Homeschooling in Nova Scotia
What Nova Scotia actually asks of a family teaching their own children. Written plainly, and honest where the answer is that nobody asks for anything.
CanadaFiling requiredWho is in charge
Minister / Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Regional Education Services (2021 Brunswick Street, Halifax NS B3K 2Y5)
Who actually reviews your child
The Minister / Department. The Minister may authorise assessment instruments, which must be administered by an education entity at the same time and under the same conditions as for public school students. A qualified assessor (a teacher, certificate holder, or university education faculty member) may assess progress using standardized tests or a portfolio of work.
What you must file
Home Schooling Registration Form
On or before SEPTEMBER 20 of the school year; or before beginning the program if starting mid-year.
Goes to: Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Regional Education Services
Registration must state the prior grade level attained (if applicable), the program level of achievement, and identify the proposed home education program. A copy of the child's birth certificate must be included. The parent certifies familiarity with Education Act ss.83-84 and Regulations ss.31-34.
Annual progress report
At least once a year, in JUNE of the school academic year.
Goes to: Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Must accurately reflect the child's progress and be consistent with the type of program provided.
The words a reviewer uses
Nova Scotia curriculum outcomes framework
Outcome · Specific Curriculum Outcome · General Curriculum Outcome
The part the paperwork does not cover
Filing on time is the easy half. The harder half is the year in between: showing what your child actually learned, in words the reviewer recognises, without turning your home into a school.
That is what this tool is for. You say what your child did, in a sentence. It maps that to the published standards we hold for Nova Scotia, which today are English (288 of 288), Mathematics (491 of 496), Science (464 of 535), Social Studies (104 of 193) and Physical Education (95 of 95). Those figures count the topics we carry for ages 5 to 12 that cite one of Nova Scotia's published standards. Then it builds the record you can hand over the day someone asks. See how it works.
Other places in Canada
Read at the source on 2026-08-28: the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development's own home schooling Questions and Answers at ednet.ns.ca. Its words: 'Each school year, parents/guardians are required to fill out a Registration Form for Home Schooling', and 'The Registration Form for the school year must be received by September 20.' A report on each child's progress is sent in June. Both dates on this page are confirmed unchanged.
Check it yourself: the authority's own page.