Required Subjects for Homeschooling: Province by Province Part 2
In this blog, EZ-Teach will continue reviewing what is expected of homeschoolers and the required subjects for homeschooling in different Canadian provinces and territories. If you haven’t read Part 1 yet, click here.
In this segment, you’ll find information about the expectations for Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Yukon.
Click on the links above to learn more or contact us!
This blog is the second part of our series on the expectations and required subjects for homeschooling in Canada. (Image Source: Anna Nekrashevich)
Required Subjects for Homeschooling
1. Nova Scotia
Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia (Image Source: Lori LaBo)
What to Expect
According to the Education Act of Nova Scotia, parents have the right to homeschool their children. Parents are to advise the Board of Education that they intend to homeschool and must complete a registration form each year. Click here for instructions on how to indicate your intention to homeschool or to register your child(ren).
Parents are also responsible for their child(ren)’s program of education and are to provide a report each June about the child(ren)’s progress.
Unfortunately, there is no funding from the government for homeschooling; however, the Education Act makes provision for students to attend courses at their local school if approved by the school board and if they register with the school and the Home Schooling Division before September 30.
It is also important to know that homeschoolers are not eligible to receive a graduation certificate. Remember though, homeschoolers who do not receive a diploma still have options for entrance to colleges and universities.
Required Subjects for Homeschooling
There are no required subjects for homeschoolers; however, we recommend you know what the curriculum expectations are. There are 3 programs of study available in the Nova Scotia Board of Education: English Programs, French Second Language, and French First Language.
Students in Grades 1-8 in Nova Scotia are expected to take the following subjects when they are enrolled in the English Program:
English Language Arts
Health Education
Mathematics
Music
Physical Education
Science
Social Studies
Visual Arts
Other courses are introduced at various grade levels, including:
Gaelic
Core French
Mi'kmaw Language
Band Instruments
Technology Education
Textile Arts and Design
Food and Nutrition
2. Nunavut
Flag of Nunavut (Image Source: Clker-Free-Vector-Images)
What to Expect
Parents in Nunavut have the right to homeschool their children under supervision of a district education authority. Children must be registered with a school, and families may receive funding for the education program cost. Homeschooling education programs are evaluated by the district education authority who also provides support to parents.
Students in Nunavut receive a bilingual education and are instructed in the Inuit Language and either English or French.
Required Subjects for Homeschooling
Curriculum in Nunavut is centered on 4 strands of learning:
Aulajaaqtut : Aulajaaqtut, Health, Physical Education
Iqqaqqaukkaringniq: Career and Technology Studies, Math, Science
Nunavusiutit: Entrepreneurship, Inuuuqatigiit, Social Studies, Tourism
Uqausiliriniq: Arts, English Language Arts, French as an Additional Language, Inuktitut Language Arts
Learn more about these curriculum expectations here or click here for more information about the graduation requirements of students in Nunavut.
3. Ontario
Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Ontario (Image Source: Splash of Rain)
What to Expect
Families in Ontario may choose to homeschool. Parents in Ontario who decide to homeschool their children must notify their school board in writing. If they wish to continue homeschooling their children, they need to notify the school board each year again in writing before September 1st.
There are few expectations of homeschooling parents. Unless the board of education has reason to believe that a child is not receiving a satisfactory program of education at home, there is no supervision and a child is officially excused from attending school. If, however, they suspect that a child is not receiving adequate education, they may conduct an investigation. As long as you notify the board of your intent to homeschool your child(ren) and provide satisfactory instruction at home, this should not happen to you.
Although parents are not required to send in reports or evaluations of their child(ren)’s progress, homeschoolers do have the option of taking tests provided by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) to see how they are meeting curriculum standards in comparison with their peers. These assessments cover the following grades and subjects:
Primary & Junior Divisions: Reading, Writing and Mathematics
Grade 9: Mathematics
Grade 10: The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT), a requirement to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
Learn more about EQAO Testing and Ontario’s Homeschooling Policy.
