally-organized school to homeschooling. Because it is a significant change, the OFTP recommends allowing for several weeks of transition time before embarking on any homeschooling plan. The time needed to deschool depends on several factors, including how long your child was in school if they experienced any negative interactions or trauma (including bullying), and how much you as a parent know and understand about homeschooling. More time spent deschooling is better, in the long run, and will be more conducive to successful homeschooling.
Please read our resources on deschooling for more support here.
This step can be done while you are doing Step 4 and deschooling. In this step, you’ll learn more about how homeschooling works, and the various methods and resources you can use to start homeschooling your children. Consider questions like: how does my child like to explore topics of interest? How do they learn best? What kind of flexibility do we need as a family (ie. for travel, unconventional work schedules, family passions, etc)? Also, consider what kinds of goals you want for your child’s education and what the purpose is.
For more on homeschooling goals, methods, and resources, please click here.
This step can also be done while you are in Step 4 and deschooling. Please go to our Homeschooling Support Group page and find your local group(s). And please contact us if you need help finding local support.
Once you have learned more about homeschooling, and made decisions about what kind of homeschool you want and need, you can start obtaining homeschool materials. Please view our Homeschool Curriculum & Resources page for places and websites where you can purchase. Remember: not all homeschool resources are written or in book form. They can be in many forms, including videos, toys, and experiences.
Use the information you have learned about homeschooling and your resources to put together a plan for your homeschooling. This does not have to be elaborate or detailed. But having a general idea of what you will do to educate your child can help relieve any stress or uncertainty you may feel.
Please contact us if you need support in creating a plan.
Your homeschool plan can help you figure out what and how to record the results of your homeschooling. Again, this can be as simple or elaborate as you like. Whether you choose to create formal transcripts or scrapbook the fun learning experiences you share with your child, you’ll want to have some way to track how you homeschool — if only for the family memories! Grades and testing are not required.
Set up your resources and spaces, prepare your plans and records, and … go! You’re now ready to start homeschooling, whatever that looks like for you.