Homeschool reimbursement and benefits in South Dakota

No homeschool ESA or tax credit; South Dakota has no state income tax. Local programs can still help with specific costs and services.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

What public funding exists, and what it asks of you

In grades 11 and 12, your child can take college courses through the state subsidized high school dual credit program. State law sets that tuition at 43 percent of the regular undergraduate rate. You pay half, the state pays half, and the college may not add fees. A failing grade, or a withdrawal after the deadline, ends eligibility unless the student is reinstated. To enroll, you need an Alternative Instruction Notification (alternative instruction is the state's legal term for homeschooling) on file with the Department of Education and a signed Memorandum of Understanding.

Your resident school district must let your child take part in athletics, fine arts, and activities. Your child must follow the same training and eligibility rules as enrolled students, and you must give the school proof of age and a transcript of the last semester's coursework.

Districts must also lend textbooks without charge to children ages five through nineteen who are in alternative instruction.

Local help in South Dakota

The local programs we have checked across the state cover college and dual credit, transportation, and school services. Each local program sets its own rules for who qualifies. Search your ZIP code to see the ones that serve your address.

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The state's homeschool rules

You must file an alternative-instruction notification with the Department of Education or local district within 30 days of starting. Update it within 30 days of moving or returning to public or private school; no annual renewal is required.

• Subjects: Provide instruction in language arts and mathematics and ensure the child masters English.
• Testing: No routine annual homeschool standardized test or score submission is required. Public-school reentry may involve testing.
• Records: South Dakota does not require homeschool records.
• Teachers: No state teaching certificate is required. No alternative instructor may instruct more than 22 children.

Read the South Dakota homeschooling guide