What to teach in Maine

The subjects Maine requires

• English and language arts
• Math
• Science
• Social studies
• Physical education
• Health education
• Library skills
• Fine arts
• Maine studies (in at least one grade 6-12)
• Computer proficiency (demonstrated in one grade 7-12)

Quoted from the statute or regulation cited on the law page. Requirements for Grades K–5 are listed where the state sets them, but this site teaches Grades 6–12, so only those are matched below.

Courses that cover them

Maine's list touches all four subjects taught here. Each course below is a full year.

Mathematics

English

Science

Social studies

Each is planned as a 36-week year of about 180 sessions, five a week — the year 20 of the 21 course guides set out explicitly. How long a session runs is yours to set.

Does this meet the hours?

175 days per year

Each course here plans a 36-week year of about 180 sessions, five a week — the year 20 of the 21 course guides set out explicitly. The length of a session is left to you, because a Grade 6 session and a Grade 12 one are not the same thing.

Four such courses run across the same 180-session year, so a four-course year meets Maine's 175 days without any arithmetic: the days are the calendar, not a total to accumulate.

The four high school years

Maine reviews the work each year, so the high school record matters twice: once for the annual assessment and again for whoever reads the transcript afterwards. A full sequence of these courses looks like this.

Four subjects across four years is 16 full-year courses. Credits, grades and the diploma itself are Maine's business, not this site's — what Maine says about diplomas and transcripts.

What this site does not teach

Maine requires 4 subjects that these courses do not cover: health, physical education, art, computing or practical arts. Saying so plainly is more use than a page implying full coverage. Families commonly meet these through sport clubs, instrument or art lessons, a language app or tutor, and documented family activity — all of which count where the state asks for a log rather than a transcript.

Evidence for the annual review

Maine asks for testing or evaluation, so the year has to leave a paper trail. These courses produce four things that serve as evidence, without any extra work:

• Printable lessons. Every lesson has a print view holding the full teaching text, worked examples and practice — dated pages for a portfolio.
• Exams with answer keys and marking criteria. Each course has a midterm, a final and a sample exam, each question carrying response criteria an evaluator can read.
• A 36-week pacing table. The parent guide for each course lists the week-by-week assignments, which is the planning document most evaluators ask to see.
• Exit tickets and checkpoints. Short written responses through each lesson, showing work over time rather than one test score.

Annual, filed with each continuing year's letter (not required with the first-year notice). Choose one: (1) standardized achievement test through the school unit or another Commissioner-approved arrangement; (2) a test developed by the local school unit (must be agreed before filing the notice); (3) review and acceptance of progress by a current Maine-certified teacher; (4) portfolio review by a local homeschool support group that includes a Maine-certified teacher or administrator; or (5) review by a superintendent-selected advisory board (one school employee and two home instruction tutors; must be agreed in advance). No minimum score is set in statute.

Deadline: Sept 1 each year after the first, including the final year of home instruction