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Key Takeaways:
- Kentucky requires 170 instructional days and 1,062 instructional hours per year (185 days if your district is year-round)
- Records are kept by families, not submitted to the state — they’re for your documentation only
- Simple daily or weekly logs are sufficient; no complex reporting required
- Instructional time is defined as direct teaching/learning; lunch and recess don’t count
- Your schedule is entirely flexible — you set days off and teaching pace
The Attendance Requirement: 170 Days and 1,062 Hours
Kentucky homeschools must provide 170 instructional days and 1,062 instructional hours per school year. If your local school district operates on a year-round calendar, the requirement increases to 185 days.
These aren’t complex measurements. They’re simply:
- 170 days of instruction (or 185 for year-round districts)
- 1,062 hours of total instruction annually
That’s approximately 6.25 hours per instructional day across 170 days — well within the range of typical school days.
What Counts as Instructional Time
Clearly Counts:
- Direct teacher-to-student instruction (lectures, lessons, teaching)
- Student independent work in curriculum (reading assignments, math problems, essays)
- Educational videos and online courses aligned with curriculum
- Tutoring sessions
- Co-op classes
- Field trips with explicit educational purpose and planning
Does NOT Count:
- Lunch or snacks
- Recess or unstructured play
- Transportation
- Administrative time (grading, creating lesson plans, record keeping)
- Extracurricular activities
- Casual screen time
Gray Areas (Generally Count if Clearly Educational):
- Read-aloud sessions (counts as reading instruction)
- Nature walks (if planned with educational purpose — observation, journaling, learning)
- Documentaries (if aligned with curriculum topics)
- Educational apps and games (if curriculum-based, not purely entertainment)
- Museum visits (if part of history/science study)
Rule of thumb: If it’s intentional, planned learning in one of the required subjects, it counts.
Calculating Your 170 Days and 1,062 Hours
Basic Math
- 170 days × 6.25 hours = 1,062.5 hours
- This is the baseline
Common scheduling patterns:
4-day week (typical):
- 4 days/week × 6 hours = 24 hours/week
- 24 hours/week × ~43 weeks = 1,032 hours
- 4 days/week × ~42.5 weeks = 170 days
- Builds in 1-2 weeks of breaks above the minimum
5-day week:
- 5 days/week × 5 hours = 25 hours/week
- 25 hours/week × ~42.5 weeks = 1,062.5 hours
- 5 days/week × 34 weeks = 170 days
- Leaves 18 weeks for breaks/holidays
Year-round (6 weeks on, 2 weeks off):
- Approximately 36 weeks on, 16 weeks off
- 170 days ÷ 36 weeks ≈ 4.7 days/week
- Same 6.25 hours/day applies
You have complete flexibility. Design your calendar to fit your family’s lifestyle.
Record Keeping: What You Must Maintain
Kentucky law requires you to maintain:
- Attendance records — dates your child was in instruction
- Progress reports — documentation of your child’s achievement/progress
Important: These records are kept by your family. They are NOT submitted to the Kentucky Department of Education. You maintain them for your own documentation and in case any future inquiry about your homeschool arises.
Attendance Record Systems
System 1: Daily Log (Simplest)
Keep a simple calendar or spreadsheet showing instructional days:
“` September 2026 Mon 9/1 — No school (Labor Day) Tue 9/2 — 6.5 hours Wed 9/3 — 6.5 hours Thu 9/4 — 6 hours Fri 9/5 — 6.25 hours
Total week: 25.25 hours, 4 days Running total: 25.25 hours, 4 days “`
Pros: Simple, minimal time investment Cons: Less detail about what was taught
System 2: Daily Detailed Log
Record the day, subjects, and time by subject:
“` Tuesday, September 2
- Reading (45 min)
- Math (90 min)
- Science (50 min)
- History (45 min)
- Language Arts (50 min)
Total: 6.5 hours
Wednesday, September 3
- Reading (45 min)
- Writing (60 min)
- Math (90 min)
- Science (45 min)
- Civics (35 min)
Total: 6.25 hours “`
Pros: Detailed, shows subject coverage, helpful for progress tracking Cons: More time-intensive
System 3: Weekly Summary
Record totals weekly rather than daily:
“ Week of September 1-5 Days of instruction: Mon (off), Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri = 4 days Total hours: 25.25 hours Subjects covered: Reading, Writing, Math, Science, History, Grammar, Civics Progress notes: Good progress in math; strong essay this week; science experiment successful “
Pros: Balanced — detailed without daily burden Cons: Requires weekly review
System 4: Spreadsheet Tracking
Use a simple spreadsheet (Google Sheets, Excel) to track across the year:
| Date | Day | Hours | Subjects | Notes | |——|—–|——-|———-|——-| | 9/2 | Tue | 6.5 | Reading, Math, Science, History | Good engagement | | 9/3 | Wed | 6.25 | Reading, Writing, Math, Science, Civics | Essay work strong | | 9/4 | Thu | 6 | Math, Grammar, History, Civics | Math review day | | 9/5 | Fri | 6.25 | Reading, Math, Science, Writing | Field trip to museum |
Pros: Organized, easy to total, searchable, automatic calculations Cons: Requires some tech comfort
Choose the system that fits your style. The goal is documentation, not perfection.
