Starting a Private School in Massachusetts
Regulations, Resources, & Support
Massachusetts State Regulations
General Regulations
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Massachusetts has no requirements for registration, licensing or accreditation.
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All schools must be approved by the local school district. To be approved, the committee looks to see that the curriculum is thorough and that private school students are making the same academic progress as public school students.
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The Massachusetts Department of Education has assembled a page of detailed requirements for private schools.
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The US Office of Innovation & Improvement has assembled a summary of regulations for private schools operating in Massachusetts.
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Homeschool programs must be pre-approved before students may begin.
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The Massachusetts DOE has no published requirements for school insurance -- consult a professional for guidance in this area.
State Funding Sources & Support
Massachusetts does not provide funding for private education.
Curriculum Requirements
There are no specific requirements for private school curriculum, though the approval committee does look to see that students are making academic progress comparable to the public schools.
Teacher Certification & Hiring
No state policy exists regarding teacher certification in nonpublic schools.
Food Services / Lunch
In Massachusetts, school lunch requirements, including funding for schools offering the National School Lunch Program, are managed by the Department of Education.
Length of School Year
There is no state law regarding length of the school year.
Recordkeeping & Reports
Schools must keep enrollment, attendance, academic, and conduct records for all enrolled students and must file a report with the local school district each year.
Healthy & Safety Requirements
All secondary schools must teach hazing prevention and file an annual report certifying it has taken place.
Transportation
Students who attend approved private schools are entitled to the same rights and privileges to transportation to and from school as are provided by law for public school students
Testing
Testing isn't explicitly required in state law, but approval committees have used standardized testing as a criteria to determine whether the schools are comparable to public schools.
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Maryland State Resources
State & Regional Associations
Government Websites
Helping Educators Do the Work That Matters
Quick Guide Nav
We gathered so much information that we had to break it down into 10 chapters. This free information is well-researched- we even hunted down the rules and regulations for each state! If you're thinking about starting a private school, you will find this guide very handy!
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