Starting a Private School in Maryland
Regulations, Resources, & Support
Maryland State Regulations
General Regulations
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Maryland has no accreditation requirements.
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Schools operated by a religious organization need only to register with the state -- they are exempt from approval requirements. Otherwise, schools must receive approval from the state, based on condition of facilities, curriculum and admissions requirements. Based on the approval process, Maryland classifies its schools as 13A.09.09 (private funded) or 13A.09.10 (special needs) schools.
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The Maryland 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 Maryland.
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Homeschool students must be supervised by a local public or private school.
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The Maryland DOE has no published requirements for school insurance -- consult a professional for guidance in this area.
State Funding Sources & Support
Maryland does not provide funding for private education, except in 13A.09.10 schools.
Curriculum Requirements
Nonpublic schools must offer math, language arts, social studies (including US History) and science.
Teacher Certification & Hiring
13A.09.09 schools must hire teachers with a minimum of a bachelor's degree. 13A.09.10 schools must hire certified teachers.
Food Services / Lunch
In Maryland, school lunch requirements, including funding for schools offering the National School Lunch Program, are managed by the Department of Education.
Length of School Year
13A.09.09 schools must have a minimum of 170 school days per year. 13A.09.10 schools must have 180 school days per year.
Recordkeeping & Reports
All schools must reapply annually for approval and include student enrollment records and attendance information. Secondary schools must also keep transcripts for students and transfer student records as needed.
Healthy & Safety Requirements
The county health departments will provide vision and hearing screenings to all students. Students must be immunized or provide documentation of a medical or religious exemption.
Transportation
Tax-exempt private schools who operate their own buses are exempt from paying taxes on the title/registration of school vehicles.
Testing
13A.09.09 schools are not required to offer state testing, while 13A.09.10 schools must.
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Maryland State Resources
State & Regional Associations
Government Websites
Helping Educators Do the Work That Matters
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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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