Monthly and Quarterly Summaries
At the end of each month, create a quick summary:
“ September 2026 Summary Total instructional days: 18 Total instructional hours: 112.5 Average hours per day: 6.25 Subjects covered: All required subjects covered proportionally Notes: Strong start to the year. Good engagement in science. “
Quarterly summary (at report card intervals — typically November, February, May, end of year):
“ Q1 Summary (Sept-Nov) Total instructional days: 52 Total instructional hours: 326 Status: On track for annual requirement (170 days, 1,062 hours) Progress notes: [Brief narrative of each child's progress] Subjects: All eight required subjects covered Next quarter focus: [Any adjustments planned] “
Progress Documentation
Alongside attendance, maintain progress records at the same intervals as your local public school (typically quarterly):
Option 1: Written Progress Notes
“` Q1 Report Reading: Mary has progressed significantly in reading comprehension. She’s currently reading at a 4th-grade level independently and is engaging well with chapter books.
Math: Strong foundational skills. Mastering multiplication facts. Completing all assignments on time with good accuracy.
Science: Completing weekly experiments with detailed observations. Shows curiosity and strong note-taking skills.
[Etc. for all subjects] “`
Option 2: Portfolio Samples
Collect work samples:
- Best writing pieces
- Math problem sets with solutions
- Science lab reports
- History research projects
Option 3: Standardized Test Scores
If you choose to use them (optional):
- Achievement test scores
- Unit test results
- Subject-specific assessments
Option 4: Combination
Most families use a blend: written notes + key work samples + maybe one standardized test annually.
Tracking Year-Round: Sample Calendar
August: Plan your calendar and record-keeping system September-December: Daily/weekly tracking, Q1 summary end of November January-March: Continue tracking, Q2 summary end of February April-May: Continue tracking, Q3 summary mid-April June-July: Final tracking, end-of-year summary
By mid-April, you know if you’re on pace. If you’re behind, you can intensify instruction in late April-May.
Staying on Pace
Quick check-in mid-year:
- 170 days ÷ 2 = 85 days by mid-year (approximately mid-March)
- 1,062 hours ÷ 2 = 531 hours by mid-year
If you have fewer than these by mid-year, increase instructional pace in spring to catch up.
Most families don’t fall behind because 6-7 hours per day across most weekdays easily meets the requirement.
Special Situations
Illness or Emergency
If your child is sick or a family emergency prevents instruction:
- Mark those days as “no school”
- These don’t count toward the 170-day requirement
- Extend your school year if needed to maintain 170 days
Extended Breaks
You can take breaks whenever you choose (beyond standard holidays):
- Summer break (most do)
- Winter break
- Spring break
- Any other time you prefer
Just ensure you complete 170 days within your school year.
Special Education
If your child receives special education services:
- Same 170-day, 1,062-hour requirement applies
- You determine the scheduling and pacing
- Note progress in accordance with any goals you’ve established (optional; no requirement)
High School
High school follows the same daily/hourly requirements. Additionally, high school families typically track:
- Courses completed
- Course descriptions
- Grades/transcripts
- Credit earned toward graduation
for high school transcript guidance.
What the State Does NOT Do
- Collect your attendance records
- Review your progress documentation
- Inspect your home or records
- Verify your hours or days
- Audit your instruction
You maintain these records for two reasons:
- Your accountability — to ensure you’re meeting requirements
- Protection — documentation of compliance if ever questioned
Long-Term Record Storage
Keep attendance and progress records for:
- Current year: Active maintenance
- Previous years: 3-7 years (standard record retention)
- High school transcripts: Permanently (needed for college)
Summary: Simple Record Keeping
Track 170 days and 1,062 hours. Choose a simple system (daily log, weekly summary, or spreadsheet). Create quarterly progress documentation (written notes, portfolios, or tests). Keep records for your own accountability.
Records are not submitted. The state does not audit. Your documentation is for your family’s records and your peace of mind.
Next step: to set up your entire system.