Can I homeschool a friend’s child?

Can I homeschool a friend's child?

Hi Carol,

I would really like to homeschool my 3 children next year and would also like to pick up my daughter’s best friend as well. She and her mother have expressed an interest in having me homeschool her. I live in Maryland and am having a hard time finding info on whether or not I can do that and how to go about it. Do you have any info on that kind of thing? From what I understand, I would have to start up a small business. My question is would I have to be a licensed childcare provider? She is 9 years old, and her brother is 4 and I was considering schooling him also.

Thanks ahead of time for any help you can give me!
Karen

I’m not an attorney nor familiar with MD homeschool laws, so you’ll have to do some homework on whether it is legal to homeschool other people’s children.

Some states allow it; others apply restrictions. Many states do not address it at all!

Start with this helpful diagram from Homeschool Legal Advantage: https://homeschoollegaladvantage.com/statelaws/Maryland_Revised_09.pdf

and this explanation from HSLDA: https://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Maryland.pdf

You could also contact the Maryland Home education Association at https://www.mhea.com/askmhea.htm

Then at the A to Z Home’’s Cool website (https://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/laws/blMD.htm) I found this comment on using tutors and ‘alternative resources’ from the President of the Homeschool Association of Harford & Surrounding Areas

On the issue of tutoring and how much or use of alternative resource a homeschoolers uses, this is a huge NON issue. As long as the parents are overseeing the homeschooling program there is no issue or fear of using educational services.

I hope that’s a start!

P.S. For those of you outside of MD, You’ll have to do some homework for the homeschooling laws in your state. The links I share are a good place to start!

Carol Topp, CPA

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