My Learning Source Kentucky › Homeschooling in Kentucky › Kentucky Homeschool Options — Homeschool Law, Where Kentucky Stands on School Choice, Dual Credit, KEES and College Aid

Kentucky Homeschool Options — Homeschool Law, Where Kentucky Stands on School Choice, Dual Credit, KEES and College Aid

In Kentucky a homeschool is a private school (KRS 159.030). You give your homeschool a name, then send a letter to the superintendent of your local board of education within the first two weeks of the school year, or within two weeks of withdrawing your child from public school, listing each child's name and age and your home address. You send it again every year, and the district must accept it. You keep an attendance record and scholarship reports (courses and grades), open to inspection by the district's Director of Pupil Personnel and the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE). KDE may not prescribe curriculum, teacher certification or accreditation for homeschools, and it says there is no minimum school term for a non-certified homeschool, though it recommends 1,062 hours over 170 days. On school choice, Kentucky has no ESA, voucher or state tax-credit scholarship: the Kentucky Supreme Court struck down the 2021 Education Opportunity Account program in 2022, and voters rejected Amendment 2 in November 2024. In March 2026 the General Assembly overrode Governor Beshear's veto of HB 1, so Kentucky takes part in the federal scholarship tax credit starting in 2027.

Notice to the districtA homeschool is a private school (KRS 159.030). Send a letter of intent to the superintendent of your local board of education within the first two weeks of the school year, or within two weeks of withdrawing from public school, with each child's name and age and your home address (KRS 159.160; KDE packet, May 2026). Send it again every year. The district must accept it, and there is no approval, fee or business registration.
Records and school termKeep attendance and scholarship reports (KRS 159.040). KDE lets you keep attendance on paper or digitally, and says scholarship reports should list the courses completed and the grade given. Records are open to inspection by the district's Director of Pupil Personnel and KDE. KDE says there is no minimum school term for a non-certified homeschool but recommends 1,062 hours over at least 170 days. We found no state testing requirement.
Compulsory school ageKRS 159.010 sets attendance from age 6 to 16 and lets districts raise it to 18; once 55% of districts did, all districts had to. KDE's enrollment page says children must attend between the ages of 6 and 18. KDE's homeschool packet says to send your notice if your child is 6 by August 1.
School choice statusAs of October 2026, Kentucky has no ESA, voucher, state tax-credit scholarship or state education tax credit for K–12 families. The 2021 Education Opportunity Account program (HB 563) was struck down by the Kentucky Supreme Court on December 15, 2022. Voters rejected Amendment 2 on November 5, 2024 (64.8% no). On February 19, 2026 the Court also struck down the 2022 charter school funding law (HB 9). Kentucky has opted into the federal scholarship tax credit: the General Assembly overrode Governor Beshear's veto of HB 1 on March 16–17, 2026.
Federal scholarship tax credit (from 2027)Kentucky is on the IRS list of states taking part for 2027 (as of October 22, 2026). Starting January 1, 2027, an individual may claim a federal credit of up to
,700 ($3,400 if filing jointly) for cash gifts to a listed scholarship granting organization (SGO). The Secretary of State collects SGO declarations and must send Kentucky's list to the U.S. Treasury by January 1, 2027 (KRS 14.125). Sixteen organizations had filed declarations as of October 12, 2026.
Dual credit and college aidThe Dual Credit Scholarship covers Kentucky homeschool students in grades 11 and 12: one general education dual credit class for 2026–27, at up to $99 per credit hour, with a separate homeschool application (KHEAA). KEES: homeschool graduates earn an award based only on their highest ACT or SAT score, not on high school GPA. CAP grants and the Kentucky Tuition Grant are need-based and use the FAFSA.
Homeschool statusNo state program pays for homeschool costs, and KDE gives homeschool families no financial help. Homeschool students can't play KHSAA high school sports for a public school unless enrolled there full time. What homeschool families can use: the Dual Credit Scholarship, KEES ACT/SAT awards, district special education evaluations (child find), and possibly federal tax credit scholarships from 2027, depending on federal rules and each SGO.

Where Kentucky stands on school choice (October 2026)

What exists today: no state-funded private school choice program. Kentucky has no education savings account (ESA), no voucher, no state tax-credit scholarship and no state income tax credit or deduction for K–12 education costs that we could find. KDE says the state provides no financial assistance to families who homeschool. The one new piece is federal: Kentucky has opted into the federal scholarship tax credit that begins in 2027 (see below).

