Microschool laws in District of Columbia

An operator-responsibility model where your school assumes full educational responsibility for enrolled students under DC's minimal private school regulatory framework. DC does not charter or accredit general private schools, so there is no prior approval to secure — but the school must comply with § 38-205 enrollment reporting, § 38-203 attendance records, local Certificate of Occupancy requirements from the DC Department of Buildings (DOB), and a Basic Business License (BBL) from the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP). This is the most common structural model for DC microschools that want to control enrollment, curriculum, and records end-to-end.

A shared-resource model where families retain full legal responsibility for their children's education under 5 DCMR Chapter 52. You provide programming, facility, and curriculum support; each family independently files the Notification of Intent to Homeschool at least 15 business days before starting, teaches the eight required subjects (in conjunction with your programming), maintains their own portfolio, and files the annual Continuation by August 15. The co-op itself is not the legal compliance entity — families are.

Not a recognized stand-alone pathway in DC. Unlike Virginia (§ 22.1-254(A) certified-tutor option) or some other states, DC does not codify a "certified tutor" compulsory-attendance exemption. The D.C. Code reference to "private instruction" in § 38-202(d) has been interpreted by OSSE to require compliance with 5 DCMR Chapter 52 homeschool regulations. A tutor can legitimately serve DC families, but the legal pathway those families use is either homeschool (5 DCMR 52) or private school enrollment — not the tutor's credentials.

A faith-integrated private school operating under the general DC private school framework. DC does not differentiate between religious and secular private schools for purposes of § 38-202 compulsory attendance, § 38-203 attendance record-keeping, or § 38-205 enrollment reporting. Curriculum choices (including faith integration) are unrestricted. Same zoning, Certificate of Occupancy, BBL, and OSSE reporting requirements as an independent private school.

A pre-compulsory-age program serving children under 5 (or under 5 years old by September 30 of the enrollment year) that operates outside compulsory attendance. Licensed by OSSE Division of Early Learning under 5-A DCMR Chapter 1 (Licensing of Child Development Facilities). Two primary facility types: Child Development Home (in a private dwelling, up to 6 unrelated children) and Child Development Center (commercial/institutional space, varying caps by square footage and staffing). An Expanded Child Development Home can serve up to 12 children based on square footage.

A part-time model where families file homeschool Notifications of Intent under 5 DCMR Chapter 52 and attend your program 2-3 days per week, completing the balance of instruction at home. Families retain legal responsibility (Notification of Intent, eight required subjects, portfolio, annual Continuation). Your program coordinates on-site days, curriculum for home days, and subject coverage against the eight required areas.

Not an established model in DC. Unlike Virginia's umbrella-school culture under § 22.1-254, DC has no statutory framework for an established private school to operate satellite campuses under its accreditation or § 38-205 filings. Each physical school site would be treated by OSSE as its own reporting entity for enrollment data and by DOB as its own Certificate of Occupancy holder. A multi-site operator would need each site to independently comply with § 38-205, § 38-203, Basic Business License, and Certificate of Occupancy requirements.