Homeschool laws in Montana (2026)
A plain-English overview of what Montana requires of homeschool families — plus the automatic tracking Rosie’sHQ handles so you never have to build a portfolio the night before an evaluation.
Montana at a glance
Verified statuteWhat the law says: MCA § 20-5-109: Kindergarten 360 hrs; grades 1-3: 720 hrs; grades 4-12: 1,080 hrs.
Source: leg.mt.gov
Required subjects
Montana law names the following subjects as required parts of your homeschool curriculum:
- Mathematics
- Reading / Literature
- Writing / Spelling
- US History / Civics
- Science
- Health / Physical Education
How Rosie’sHQ helps Montana families
- Daily attendance in one tapLog a school day in a single tap and Rosie'sHQ keeps a running attendance record for Montana — even if the state doesn’t set a fixed day count.
- Automatic hour talliesEvery lesson you log rolls up into per-subject and per-year hour totals — no spreadsheet required.
- One-click portfolio PDFTurn your logged lessons, assessments, and worksheets into an audit-ready portfolio PDF the moment an evaluator asks.
- Notice of Intent generatorGenerate a Montana-specific Notice of Intent PDF pre-filled with your child’s information — ready to sign and mail.
Recommended homeschool checklist for Montana
Everything a Montana homeschool family should do across a typical school year, grouped so you can tick items off as you go. Every step is tailored to Montana’s actual rules — low-regulation states get a shorter list; states with mandatory portfolios or standardized tests get the full sequence.
1Before the school year begins in Montana
- File your Montana Notice of Intent (or equivalent)
Complete the Montana-specific homeschool notification form before instruction starts. Rosie’sHQ generates a pre-filled, print-ready PDF that names each child, their grade level, and the required subjects.
- Line up curriculum for every required subject in Montana
Montana law names 6 subjects that must appear in your homeschool: Mathematics, Reading / Literature, Writing / Spelling, US History / Civics, Science, Health / Physical Education. Pick a curriculum, workbook, or living-books plan for each one, then create the subject in Rosie’sHQ so daily lessons automatically roll up under the mandated category.
- Set your target hours and days in Rosie’sHQ
Under Montana rules, elementary students need at least 720 instructional hours per year (1,080 for secondary grades). Open Settings, set Montana as your state, and the compliance dashboard will show a live progress bar toward that target every time you log a lesson.
2Every school day
- Log attendance in one tap
Use Rosie’sHQ’s Quick-Log to mark the school day “present” in a single tap. The system will roll it into your Montana year-to-date attendance count.
- Record each subject you teach today
For every subject you cover, log the minutes spent. Rosie’sHQ tallies them against the 720-hour Montana target automatically — no spreadsheet required. Attach worksheet photos, PDFs, or audio recordings straight from the log so evaluators can see the work later.
3Every month or quarter
- Review your Montana compliance dashboard
Open the Compliance tab and confirm you are on pace for the 720-hour Montana target. The dashboard flags any required subject that has zero logged minutes so nothing slips through the cracks.
4At the end of the school year
- Generate the year-end PDF the state expects
Even if Montana does not mandate a formal portfolio, exporting your year-end PDF is smart insurance. Rosie’sHQ produces a cover page, hour tally, and log index in one click so you always have proof of instruction on file.
- Keep records for the state-recommended retention period
Store the year-end PDF plus any raw logs for at least 2 years after graduation. Montana districts and colleges occasionally request historical records; Rosie’sHQ preserves your archive so you never have to reconstruct a year from memory.
Frequently asked questions
How many days and hours must Montana homeschoolers log per year?+
Montana law currently requires 720 hours (elementary) and 1080 hours (secondary). MCA § 20-5-109: Kindergarten 360 hrs; grades 1-3: 720 hrs; grades 4-12: 1,080 hrs. Rosie'sHQ tracks your daily attendance and lesson hours automatically and warns you if you’re falling behind.
What subjects must be taught to Montana homeschoolers?+
Montana law names the following subjects: Mathematics, Reading / Literature, Writing / Spelling, US History / Civics, Science, Health / Physical Education. Rosie'sHQ maps every subject you set up to the state’s required list and flags gaps on your compliance dashboard.
How does Rosie'sHQ help Montana homeschool families stay compliant?+
Rosie'sHQ logs daily attendance, tallies instructional hours by subject, generates a Notice of Intent, produces a year-end portfolio PDF, and stores every worksheet or assessment your child completes so an evaluator or state official can be answered in minutes rather than hours.