The Education Opportunity Account program (HB 563, 2021): the General Assembly created the Education Opportunity Account Program, a state tax credit of up to 95% of gifts to account-granting organizations, capped at

5 million a year for tax years 2021 through 2025 (KRS 141.500–141.528). Accounts were for students in households at or below 175% of the reduced-price school meal income limit, and could pay for tutoring, curriculum and instructional materials, online courses, therapies, dual credit, exam fees and services from a public school. Students in counties of 90,000 or more people could also use them for private school tuition. HB 563 passed the House 51–45 on March 11, 2021 and the Senate 21–15 on March 16, and the House concurred in the Senate version 48–47 the same day. Governor Beshear vetoed it on March 24, 2021, and both chambers overrode the veto on March 29, 2021 (House 51–42, Senate 23–14). It became 2021 Ky. Acts ch. 167.

The court ruling: on December 15, 2022, in Commonwealth ex rel. Cameron v. Johnson (2021-SC-0518-TG), the Kentucky Supreme Court held that the Education Opportunity Account Act violates Section 184 of the Kentucky Constitution, which bars raising or collecting money for education other than in common (public) schools without a vote of the people. The struck-down sections still appear in the KRS with a note recording the ruling. A 2026 bill to repeal them, HB 28, stayed in committee.

Constitutional Amendment 2 (2024): the General Assembly then proposed letting voters decide (HB 2, 2024; House 65–32, Senate 27–8; 2024 Ky. Acts ch. 8). The amendment would have added this to the Constitution: "The General Assembly may provide financial support for the education of students outside the system of common schools," notwithstanding Sections 59, 60, 171, 183, 184, 186 and 189. On November 5, 2024 it failed: 1,302,466 no (64.8%) to 707,819 yes (35.2%), according to the certified official results.

Charter schools: HB 9 (2022) provided for a public charter school project and how it would be funded. On February 19, 2026, in Commonwealth ex rel. Coleman v. Council for Better Education (2024-SC-0022-TG), the Kentucky Supreme Court unanimously held that HB 9 violates Sections 183, 184 and 186 of the Constitution, saying the Constitution "does not permit funneling public education funds outside the common public school system." Charter schools are public schools in any case, not a homeschool option.

The federal tax credit decision (HB 1, 2026): HB 1 elects for Kentucky to take part every year in the federal scholarship tax credit (Internal Revenue Code section 25F) and names the Secretary of State as the official who reports the election and submits the list of scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) to the U.S. Treasury by January 1 each year. It passed the House 79–17 on February 24, 2026 and the Senate 33–5 on February 27. Governor Beshear vetoed it on March 13, 2026. The House overrode the veto 77–14–1 on March 16 and the Senate 31–5 on March 17. It is 2026 Ky. Acts ch. 4, now KRS 14.125. A competing bill, HB 88, which would have given the job to the Auditor of Public Accounts, stayed in committee.

Where the federal credit stands: the IRS lists Kentucky among the states taking part for 2027 (as of October 22, 2026). Starting January 1, 2027, a donor may claim a federal credit of up to

,700 ($3,400 if filing jointly) for cash gifts to a listed SGO. The Secretary of State told a legislative commission on October 21, 2026 that HB 1 took effect July 15, 2026, that Kentucky filed its advance election with the IRS on July 22, 2026, and that 16 organizations had filed SGO declarations as of October 12, 2026. Under the proposed regulation 30 KAR 1:060, an SGO files a declaration with an IRS 501(c)(3) letter and a
5 fee, by a proposed annual deadline of November 30, and files an annual CPA audit. The regulation was still in the comment and review process; the Secretary of State expected legislative review in December 2026. Federal rules, not Kentucky, set which students qualify (the Secretary of State's summary of the proposed federal rules: household income up to 300% of area median income) and which expenses scholarships may pay (those in IRC 530(b)(3)(A)).

What it means for homeschool families: today, no Kentucky program pays for homeschool costs, and none of the failed or struck-down programs is coming back without a new law that passes the constitutional limits the Court described. The federal credit works through SGOs, not through families: it does not give you an account or a refund. Whether an SGO will offer scholarships that cover homeschool costs depends on the federal rules (proposed October 1, 2026) and on each SGO, and that isn't settled. Ask an SGO directly before counting on it.

