How South Dakota 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 South Dakota Department of Education, 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!

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

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Homeschooling Options

South Dakota families who enroll with Enlightium are legally classified as being educated under the “Alternative Instruction Program”, which is the legal term used for homeschooling in South Dakota law. Enlightium supports your student’s learning, but the parent remains legally responsible for compliance with state law. 

As you review your state’s requirements, please keep in mind that Enlightium Academy holds dual accreditation from Cognia and ACSI. This enables us to serve students in all 50 states, providing an accredited education that leads to a high school diploma recognized nationwide. 

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South Dakota’s Requirements at a Glance

Parent Notifies State = Yes

State Educational Funds = No

Academic Calendar Requirements = Yes

Age Requirement = 5 or 6 - 18

Instructor Qualifications = No

Subjects Required  = Yes

Standardized Assessment = Not Required by the State

Immunization Requirement = No

Keep a Portfolio = Recommended

Enlightium Parents App with Group for South Dakota Families = Yes

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Notifying the State

Parents must submit the Alternative Instruction Notification form:

• Submit the form to the local school district superintendent before the first day of public school or within 30 days of withdrawing your student from public or private school.
• Only the first-year notification must be notarized or witnessed by two individuals.
• Submit the form electronically via the South Dakota Department of Education website or directly to your district office.

The notification only needs to be submitted in the first year of enrollment at Enlightium. However, an updated notification indicating a change in status for a child must be submitted within 30 days of any of the following:

• The child is moving to or open-enrolling in another district, but will still be homeschooling.
• The child will no longer be homeschooled.

Additional notes:

• Keep copies of the Alternative Instruction Notification Forms.
• If a student in grade 11 or 12 wishes to enroll in a state-sponsored dual credit course, additional steps will need to be taken. Click here for details.

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State Educational Funds

No state educational funds are available for Enlightium families at this time.

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Age Requirement

Ages four or younger:

Students are not allowed to begin kindergarten until the age of five; however, they should be able to attend pre-K3 or preK-4 at Enlightium Academy to have a head start and be ready for Kindergarten.

Aged five or six:

Students must begin kindergarten during that academic year; this includes enrolling at Enlightium Academy. 

Aged seven or older:

Students must attend school during that academic year; this includes enrolling at Enlightium Academy. Students must continue their education at a school of their parents’ choice until they turn 18 years old or graduate.

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Academic Calendar

The South Dakota Department of Education does not have any academic calendar requirements.

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. Enlightium parents can email progress@enlightiumacademy.com requesting a report with the number of hours their students have worked during the school year.

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Instructor Qualifications

The South Dakota Department of Education 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 South Dakota Department of Education requires that alternative instruction students be provided instruction in, at a minimum: 

• Language Arts
• Math

The above subjects are core courses at Enlightium Academy and should be assigned by your student’s counselor.

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Standardized Assessment

The South Dakota Department of Education does not require students to take a standardized assessment. 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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Keep a portfolio

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

• Forms - Keep copies of the Alternative Instruction Notification Form and any other forms you submit to the state.
• Attendance - Enlightium provides your family with progress reports via email. You can screenshot the details in these emails to show attendance.
• 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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Enlightium Parents App with Group for South Dakota Families

Enlightium Academy has an app and a desktop platform for families of currently enrolled students. Within this app is a group just for families living in South Dakota to inform and support each other in fulfilling their 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 faculty and staff have served partner schools, hybrid, online, and book-based program K-12 students. With parental support, excellent instruction, and a personalized approach to learning, Enlightium equips students with the academic, spiritual, physical, social, and emotional skills they need to succeed in life. For any other questions about Enlightium, please 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 July 2025:

• https://hslda.org/legal
• https://doe.sd.gov/oatq/homeschooling.aspx 
• ‍https://doe.sd.gov/oatq/documents/HS-SDAltInst-FAQ.pdf