Wyoming Homeschool Attendance Requirements & Record Keeping

Wyoming requires 175 days of instruction per school year, but what does that actually mean? How do you count the days? What records do you keep? And what happens if you fall short? This guide breaks down Wyoming’s attendance rules in practical terms.

Key Takeaways

• 175 instructional days required: Per calendar year for ages 7-16
• You define your calendar: Start and end dates are entirely up to you
• Days off don’t count: Holidays, weekends, and breaks are excluded
• Record-keeping is mandatory: Document which days instruction occurred
• No submission required: Records stay in your files (unless sports/services apply)
• Reasonable flexibility: Wyoming doesn’t police this strictly; reasonable interpretation is expected

What Counts as an “Instructional Day”?

An instructional day is any day when your child receives instruction in the required subjects. This could be:

• Traditional classroom-style lessons at home
• Hands-on projects, field trips, co-op classes
• Online courses or video lessons
• Tutoring sessions
• Lab work, experiments, or educational activities

What doesn’t count:
– Holidays, snow days, vacation days
– Weekends (unless you intentionally school on weekends)
– Sick days (unless you do schoolwork while ill)
– Days with no structured learning

The interpretation is flexible. If your child does 2 hours of focused schoolwork on a given day, that’s likely an instructional day. If your child plays outside with no structured learning, that’s not an instructional day.

The 175-Day Requirement

Wyoming law requires 175 days of instruction per school year for children ages 7-16.

Note: There’s no legal definition of a “school year” in Wyoming. Your school year can run:
– August to May (traditional)
– June to April (non-traditional)
– Year-round with breaks
– Any 12-month period you choose

As long as you deliver 175 days of instruction within a calendar year, you meet the requirement.

How to Calculate 175 Days: Examples

Scenario 1: Traditional August-May Calendar
– Start: August 15, 2025
– End: May 31, 2026
– Typical public school calendar: ~175-180 days (Monday-Friday, excluding holidays)
– Result: Meets requirement

Scenario 2: Year-Round Homeschool
– School: Monday-Thursday, year-round
– 4 days/week × 52 weeks = 208 days
– Take breaks as you prefer (winter, summer, spring)
– Result: Well above the 175 minimum

Scenario 3: Non-Traditional Calendar
– School: June 1 – April 30 (reversed calendar)
– Plan: 5 days/week × 35 weeks = 175 days
– Result: Exactly at requirement

Simple calculation:
175 days ÷ [number of days per week you teach] = weeks of school needed

For example:
– 175 days ÷ 5 days/week = 35 weeks
– 175 days ÷ 4 days/week = 44 weeks

Attendance Record Template

You must keep records documenting which days instruction occurred. No specific format is required, but here’s a practical template:

Date	Day of Week	Subjects	Notes
8/18/2025	M	Reading, Math, Science	Started Singapore Math 2B; read Winnie the Pooh chapter 1
8/19/2025	T	Reading, Math, Writing	Completed math lesson; wrote journal entry
8/20/2025	W	Science, History, Literature	Conducted plant growth experiment; read history chapter
8/21/2025	Th	All 7 subjects	Co-op classes (math, writing, science) + independent reading
8/22/2025	F	Math, Reading	Light day; finished weekly assignments
8/25/2025	M	All subjects	Resumed after weekend

Simplify it:
You don’t need elaborate notes. A checkmark per subject per day is sufficient:

Date	Reading	Writing	Math	Science	History	Civics	Literature
8/18	✓		✓	✓			✓
8/19	✓	✓	✓
8/20			✓	✓	✓

What Should Your Records Include?

At minimum, keep:

1. Dates of instruction: Which days your child received instruction
2. Subjects covered: Which of the 7 required subjects were taught each day
3. Curriculum/materials used: Title of textbooks, online programs, etc.
4. Progress notes (optional but helpful):
   – Assignments completed
   – Tests/quizzes taken
   – Projects finished
   – Any concerns or adjustments made

Storage & Retention

Where to keep records:
– Digital spreadsheet (Google Sheets, Excel, Apple Numbers)
– Physical planner or notebook
– Homeschool tracking software (Skedtrack, HLS, etc.)
– Simple calendar with notes

How long to keep:
– At minimum: through your child’s high school graduation
– Best practice: Keep indefinitely (useful for transcript verification later)
– Keep originals (or digital backups) safely stored

Attendance Record Tools & Software

Several tools make attendance tracking easier:

• Spreadsheets: Google Sheets or Excel (simplest, free)
• Homeschool Tracker: Attendance, grades, transcripts in one place
• Homeschool Skedtrack: Attendance, work logs, and portfolio building
• HLS (Home Learning Scope): Curriculum planning and attendance combined
• Notebooking: Simple physical journals documenting daily work
• Apps: Various homeschool apps for iOS and Android

Choose whatever feels manageable for your family. Simple is often better.

What Happens If You Fall Short of 175 Days?

Realistically: Wyoming doesn’t have an enforcement mechanism. There’s no truancy officer checking homeschool attendance records. You’re not filing anything with the state.

However:
– If questioned (extremely unlikely), you’d need to show records demonstrating 175 days
– Falling significantly short (e.g., only 100 days) could create problems if the state ever inquired
– It’s not a legal risk if properly documented, but it’s a requirement you should honor

What to do if you fall short:
– Add instruction days to reach 175 before your school year ends
– Compress the schedule if needed (add extra days in spring)
– Plan more carefully next year

Best practice: Aim for 180+ days to build in a buffer for illness, family travel, or unexpected breaks.

Special Circumstances & Flexibility

Partial Years

If your child was in public school part of the year, you can count:
– Days remaining in the calendar year, OR
– Proportionate requirement (e.g., if starting in November, 175 days ÷ 12 months × 2 months = ~29 days required)

Wyoming’s interpretation is flexible for mid-year transitions.

Dual Enrollment

If your child takes courses at public school or community college:
– Days spent in those courses may count toward the 175-day requirement
– Discuss this with your district if your child participates in sports/services
– Generally, combined instruction (homeschool + public school) satisfies the requirement

Travel & Breaks

You can:
– Take summer off (June-July), winter break (December-January), and spring break (March)
– School year-round instead of traditional calendar
– Take sabbaticals or breaks as long as you hit 175 days before the school year ends

Documentation Tips

Make it sustainable:
– Update records weekly (not monthly or year-end)
– Use a format that’s quick and easy
– Don’t over-document; simple is fine

Protect your records:
– Keep digital backups
– Store physical records safely
– Create copies of your yearly summary

For college applications:
– When creating a transcript, reference your attendance records
– Include a statement: “Student received 175+ instructional days in [school year]”
– This demonstrates compliance and shows consistent education

The Reality of Wyoming Attendance Oversight

Be honest: Wyoming doesn’t have a homeschool attendance enforcement system. You’re not likely to be “checked.” But:

✓ Keep accurate records anyway (for your own planning and credibility)
✓ Meet the 175-day requirement (it’s a real legal requirement)
✓ Document everything (if questions ever arise, you have proof)
✓ Don’t be cavalier about it (some parents use lax rules as excuse for inadequate instruction)

Summary

Wyoming’s 175-day requirement is straightforward: deliver instruction 175 days per school year, ages 7-16. Your calendar, your choice of dates, your documentation. Keep simple, honest records, plan your year to hit the mark, and you’re in full compliance.

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