Ontario has one of the most permissive homeschooling environments in Canada. Parents can legally withdraw their children from school and educate them at home with minimal government oversight. Here’s what that means in practice and how to get started.
The Legal Framework
Section 21(2)(a) of the Ontario Education Act states that children are exempt from compulsory attendance if “the child is receiving satisfactory instruction at home or elsewhere.” This is the legal basis for homeschooling in Ontario.
What this means practically:
- No approval required from the Ministry of Education or your local school board
- No standardized testing required
- No reporting requirements to the government
- Parents are responsible for determining what constitutes “satisfactory instruction”
The only required step: if your child is currently enrolled in a public school, notify the school principal in writing that you are withdrawing them to homeschool. Keep a copy of this letter.
Curriculum Options
Ontario homeschoolers have several approaches:
Structured/School-at-Home
Using a formal curriculum that mirrors or exceeds Ontario’s public school curriculum:
- Ontario Curriculum: The publicly available Ontario curriculum documents (curriculum.ontario.ca) are free and comprehensive — many homeschoolers use them as a guide
- Abeka / Sonlight / Oak Meadow: Popular commercial curricula used by Canadian homeschoolers
- Christian homeschool curricula: Many faith-based options available; you’re not required to use them, but they’re widely used
Eclectic Approach
Most Ontario homeschoolers mix and match resources — a formal math program, unit studies for history and science, reading widely, and supplementing with co-ops, online courses, and real-world experiences.
Unschooling
Child-led learning without a formal curriculum. Legal in Ontario. Based on the premise that children learn naturally when their curiosity is supported.
Practical Starting Points
- Ontario Home Educators’ Association (OHEA): ohea.on.ca — resources, legal information, and community connection
- Home Education Network (Ontario): homeednow.ca — forums, co-op directory, and support
- Khan Academy: Free, excellent math and science curriculum K-12
- Outschool.com: Live online classes on virtually any subject, taught by independent teachers
Re-Entering the School System
Children can re-enter Ontario public schools at any point. School boards will assess placement and may require evaluation. Secondary school credit courses can be taken through e-Learning Ontario or Independent Learning Centre (ILC) if your child wants to accumulate credits toward an OSSD diploma.
