How Montana Families Can Enroll at Enlightium Academy

Enlightium Academy is a private Christian school that is accredited by Cognia and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Enlightium has served homeschool, online, and co-op school students in K-12 since 2003. In general, state institutions recognize Enlightium Academy as an out-of-state private school that allows students to transfer in or transfer out to public and private schools. Enlightium Academy provides our families with standard information about their state’s requirements, and parents are encouraged to review their state’s requirements at hslda.org/legal and/or the Montana Office of Public Instruction, as educational policies are subject to change over time.

Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states and Washington D.C. With this freedom comes a responsibility to understand and fulfill legal requirements. This can be worrisome, but you’re not alone in this endeavor. Enlightium Academy is here to help! As you review your state’s homeschooling requirements, please keep in mind that Enlightium Academy holds dual accreditation from Cognia and ACSI. This enables the Enlightium team to serve students in all 50 states, providing an accredited education that leads to a high school diploma recognized nationwide.

Please note that the resources below serve as a starting point for your family; it is important that you research Montana’s requirements.

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Homeschooling Options

Enlightium students are considered homeschoolers under Montana law since Enlightium is not a Montana-registered private school.

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Montana’s Requirements at a Glance

Parent Notifies State = Yes

State Educational Funds = Yes

Academic Calendar Requirement = Yes, for Grades 1-12

Age Requirement = 7-16

Instructor Qualifications = No

Required Subjects = Yes

Standardized Assessment = Not Required by the State

Immunization Requirement = Yes, with exemptions

Keep a Portfolio = Yes

Enlightium Parents App with Group for Montana Families = Yes

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Notifying the State

The Montana Office of Public Instruction requires homeschooling families to inform the county’s superintendent of schools of their intent to homeschool. Your family needs to do this every year and can do it as early as the start of the school fiscal year (July 1) for the upcoming school year.

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State Educational Funds

The state of Montana provides qualifying families of students with special needs with approximately $5,000-$8,000 in scholarships through the Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings Account.

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Academic Calendar

Students in PreKindergarten-Kindergarten:

The Montana Office of Public Instruction does not appear to have any academic calendar requirements.

Students in 1st-3rd Grade:

The Montana Office of Public Instruction requires at least 720 hours of instruction each school fiscal year (July 1 - June 30); this is four hours of instruction each day for 180 days. 

Students in 4th-12th Grade:

The Montana Office of Public Instruction requires at least 1,080 hours of instruction each school fiscal year (July 1 - June 30); this is six hours of instruction each day for 180 days. 

Enlightium’s school calendar has 180 school days (around 210 days with summer school). Additionally, students have access to the courses 24/7 for most days of the school year, including weekends and holidays.

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Age Requirement

Ages six or younger:

Students are not required to attend school, but can enroll in primary school at Enlightium Academy to have a head start and be ready for Kindergarten.

Aged seven on or before the first day of public school:

Students must continue their education at a school of their parent’s choice until they either graduate or turn 16 years old. This includes enrolling at Enlightium Academy.

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Instructor Qualifications

The Montana Office of Public Instruction does not require students to have teachers with specific credentials or qualifications. 

As a part of Enlightium Academy’s dual accreditation, Enlightium teachers are state and/or ACSI-certified. A number of our faculty members have Master's and Doctorate degrees in their fields. 

Students in the Book-Based Program use textbook Christian curricula from AOP or BJU Press, while students in the Online Program use the Ignitia digital Christian curriculum or Enlightium’s custom online curriculum (available to select grade levels). Students in the Sapphire Live program use a collection of the best-vetted curriculum options by our curriculum department. Each curriculum includes Bible, English, math, science, social studies, and elective courses. Click here to learn about the curriculum used at Enlightium Academy and to find the curriculum option that works best for your family.

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Required Subjects

The Montana Office of Public Instruction requires the following subjects:

• English Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Social Studies
• Science
• Health
• Arts
• Career Electives

The first four bullet points are core courses at Enlightium Academy and should be assigned by your student’s counselor. The latter three bullet points are electives available at Enlightium Academy.

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Standardized Assessment

The Montana Office of Public Instruction does not require a standardized test for students enrolled at Enlightium. However, Enlightium Academy requires students to take an annual assessment to keep track of how students are progressing. Enlightium provides the following options per grade level:

• Grades PreK-8: IXL diagnostic assessments or Iowa Complete Annual Assessment. We recommend the IXL diagnostic assessment, as it provides more flexibility in scheduling and does not have an additional fee.

• Grades 9-12: Guidance for college-preparatory assessments such as the PSAT, SAT and/or ACT

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Health and Safety Regulations

The Montana Office of Public Instruction requires that, as your student is learning from home, you must ensure that your home complies with local health and safety regulations.

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Keep a Portfolio

The county may request the following records:

• Attendance - Enlightium provides your family with progress reports via email. You can screenshot the details in these emails to show attendance.
• Immunization records or exemption form - See “Immunization Requirement” below for details.

You may need to provide your state with additional information, so we recommend keeping a digital record every year you are enrolled at Enlightium Academy, which should include the following:

• Curriculum information and samples - Enlightium provides its families with both curriculum overviews by grade level and samples by course.
• Academic plans - Enlightium Academy counselors provide academic plans during the admission process for each of our four divisions of grades: primary school (PreK-2), elementary school (3-5), middle school (6-8), and high school (9-12).
• Grades - Enlightium provides report cards for all students at the end of each quarter. Transcripts are available upon request.
• Test scores - This can include occasional screenshots of test scores and/or standardized assessment scores.
• Academic Awards - Enlightium provides qualifying students with certificates for Honor Roll, Scholar’s List, Dean’s List, Outstanding Improvement, and the Presidential Award.
• Social/Competition Achievements - Enlightium holds social events and competitions throughout the school year, such as art competitions and involvement in the Student Council.

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Immunization Requirement

Immunization is required in the state of Montana; therefore, parents are required to keep their children’s immunization records or exemptions for medical or religious reasons and must be made available to the county superintendent upon request. Enlightium Academy does not require student immunization, but may request a copy for our records, as we serve students and must abide by state regulations. You may find the Montana state exemption form here. 

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Enlightium Parents App with Group for Montana Families

Enlightium Academy has an app and desktop platform for families of currently enrolled students. Within this app is a group just for families living in Montana to inform and support each other in fulfilling your state’s requirements. Your family will be provided a link to download the app after enrolling.

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Ready to Enroll at Enlightium Academy?

1. Explore Enlightium Academy’s website
2. If you have any questions:
   
   1. Chat with a team member
   2. Email consultants@enlightiumacademy.com
   3. Call (866) 488-4818 option 2
3. Ready to enroll? Click here to start the enrollment process, and select the “Enroll Now” button.

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Since 2003, Enlightium Academy has supported K–12 students in online, book-based, hybrid, and partner schools. Our dedicated faculty and staff, in collaboration with parents, deliver high-quality instruction and individualized learning. We focus on developing each student’s academic, spiritual, physical, social, and emotional well-being.

To find out if Enlightium is the right school for your family, schedule an appointment, call (509) 319-2288, or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com. 

We review state requirements and regulations annually; however, each state may update its guidelines more frequently. If you have additional questions, please contact your state board of education.

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Sources reviewed in May 2025:

• https://hslda.org/legal
• https://opi.mt.gov/Families-Students/Parent-Resources/Education-Savings-Account