Homeschool laws in South Carolina (2026)
A plain-English overview of what South Carolina requires of homeschool families — plus the automatic tracking Rosie’sHQ handles so you never have to build a portfolio the night before an evaluation.
South Carolina at a glance
Verified statuteWhat the law says: S.C. Code § 59-65-40 requires 180 days at 4.5 hrs/day of instruction.
Source: scstatehouse.gov
Required subjects
South Carolina law names the following subjects as required parts of your homeschool curriculum:
- Reading
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Studies
How Rosie’sHQ helps South Carolina families
- Daily attendance in one tapLog a school day in a single tap and Rosie'sHQ counts it against South Carolina’s 180-day mandate for you.
- 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 South Carolina-specific Notice of Intent PDF pre-filled with your child’s information — ready to sign and mail.
Recommended homeschool checklist for South Carolina
Everything a South Carolina homeschool family should do across a typical school year, grouped so you can tick items off as you go. Every step is tailored to South Carolina’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 South Carolina
- File your South Carolina Notice of Intent (or equivalent)
Complete the South Carolina-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 South Carolina
South Carolina law names 5 subjects that must appear in your homeschool: Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. 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 South Carolina rules, elementary students need at least 810 instructional hours per year. Open Settings, set South Carolina 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 South Carolina year-to-date attendance count and warn you if you’re falling behind the 180-day mandate.
- Record each subject you teach today
For every subject you cover, log the minutes spent. Rosie’sHQ tallies them against the 810-hour South Carolina 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 South Carolina compliance dashboard
Open the Compliance tab and confirm you are on pace for the 810-hour South Carolina target. The dashboard flags any required subject that has zero logged minutes so nothing slips through the cracks.
- Keep the portfolio building automatically
South Carolina requires an annual portfolio review. Rather than scrambling in June, let Rosie’sHQ build it month by month: every worksheet, photo, and log you attach today lands in the South Carolina year-end portfolio PDF automatically. Preview it any time from the Compliance tab.
4At the end of the school year
- Generate the year-end PDF the state expects
South Carolina requires a portfolio review. Click “Export Portfolio” in Rosie’sHQ and you get a single, professionally formatted PDF containing the cover page, statute reference, per-subject hours, log index, and worksheet appendix — ready to hand to any South Carolina evaluator.
- Keep records for the state-recommended retention period
Store the year-end PDF plus any raw logs for at least 3 years after graduation. South Carolina 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 South Carolina homeschoolers log per year?+
South Carolina law currently requires 180 instructional days per year and 810 hours (elementary). S.C. Code § 59-65-40 requires 180 days at 4.5 hrs/day of instruction. Rosie'sHQ tracks your daily attendance and lesson hours automatically and warns you if you’re falling behind.
What subjects must be taught to South Carolina homeschoolers?+
South Carolina law names the following subjects: Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. Rosie'sHQ maps every subject you set up to the state’s required list and flags gaps on your compliance dashboard.
Do South Carolina homeschoolers need to submit a portfolio or test scores?+
South Carolina requires an annual portfolio of the student’s work. Rosie'sHQ builds an audit-ready portfolio PDF from your logged lessons and assessments in one click.
How does Rosie'sHQ help South Carolina 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.