What's next: the Secretary of State must send Kentucky's first SGO list to the U.S. Treasury by January 1, 2027. We found no official source on school choice bills for the 2027 session and make no prediction. We'll update this section when bills are filed.

Homeschooling in Kentucky: the basics

Records, diplomas and going back to public school

Records worth keeping: the law requires attendance and scholarship reports. KDE recommends detailed scholarship records, such as yearly portfolios of work samples, independent assessment results and reports from online learning platforms. These are not required, but they help if your child moves to another private school, a public school, or college.

Diplomas: Kentucky has no statewide diploma; each school, including a homeschool, issues its own. KDE says it can't verify homeschool diplomas for colleges or employers, so it suggests students consider the GED or an equivalent exam. Check each college's homeschool admission rules early.

Going back to public school: each district sets its own enrollment process. Under 704 KAR 3:307, as KDE quotes it, the district places a student coming from a nonaccredited secondary school in the class or grade best suited to the student. Credit earned in the homeschool is awarded in one of two ways: passing an exam like the one other students take for that course, or earning at least a C by the 12th week in the next course of a sequence such as English, math, history or science.

College aid applications: homeschool graduates can file the FAFSA; KDE points families to the federal Federal Student Aid website for federal aid rules.

Sports, activities and part-time classes

KHSAA high school sports: to play for a KHSAA member school, a student must be enrolled full time at that high school (or a feeder school in the same district) and be attempting four hours of credit toward graduation. The KHSAA's 2025–26 handbook says homeschool students who don't meet this aren't connected to the school and can't play (Case BL-4-8).

Homeschool teams can play KHSAA schools: since HB 290 (2018), member schools may choose to compete against Kentucky homeschool teams and individual homeschool students in the regular season. Homeschool groups and students must be on the KHSAA's approved list (form GE86). It covers regular-season competition only.

Bills that didn't pass: in 2025 a House floor amendment to SB 120 would have let at-home private school students play interscholastic sports at the public school they'd be assigned to; it was defeated on March 14, 2025, and SB 120 passed without it. HB 875 (2026), a similar bill for nonpublic school students, stayed in committee.

Other activities: KDE says homeschool participation in district-sponsored extracurricular activities is decided by each local school district. Ask your district.

Part-time public school classes: Kentucky has no law giving homeschool students a right to enroll part time. Bills to allow part-time enrollment (SB 210, 2024; HB 440, 2025) didn't pass. Ask your district whether it allows it.

Returning midyear: KHSAA places a student coming from a homeschool into a class under the district's procedures, and from then on the student has one year of eligibility per remaining grade (Case BL-3-3).

Dual credit for homeschool students

Dual Credit Scholarship (KHEAA): open to Kentucky residents in grades 11 or 12 in a Kentucky public or private high school or a Kentucky home school who are enrolled, or approved to enroll, in an approved dual credit class at a participating Kentucky college or university. Students must complete a 30-minute college success counseling session each year. For 2026–27 it covers one general education dual credit class, equal to the college's dual credit tuition and not more than $99 per credit hour. Developmental, remedial, repeated or audited classes don't count. Awards are first come, first served, with 12th graders given top priority.

How homeschoolers apply: public and private school students are reported to KHEAA by their high school, but homeschool and non-certified school students mail KHEAA a printed copy of the 2026–2027 Dual Credit Scholarship Application for homeschool and non-certified school students. Deadlines for 2026–27: October 1, 2026 for fall and March 1, 2027 for spring. The same homeschool application also lets students in grades 9–12 request up to two career and technical education (CTE) dual credit classes.

Price cap at participating colleges: participating colleges agree to charge no more than half the KCTCS hourly tuition rate ($99 per credit hour for 2026–27) for all dual credit classes taken by Kentucky high school and home school students, whether or not they have a scholarship, and to charge no added fees such as lab, equipment or application fees. The scholarship covers tuition only, not textbooks.

Admission: each college decides whether to admit a homeschool student and what placement tests it requires. Ask the college's dual credit office.

For vendors: taking part

Kentucky homeschool families pay you directly, and there's no state approval for selling to them. Kentucky has no ESA or homeschool funding program, so there's no state vendor list or marketplace.

