Compulsory Attendance

Your child’s age is your first indicator of his or her eligibility for beginning school. Students may start kindergarten if they turn five on or before September 1st. A child does not have to enroll in school at age five, but must be enrolled in 1st grade if he or she is seven on or before December 31.  see more >

Required Documentation

Maine school districts set the requirements for what documentation is required prior to enrolling a student in their district. To get that information, contact the district directly.  

Some legal documents are required for Maine students to attend school:

• Certified Birth Certificate/proof of identity
• Official copy of records/transcripts from the previous school the child most recently attended
• A shot immunization record (or proof that immunization is not required for the child)
• Click here to view the immunization requirements 
• Proof of home address (for example, a rental agreement or tax statement)

What are Charter Schools?

Charter Schools are tuition-free public schools operated by independent, non-profit governing bodies.

Parents, teachers, and community leaders sign a “charter” or contract with a school district or state agency to create a charter school and give students more educational options than their assigned school. Charter schools have flexibility over classroom hours, curriculum, and employment policies, but are subject to periodic reviews based on student performance. In Maine, public charter school students are measured against the same academic standards as students in other public schools. Local boards of education monitor the academic and financial performance of charter schools, and, can revoke  or refuse to renew a school’s charter.

Maine Charter Schools

A list of Maine Charter Schools can be found at the Charter Schools Directory.

What makes a school “private”?

Private schools charge tuition, and many have a religious mission. Some private schools offer families assistance to make tuition payments. Click below for the complete list of over 160 private schools across the state.

Private School Review offers free, detailed information on U.S. private schools combined with useful community data (e.g., housing costs) and maps of the surrounding areas.

*Information on non-public school admission requirements should be obtained from the school directly.

George Washington University Online High School is an online college preparatory academy for motivated students who are willing to be challenged to become the best students and persons they can be. Combining award-winning curriculum with small class sizes and intensive college counseling, students receive a flexible, individualized education attuned to their own needs and goals.

International Academy is a K12, Inc accredited, online private school for grades K–12. Students earn a U.S. high school diploma while using award-winning K¹² curriculum

They offer extensive, individualized academic and counseling support keep students on track. The flexibility allows students to explore their passions. Full-time and part-time options are available.

Your options

In Maine, parents have the option to educate their children at home, an option known as homeschooling or home education. Parents in Maine may choose to homeschool their own children in grades K – 12. There are two options under which you can legally homeschool: home instruction and private school. Further information on homeschooling under these options is listed below:

Maine’s Home Instruction

1. File a one-time notice. You must send a one-time written notice to your local school superintendent and to the state commissioner of education. To see what must be included in the letter visit the Homeschool Legal Defense Alliance.
2. Send an annual letter. Each year after, you must submit a letter to the local superintendent by September 1st containing your student’s year-end assessment and a statement stating that you are going to continue your student’s education at home.
3. Teach the required subjects. The subjects must include: English and language arts, math, science, social studies, physical and health education, library skills, fine arts, Maine studies (in one grade between grades 6 and 12), and computer proficiency (in one grade between grades 7 and 12).
4. Submit a year-end assessment. There are three ways to satisfy this requirement: Submit the official results of a national standardized achievement test; submit the results of a test developed by local school officials (homeschoolers do not commonly use this type of assessment); submit a letter stating that your child’s progress has been reviewed and is acceptable. Keep a copy of your student’s assessment.

College Credit

Dual enrollment is defined as the opportunity to earn college credit for a high school course with an approved course syllabus meeting college course standards and a teacher approved as a college adjunct instructor. By adding the dual enrollment option to eligible AP4ALL courses, high school juniors and seniors can choose to earn credit by passing the final AP exam and receiving a grade for the course from UMFK, becoming part of an official college transcript.