Legal Aspects
Compulsory School Attendance
Article 14 of the Education Act states that:
“14. Every child resident in Québec shall attend school from the first day of the school calendar in the school year following that in which he attains 6 years of age until the last day of the school calendar in the school year in which he attains 16 years of age or at the end of which he obtains a diploma awarded by the Minister, whichever occurs first.”
Start of Compulsory Education
It depends on the age of the child before July 1st.
| 5 years old before July 1st | No compulsory education. Kindergarten isn’t mandatory. |
| 6 years old before July 1st | Start of formal education at the end of the summer. |
*Note that when returning to school, homeschooled children are usually placed in the school year that corresponds to the child’s age on September 30th.
End of Compulsory Education
It ends at the end of the school year (June 30th) during which the child reaches the age of 16.
| 15 years old before July 1st | Obligation until the end of the school year, unless you have already received a graduation diploma. |
| 16 years old before July 1st | No longer has an obligation to compulsory education. |
Your Rights
Article 599 of the civil code of Quebec stipulates:
“599. The father and mother have the rights and duties of custody, supervision and education of their children.”
601. The person having parental authority may delegate the custody, supervision or education of the child.
As of July 1st 2018
The homeschooling article 15 (40) of the Quebec Education Act is as follows:
“15. The following students are exempt from compulsory school attendance:
…
(4) a student who receives appropriate homeschooling, provided
(a) a written notice to that effect is sent by his parents to the Minister and to the school board that has jurisdiction;
(b) a learning project to impart knowledge to the student, foster his social development and give him qualifications, by the development of basic skills, including literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills, and by the learning of French, is submitted to the Minister and implemented by his parents;
(c) the Minister monitors the homeschooling; and
(d) any other conditions or procedures determined by government regulation are complied with, including conditions or procedures relating to the characteristics of the learning project, the annual evaluation of the child’s progress, and the process applicable in the event of problems related to the learning project or its implementation.”
Parents' Responsibilities
Homeschooling is a right in Quebec and in Canada. By law, you have the right to start homeschooling at any time during the year.
You do not have to wait for “permission” or “acceptance” of your decision by the school board or the school as they can’t deny you your parental choice to educate your own children.
Parents are responsible for providing appropriate education, and must follow the above legislation and homeschooling regulation.
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Language of Instruction
Language of InstructionHomeschooling is Not Subject to Bill 101
You can choose which of these two languages is first and second, you don’t need to be eligible for English-language education to choose English as the language of instruction.
The other subjects can be taught in the language of your choice, either French or English.
Homeschooling in English doesn’t in itself confer English eligibility; children who return to school will will have to register with a French school service center and attend French school unless they have English eligibility.
School Service Center Language and Services
Your child must be eligible for English-language education under Bill 101 in order to be registered and receive services at an English-language school school board.
If your child is eligible for English-language education, choose the school service center or school board based on the services you need and the language in which you wish to receive those services.
Ministry exams
If your child’s first language of instruction is English, but they are not eligible for English-language instruction, they can still take the mandatory Ministry exams in English. Find out more from the person in charge of your file at the Direction de l’enseignement à la maison.
See the Homeschooling in High School page for details on obtaining a high school diploma.
Homeschooling in Quebec over Time
Home-education has seen massive change in recent years. See below for articles to better understand the context and history of homeschooling in Quebec.
Requesting Services From Your School Board or Service Center
According to the regulation, you are entitled to receive certain services from the school service center or school board.
If you don’t want to obtain services, your only obligation to the school service center is to send a copy of your Written Notice of Homeschooling. You can then choose not to have any other interaction with them.
If you do wish to obtain services, you will need to register with the school service center or school board. When you register, the service center or board receives a government allowance ($1,046 for the years 2018 to 2021) to provide services for homeschooled children.
If you are having difficulty obtaining services from your school service center, communicate with your resource person from the DEM.
Available Services
These services are offered only at the request of the parents and according to conditions determined by the school service center.
Textbooks
Free; must be material used in a school of the school services center.
This does not include consumable material. School service centers and school boards are not required to give out workbooks, for example.
The material must be related to a subject covered in the learning project.
The learning project must be provided to the school service center or board. Additional documentation may be requested, depending on the terms and conditions chosen by the school service center or school board.
Teaching Material*
* Based on the Ministry’s Direction des ressources didactiques, a teaching package is made up of a set of tools, including a printed student manual and a printed or digital teaching guide. It may also include other digital elements. The textbook and guide cover an entire given subject or several subjects in the case of interdisciplinary works.
The teacher’s guide generally includes the answer sheets for textbooks or workbooks, general and specific plans and reproducible documents such as additional activities, assessments and evaluation grids. Digital teaching guides also include a range of interactive activities.
Free; subject to availability
This does not include consumable material. School service centers and school boards are not required to give out workbooks, for example.
The material must be related to a subject covered in the learning project.
The learning project must be provided to the school service center or board. Additional documentation may be requested, depending on the terms and conditions chosen by the school service center or school board.
Supplementary Support Services
-Free; subject to availability.
-Meant to address specific needs of a child.
-The learning project must be provided to the school service center or school board.
Note: According to the DEM, the processing of a parent’s request for services is not dependent on the review of their child’s learning project by the school service center or school board. The DEM is solely responsible for reviewing learning projects of homeschooled families. Access to resources, supplementary services or school facilities is independent of the conclusions of this review.
When a request for services is granted, school service centers or school boards can withdraw adapted material or technological aid only following a rigorous re-evaluation that concludes that there is an inequity between the material and the needs of the child.
Examples of Services :
- Consultation with a librarian in a school library,
- Educational information and guidance,
- Access to professionals in: psychology, psychoeducation, special education, orthopedagogy and speech therapy.
Access to Facilities (and the Materials and Equipment Related to Their Use) in at Least One School
-Free; according to availability
Examples of facilities :
Library
Science laboratory
Computer laboratory
Auditorium and art room
Sports and recreational facilities
Examinations (By the School Service Center or By the Ministry) and Related Preparatory Activities
-Free