Watch the federal scholarship tax credit. From January 1, 2027, donors can claim up to

,700 ($3,400 joint) for gifts to listed scholarship granting organizations, and Kentucky takes part (HB 1, 2026). What those scholarships may pay for, and whether any reach homeschool families or their vendors, depends on federal rules and each SGO. Kentucky's first SGO list is due to the U.S. Treasury by January 1, 2027.

What sells now: curriculum, tutoring and ACT/SAT prep (a homeschool graduate's KEES award depends only on the highest ACT or SAT score), dual credit support, driver education, therapies, STEM, arts, and classes that help families document a school year.

Listing on My Learning Source is separate from any state or scholarship program — you don't need one to have the other, and families find you here either way.

Other Kentucky programs: college aid, driver's licenses and special education

KEES (Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship, KHEAA): students at certified Kentucky high schools earn KEES for each year with a 2.75 GPA or better, plus bonuses. Students who graduate from a Kentucky homeschool or other non-certified school, or who earn a Kentucky GED between ages 18 and 23, earn KEES based only on their highest ACT or SAT score. On KHEAA's current chart (checked October 2026; KHEAA says amounts may change), that runs from $36 a year of college for an ACT of 15 (SAT 830–870) to $500 a year for an ACT of 28 or higher (SAT 1300–1600). KEES is renewed each year based on college GPA.

KEES bills for homeschool graduates: bills to let non-certified school graduates earn the GPA-based KEES base award using an equivalent GPA from test scores, AP exams or dual credit have not passed. SB 83 passed the Senate 37–0 on February 25, 2025 but stopped in the House. HB 298 (2026) was reported from committee and then recommitted on April 15, 2026. HB 249 (2025) and HB 275 (2026) stayed in committee.

Need-based grants (KHEAA): the College Access Program (CAP) grant helps Kentucky residents with financial need attend eligible colleges at least half time; the 2026–27 maximum is

,500 at a two-year school and $5,300 at a four-year school. The Kentucky Tuition Grant helps residents with need attend eligible private Kentucky colleges full time; the 2026–27 maximum is $3,300. Both use the FAFSA and are first come, first served by FAFSA date. KHEAA's eligibility lists for these grants name no high school type.

Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship (KHEAA): for Kentuckians without an associate degree in approved certificate, diploma or AAS programs in high-demand fields (for 2026–27: construction, education, healthcare, manufacturing and logistics, and professional, scientific and technical services). Applicants must be a high school graduate or be enrolled in or have completed a GED program, and file the FAFSA and the 2026–27 WRKS application.

Driver's licenses (Kentucky Transportation Cabinet): you can apply for an instruction permit at 15 (KRS 186.450). Hold it at least 180 days and be at least 16 to apply for an intermediate license, with at least 60 hours of supervised practice, 10 of them at night. A full license comes at 17 after holding the intermediate license 180 days. Drivers under 18 must complete an approved Graduated Driver Licensing Program course.

No Pass/No Drive: a 15-, 16- or 17-year-old applying for a first permit must bring a School Compliance Verification Form. Under KRS 159.051 a student who is being schooled at home is considered enrolled in school, and KDE says the law applies to homeschool students. A student with nine or more unexcused absences in a semester counts as a dropout, and one who hasn't passed at least four courses (or the equivalent) in the preceding semester is academically deficient; either can lose the permit or license. The Transportation Cabinet says homeschool students get the form from their district of residence after the homeschool is registered with the local board of education, and that home schools don't need an embossed seal on it.

Special education: for Kentucky's special education rules, a home school is a private school conducted mainly in one's residence (707 KAR 1:002). Your district must locate, identify and evaluate private school children with disabilities, as it does for public school children (child find, 707 KAR 1:370). Districts spend a proportionate share of federal IDEA money on parentally placed private school children and decide, after consultation, what services to offer through a services plan. There's no individual right to the services a public school student would get. Ask your district in writing for an evaluation.

Taxes: we found no Kentucky income tax credit or deduction for homeschool expenses.

Official sources

My Learning Source is an independent marketplace. We are not affiliated with the Kentucky Department of Education, the Kentucky Board of Education, the Kentucky General Assembly, the Office of the Governor, the Kentucky Secretary of State, the Kentucky Department of Revenue, KHEAA, KHSAA, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, any scholarship granting organization, any college or university, or any Kentucky school district, and a listing here does not mean a vendor is approved by, or paid through, any state or scholarship program. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.

As of October 2026.

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