How Washington D.C. 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 D.C. State Board 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! 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 the District of Columbia’s requirements.

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Homeschooling Options

Families using Enlightium typically homeschool under the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) rules. Parents may use their own, purchased, or online curriculum (such as Enlightium Academy), but legal compliance remains the parent’s responsibility.

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District of Columbia’s Requirements at a Glance

Parent Notifies State = Yes

State Educational Funds = No

Academic Calendar Requirement = No

Reporting Age Requirement = 5-18

Instructor Qualifications = Yes

Required Subjects = Yes

Standardized Assessment = Not Required by D.C.

Immunization Requirement = No

Keep a Portfolio = Yes

Enlightium Parents App with Group for District of Columbia Families = Yes

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Notifying the State

D.C.’s Superintendent of Education requires families to inform them of their intent to homeschool each year. Note the following submission dates:

First year of being enrolled at Enlightium: 

Submit the Notification of Intent to Homeschool Form within 15 days before starting at Enlightium Academy. Submit as soon as possible if you missed that deadline. The form can be found here.

The parent or guardian will need to provide a copy of your high school diploma or equivalent; if you cannot find your diploma or an equivalent, a letter stating that you have one but cannot find it should be acceptable.

Each subsequent year:

By August 15 or within a week of enrolling your student at Enlightium Academy, submit the Notification of Homeschool Continuation, which can be found at this link.

If your student will no longer be enrolled at Enlightium Academy while living in D.C., you must send a written notice to the state superintendent 15 days prior to withdrawing.

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State Educational Funds

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

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Age Requirement

Ages four 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 five on or before September 30:

They 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.

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Instructor Qualifications

D.C. requires the parent/guardian who administers homeschooling to hold a high school diploma or equivalent, or obtain an OSSE waiver by showing the ability to provide thorough, regular education. 

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

D.C.’s Superintendent of Education requires the following subjects:

• Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Social Studies
• Science
• Art
• Music
• Health
• Physical Education

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

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Standardized Assessment

D.C.’s Superintendent of Education does not require a standardized test for students. 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

The OSSE requires families to maintain a portfolio of educational materials showing the student’s current work across subjects for at least a year and make it available to OSSE upon written request. Please keep a digital record of the following every year you are enrolled at Enlightium Academy:

• Curriculum information and samples - Enlightium provides its families with both curriculum overviews by grade level and samples by course.
• 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.

Additionally, you can keep the following for your digital portfolio:

• Attendance - Enlightium provides your family with progress reports via email. You can screenshot the details in these emails to show attendance.
• 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).
• 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 D.C. 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 D.C. 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 October 2025:

• https://hslda.org/legal
• https://osse.dc.gov/service/homeschooling-district-columbia
• https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/service_content/attachments/HomeschoolingInTheDistrictOfColumbia.pdf
• https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/service_content/attachments/Homeschool%20Information%20For%20District%20of%20Columbia%20Families.updated.pdf