The state says. •Teach on a regular basis during the school year.•Teach long enough to carry out your plan.•None of the home school rules sets a number of days or hours.•Your year does not have to match the public school calendar exactly.

You do. 1.Teach on a regular schedule you set.2.Put work from every part of the year in the portfolio.•It shows the teaching was regular.

The state says. •There are two ways.1.The local school system reviews your portfolio.2.An umbrella supervises you instead.•An umbrella is a private school or church school program on the state's list.•Either way, you file the same form with the local school system first.

You do. •Pick one way.•Mark it on the form.•For an umbrella, pick one from the state's list and enroll with it.

Where. Step 1 of Do the steps

The state says. •From age 5 until the 18th birthday.•At age 5, a parent or guardian may ask the local school system in writing to wait one year.•The reason must be that the child is not ready yet.

You do. •List each child you teach at home who is 5 or older and not yet 18.•Some school systems want one form for each child.

The state says. •Yes.•Fill out your local school system's home instruction form.•The state calls it the Home Instruction Notification Form.•Turn it in to the local school system at least 15 days before you start.•This is true on both ways, even with an umbrella.•After that, confirm each year before school starts that you are going on.

You do. 1.Get the form from your local school system's home instruction office.2.Sign it. Turn it in at least 15 days before you start.3.Each year before school starts, confirm you are going on.•On the local review way, tell the local school system.•With an umbrella, tell the umbrella. The umbrella tells the school system.4.If something changes during the year, tell that same office.

Where. Step 1 of Do the steps

The state says. •None of the home school rules asks for a teaching license.•They do not ask for a diploma or degree either.•A parent may hire a tutor or other teacher.•The parent still has to follow the rules.

You do. •Nothing to send.•Teach, or choose someone to help you teach.

The state says. Teach these eight:•English.•Math.•Science.•Social studies.•Art.•Music.•Health.•Physical education.•You choose the books and lessons.•The state and the school system do not hand you a curriculum.

You do. •Plan all eight each year.•The Academic Planner shows what colleges expect.

The state says. •No test is required.•On the local review way, the school system reviews your portfolio instead.•A portfolio is a folder of your child's work.•It is reviewed at the end of each semester, up to three times a year.•You may ask for your child to take the public school's standardized tests.

You do. 1.Keep the portfolio ready.2.Agree with the reviewer on a time and place.3.If the school system writes to you about a problem, show within 30 days that you are fixing it.

Where. Step 2 of Do the steps

The state says. •The home school rules do not mention shots.•None of them asks you to send a shot record.•The state's shot rule is for children admitted to a preschool or a school.•If your child joins one, the rule applies there.•Maryland has a medical and a religious exemption. An exemption is a paper that lets a child skip a shot.

You do. •Keep the shot record at home anyway.•If your child joins a school or preschool, step 2 shows what to bring.