Homeschool benefits: West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan School District 197
West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan School District 197 reimburses registered homeschool families for eligible materials through Minnesota's nonpublic aid, which pays $138.43 per full-time student for 2026-27. File the Student Report for Aids with your homeschool report by October 1, then send a payment request with original receipts.
Who qualifies
Lives in District 197
Send the Full Report (new families) or the Letter of Intent to Continue (returning families) to the district office by October 1 each year.
Filed the Student Report for Aids
The state aid form is also due in the district office by October 1 each year.
Buys eligible materials
District 197 posts an Eligible Materials for Reimbursement list; check it, or ask the Enrollment Coordinator, before you buy.
Keeps original receipts
The district's payment request form asks you to attach original invoices, bills, receipts, or sales slips.
What it is worth
Minnesota's 2026-27 nonpublic aid rate for textbooks, standardized tests, and individualized instructional materials is $138.43 per full-time student.
- One full-time student
- $138.43
- Two full-time students
- $276.86
- Three full-time students
- $415.29
- Part-time kindergartner
- Half rate
District 197 still posts its 2025-26 reimbursement form and aid form, so ask the Enrollment Coordinator for the 2026-27 forms and the receipt deadline.
From filing to reimbursement
- By October 1, 2026
Send your forms
Mail the Full Report or Letter of Intent and the Student Report for Aids to Reina Ferguson, Enrollment Coordinator, 1897 Delaware Avenue, Mendota Heights, MN 55118.
- During the year
Buy eligible materials
Keep the original receipt or invoice for every item you plan to submit.
- Before the district deadline
Request payment
Fill out the homeschool reimbursement request form and attach your original receipts.
- Each year
File again
Your homeschool report and the Student Report for Aids are due by October 1 every year.
What it pays for
Covered
- Eligible textbooks and instructional materials
- Standardized tests
Not covered
- Purchases without original receipts
Nursing, counseling, and special education are separate services with their own eligibility and procedures, not part of the materials money.
Who to contact
Reina Ferguson, the Enrollment Coordinator, receives homeschool reports and aid forms and answers homeschool questions.
reina.ferguson@isd197.org 651-403-7030 Non-Public/Homeschool page
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Minnesota
You must file the initial report by October 1 of the first instructional year after the child turns seven, or after establishing a new resident district. You must file within 15 days of withdrawing a child seven or older from public school, or of moving out of a district. You must file annual continuation letters by October 1 for the required ages.
Minnesota sets these rules:
- Subjects: Teach reading, writing, literature, fine arts, math, science, history, geography, economics, government, citizenship, health, and PE. Instruction and materials are in English unless the statutory language-program exception applies.
- Testing: Annual nationally normed achievement test for ages 7–16, plus certain 16–17-year-olds first reported after age 16. Agree on the test, administration, and location with the superintendent. State-recognized accredited instruction is exempt.
- Records: Unless the accreditation exemption applies, keep schedules, materials, assessment methods, and proof of testing. Keep immunization or exemption records for five years after adulthood. File immunization statements by October 1 of the first homeschool year and grade 7.
- Teachers: A parent may teach without a degree if the assessment requirements are met. Other instructors need a qualifying license, licensed supervision, bachelor’s degree, or recognized accredited-school route.
Read the Minnesota homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Minnesota
Questions parents ask
- When are District 197 receipts due?
- The district's page does not list a receipt deadline. Ask Reina Ferguson at 651-403-7030 before you plan your purchases.
- What counts as an eligible material for District 197?
- Textbooks, individualized instructional materials, and standardized tests, under Minnesota's program. District 197 also posts an Eligible Materials for Reimbursement document on its homeschool page.
- Can my homeschooled child be evaluated for special education?
- Yes. District 197 must identify, evaluate, and offer a free appropriate public education to children with disabilities who live in the district. Contact Molly Engle in Special Programs at 651-403-7011 or molly.engle@isd197.org.
- Can I mail everything?
- Yes. The district asks you to mail homeschool forms to the Enrollment Coordinator at 1897 Delaware Avenue, Mendota Heights.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
TheHomeschoolingCompany offers one subject or a full curriculum. Check the program’s purchasing rules before using funds to pay for a plan.
$149/month per child after the trial.
Find benefits for your ZIP code