Required Subjects for Homeschooling
There are no required subjects for homeschoolers; however, we always recommend consulting the curriculum guidelines provided by each province. Although the expectations vary by grade and region, Ontario students study the following subjects:
Kindergarten - Grade 8 (Elementary)
The Arts
French as a Second Language
Health & Physical Education
Language
Mathematics
Native Languages
Science & Technology
Social Studies, History & Geography
Grade 9 - 12 (Secondary)
English
Mathematics
Science
Canadian History
Canadian Geography
The Arts
Health and Physical Education
French as a Second Language
Career Studies
Civics and Citizenship
The following courses are optional, although some will make up the compulsory credits to complete the OSSD:
Business Studies
Canadian and World Studies
Classical Studies and International Languages
Computer Studies
Cooperative Education
English As a Second Language and English Literacy Development
First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies
Guidance and Career Education
Health and Physical Education
Interdisciplinary Studies
Native Languages
Social Sciences and Humanities
Technological Education
American Sign Language as a Second Language
Learn more about graduation requirements here. Or, click here to see curriculum outlines in Ontario.
4. Prince Edward Island
Covehead Harbour Lighthouse, Prince Edward Island (Image Source: Ron Rap)
What to Expect
PEI allows for parents or guardians to educate their child(ren) at home. Parents are responsible for planning their own education program or they may use the public school curriculum. You can access curriculum books for a refundable fee of $50 per child (you’ll get your money back when you return the books!).
Parents must notify the Department of Education and Lifelong Learning of their intention to educate their child(ren) at home before the beginning of the new school year.
Keep in mind that homeschoolers are not eligible or a High School Diploma, unless they enter the pubic system and complete the required credits.
Required Subjects for Homeschooling
There are no required courses that homeschoolers must take; however, here is a list of subjects taught in the province of PEI.
Kindergarten
Early Literacy Development
Early Numeracy Development
Social Studies
Science
Health & Physical Development
Creative Development
Grade 1 - Grade 6 (Elementary)
Arts
Communication and Information Technology
French (French Language Arts, French Immersion, Core French)
Health
Language Arts
English as a Second Language
Mathematics
Physical Education
Science
Social Studies
Grade 7 - 12 (Intermediate/Secondary)
As students progress, more and more classes are introduced at different grade levels, with many being optionall. These additional subjects include:
Business Education
Career and Technical Education
Cooperative/Career Education
Culinary
Home Economics
Independent Study
Please note that these lists are not exhaustive. The general subjects students begin in elementary school become more specific. For example, Arts at the secondary level (Grade 10 - 12) includes Dramatic Arts, Career and Technical Education includes Automotive Studies and Social Studies includes Law classes. These are just a few examples of the various options available to students. For more specific details about the curriculum in PEI, visit the Programs of Study guide here.
5. Quebec
Old Québec City, Québec (Image Source: J Rondeau)
What to Expect
As in other provinces, parents in Quebec may choose to homeschool their children; however, they must comply with Government regulations as they relate to learning projects and implementation, annual evaluations of student progress, and any processes that may apply should problems occur.
Each year, parents must do the following:
Inform the Minister of Education and relevant school board in writing by July 1st
Preparing and send a document outlining their child(ren)’s learning project by September 30th
Implement the project by the same day, September 30th
Prepare and send in Status and Mid-Term Reports; During the year/implementation of the project, parents and children must also attend a Monitoring Meeting
Prepare and send in Completion Reports on their child(ren)’s progress by June 15th
As you can see, the Government of Quebec is much more involved in overseeing the homeschooling of children in Quebec. That may seem daunting, but one benefit of this is that homeschoolers can take ministerial exams and are eligible to receive their Secondary School Diploma as long as their learning projects include the required credits outlined by the Direction of the Certification of Studies (Direction de la sanction des études).
The Government of Education’s website includes the following information to get started:
Contact Address of the Minister of Education (Ministère de l’Éducation)
Learning Project Templates
Status Report Templates (For reporting the Implementation of the Learning Project and the Child’s Learning Progress)
You’ll also see that there is a link for homeschool providers, for the Quebec Education Program, and for Examinations.
Required Subjects for Homeschooling
Grade 1 - Grade 6 (Elementary)
Elementary students in Quebec study the following general subjects:
Languages: French, English, English as a Second Language, French as a Second Language
Mathematics, Science and Technology
Social Sciences: Geography, History and Citizenship Education
Arts Education: Drama, Visual Arts, Dance, Music
Personal Development: Physical Education and Health, Ethics and Religious Culture
Grade 7 - 11 (Secondary)
Students at the secondary level continue with the same type of core subjects they learned in elementary school; however, more areas of study are introduced. Below we have listed the subjects that are unique to the secondary level:
Languages: Spanish as a Third Language
Mathematics, Science and Technology: Applied Science and Technology , Environmental Science and Technology, Science and the Environment, Chemistry, Physics
Social Sciences: Financial Education, Cultural Geography, History of the 20th Century, History and Citizenship Education, History of Québec and Canada, Contemporary World
Career Development: Personal Orientation Project, Exploration of Vocational Training, Entrepreneurship
Integrative Project
For more information about the programs of study in Quebec, including the expectations of preschoolers, visit the Québec Education Program page on the Government of Quebec’s website.
6. Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Image Source: Oliver King)
What to Expect
Parents who wish to homeschool in Saskatchewan are responsible for their child(ren)’s program of study. If they intend to homeschool they must do the following:
Inform the Board of Education within your school division of your intent to homeschool; Be sure to include all the required information (Names, Birth Dates, Contact Information, etc.)
Submit a Written Education Plan; This is part of your registration and accompanies the “Notification of a Home-Based Education” form
Provide a minimum of 30 days’ notice before beginning a new home-based education program
Maintain a portfolio of their child(ren)’s work and summative records
School divisions are responsible for monitoring the home-based education programs and this may include a conference with parents to ensure that educational outcomes are being met and provincial policies are being followed. Depending on the division, homeschoolers may also receive additional support like learner assessments, access to educational resources, and support in earning secondary credit.
While homeschoolers do not receive a secondary diploma, there are other options available for college/university admission. Refer to the Saskatchewan Home-based Education: Policy and Procedures Manual.
Required Subjects for Homeschooling
While it is not mandatory to follow the curriculum guides in Saskatchewan, it is recommended. Here we have listed the types of courses students will study. Please note that these vary per grade.
Grade 1 - Grade 8 (Elementary)
Arts Education
Career Education
Core French
English Language Arts
Health Education
Mathematics
Physical Education
Practical & Applied Arts
Science
Social Studies
Other: Aboriginal Languages, Core Ukranian, Ukranian-English Bilingual Education, Treaty Education Outcomes & Indicators
Grade 9 - 12 (Secondary)
In these grades, core subjects continue to be studied; however, there are a wide variety of subjects that students may choose. To see the numerous subjects listed as well as information about Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten curriculum, please visit the following page: Saskatchewan Curriculum.
7. Yukon
Haines Junction, Yukon (Image Source: Maximilian Ruther)
What to Expect
It was a pleasant surprise to see the Government of Yukon’s support for homeschooling. Not only may parents homeschool their child(ren), they can also benefit from:
Support from either the Aurora Virtual School (English Program)
Textbooks and equipment from the Department of Education’s Resource Services
Access to the ERAC Digital Classroom (Digital access to educational resources)
Plus, if you speak French as a first language, there is a homeschooling program in French and support through the École Nomade.
What’s more is your son or daughter can be completely homeschooled or be educated through a combination of homeschooling and distance or distributed learning.
To homeschool your child(ren) in Yukon, parents must:
Register with the Aurora Virtual School (AVS) by September 30th each year
Submit a Home Education Plan for each child learning at home
Provide and supervise their child(ren)’s educational program
Provide all required learning materials for the successful delivery of the home education program
The AVS will then assist families with evaluation and assessments, access to educational resources and additional supports. Click on this link to get a list of these supports as well as links for Registration Forms and the Home Education Plan Form.
Required Subjects for Homeschooling
While there are no indications that students must follow the Yukon Curriculum, it is worth referencing the curriculum used in Yukon. Interestingly, Yukon follows the Curriculum of British Columbia (BC); however, they have made adaptations to reflect Yukon content and Yukon First Nations.
Please refer to Part 1 of our series on the required subjects for homeschooling province by province. There you can find more information about the curriculum expectations in BC. Or, watch the video below for a preview on Yukon curriculum!
Watch the video and learn about curriculum in Yukon!
EZ-Teach
We hope that, after reading our series on homeschooling in Canada, you have a better idea of the general expectations and the required subjects for homeschooling in your province or territory. If you missed the first blog post in this series, or you couldn’t find your province or territory in the list, please read “Required Subjects for Homeschooling: Province by Province Part 1”.
If you have further questions, please feel free to contact us. And if you are preparing to homeschool this fall, don’t forget to visit our curriculum page!
All the best as you gear up for September!
