We previously let you know that the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) had announced a review of the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR), including the regulations that provide the legal framework for homeschooling families in Maryland. This includes families under the portfolio review option and families under the church (or other house of worship) umbrella option. For background you can read the original notice that was published in the Maryland Register on May 16, 2025, here.
We are pleased to let you know that, working together with our friends at MACHE, HSLDA submitted public comments to MSDE in support of homeschool freedom. You can read the letter that we sent to MSDE here.
Maintaining vigilance
We are always on high alert when MSDE is considering the COMAR regulations regarding homeschooling. Thankfully, we have no indications that there will be any attempt to tighten the regulations to restrict homeschool freedom. We believe that this is a standard, eight-year review of all regulations, and it just so happens that they have reached the section regarding homeschooling. We are leaving nothing to chance, however, which is why we submitted public comments.
The next step is that MSDE will consider all comments received. At some point (likely later this year or even next year), MSDE will submit a report to the Maryland General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review. If MSDE makes any recommendations for changes to the COMAR regulations regarding homeschooling, we will see those recommendations at that time. And any proposed changes would have to go through a completely new notice and comment procedure, giving HSLDA and Maryland homeschooling families (as well as our friends in the General Assembly!) ample opportunity to weigh in.
Team effort
We thank those of you and our friends in allied organizations who also submitted public comments to MSDE. You can watch a recording of a webinar discussing these public comments I did with MACHE back in May here.
As a homeschool graduate and homeschooling dad, it is a privilege to stand with you and our friends at MACHE in defense of our homeschool freedom in Maryland. Together, we’re working to preserve homeschool freedom in the legislature, in regulations, in the media, and anywhere else it is threatened.