Overview | AQED

You can start homeschooling whenever you want. You do not have to wait for permission to do so.

For more information, visit the page Legal aspects: what you should know.

You can also consult the homeschooling regulation.

Procedures to follow

Étape	Date butoir	Destinataire
Written notice	July 1st or within 10 days of making the decision if made after July 1st	DEM School service centre
Learning project (LP)	September 30th or within 30 days after removing your child from school	DEM School service center only if you ask for services
Status report Mid-term report	Between the 3rd and 5th month following the implementation of the LP	DEM
Monitoring meeting	During the school year (the DEM will contact you)	DEM
Completion report	June 15th	DEM
Evaluation	Portfolio submitted to the Minister : June 15 Private school : July 10 Holder of a teaching licence : July 10 SSC or SB : July 10 Compulsory examinations for Elementary 4 and 6, Secondary 2 : July 10 Uniform examinations for Secondary 4 and 5 : July 15	A demonstration of completion of achievement of the method(s) of evaluation for each mandatory subject in the learning project must be sent to DEM. For compulsory exams, grades do not need to be submitted. They can be hidden.

Ministry follow-up

The Ministère de l'Éducation et de l'Enseignement Supérieur (MEES) is responsible for ensuring the homeschooling follow-up, through the Direction de l’enseignement à la maison (DEM). This follow-up consists in:

Receiving and examining the documentation.
Ensuring that all requirements relating to its implementation as well as the evaluation of the child’s progression are met.
Supporting families by assisting parents that require it.
An advisory role, especially in regards to activities, educational resources and ministerial learning programs.

You will find their contact details as well as access to a secured space to upload your documents, and more information, including FAQ, on MEES’s website.

General recommendations

Documents and written communications

Write short documents and use simple language.

Keep a written copy of your communications.

You can seek inspiration from our examples and templates to write your documents.

Requests for more information

The regulation specifies that the DEM can ask you for more information if it determines that one of your documents is incomplete. The request will be made in writing. You will have 30 days to submit a new document.

Usually, your DEM resource person will call you to inform you of the missing information and will suggest some solutions. You may base your correction on these recommendations or propose other solutions. Some resource persons will give a shorter delay to answer a question or for a gap in the learning project (or any other document). Sometimes only a couple of days are given. Know that this delay is in addition to the 30 official days. Resource persons are giving you these days before sending an official notice of non-compliance.

You can make these changes before receiving the notice or take your time to inquire about your needs and rights, get the notice and then have 30 days to comply.

AQED members can contact us for support in the corrections to be made.

Meetings with the DEM

Have someone of your choosing accompany you, to support you should the need arise, the regulation gives you the right to do so. This person can help you so that the settings of the meeting are respected, if need be.

We suggest that you note the main conclusions of your meeting and send them to your resource person, to assure mutual understanding.

Language of communication with the DEM

Communication with the DEM is not subject to Bill 101. You may communicate with them in the language of your choice (subject to the availability of staff who speak the language).

Child's progress

We encourage families to report global progress on overall learning compared to the previous year.

The regulation dictates the parents’ responsibility: “a content to achieve the objectives included in the program of each subject must be taught to allow progress in learning equivalent to that applicable per cycle at school”.

You may thus respect the rhythm and needs of your child based on the grade level corresponding to their abilities, not their age.