Qualifications

No state absolutely requires a bachelor's degree to homeschool. Most states (40 of 50) have no educational requirements for parents, though a few include degree options within their qualification frameworks.

No U.S. state requires parents to be certified teachers to homeschool their children. This is a common misconception. Only 10 states require parents to have a high school diploma or GED, and 40 states impose no educational qualifications on homeschooling parents whatsoever.

The GED (General Educational Development) is a high school equivalency credential earned through standardized testing. Most homeschoolers don't need it—a parent-issued diploma carries equal or greater weight.

Homeschool high school diploma requirements vary by state but typically include 20-24 credits across core subjects. In most states, parents can legally issue their own diplomas—accreditation is not required for college acceptance, though transcripts documenting coursework are essential.

Most states have no parent qualification requirements to homeschool. Only 11 states require parents to have a high school diploma or GED, and no state requires a teaching degree or college education.

A qualified tutor in the homeschool context is an individual who provides private instruction as a legal alternative to public school or traditional homeschooling. Several states offer a "private tutor" option that may require teacher certification but often involves fewer requirements than standard homeschool statutes.

Supervised instruction is a homeschool compliance model where parents provide education under the oversight of a qualified professional or institution, who monitors progress and evaluates academic achievement.

No state requires parents to hold a professional teaching certificate to homeschool their children. While 14 states require some parental qualifications, these are typically a high school diploma or GED—not teaching credentials.