Perham-Dent schools consider homeschool curriculum option after survey results

Perham-Dent School District leaders are weighing whether a homeschool curriculum option should become part of the district’s offerings, a choice that could affect enrollment, state funding and how many families stay tied to Perham schools instead of leaving the system entirely.

The school board has not committed to the idea yet. Survey results will determine whether the district pursues the program, keeping the discussion in the information-gathering stage while leaders try to measure whether enough parents want a district-supported homeschool pathway to justify the staff time, planning and money it would take to build one.

That question carries local weight in Perham and across Otter Tail County. Perham-Dent Public School District says it is based on U.S. Highway 10 in Lakes Country of north-central Minnesota, about 70 miles east of Fargo, North Dakota, and serves just over 1,800 students across four schools. A homeschool option could give families a middle ground between teaching on their own and staying connected to district curriculum, e-learning tools and other programming already in place.

State rules provide the framework any local program would have to fit. The Minnesota Department of Education says nonpublic schools and homeschools may participate each year in the Nonpublic Pupil Aids program. Students must be enrolled by Sept. 15 to be eligible, and participation must be indicated through the district superintendent’s office by Oct. 1. Minnesota does not require homeschools to be accredited, though the state recognizes the Home-Based Educators Accrediting Association as the only accrediting agency for homeschools.

The state also requires superintendents to report annually how many homeschool students live in the district, which means Perham-Dent already tracks this category of families even without a formal curriculum option. That data matters because homeschooling has grown statewide. A 2025 report using Minnesota Department of Education data said Minnesota had 31,216 homeschooled students in the 2024-25 school year, a record high and up 7.4% from the year before.

Perham-Dent’s own website points to pieces that could support a homeschool pathway if leaders decide to move ahead, including a community education program, curriculum access information and an e-learning plan. The district also says its stakeholders work together to advance a vision rooted in academic excellence and strong co-curricular programs, and that the school board seeks public involvement and contributions. That makes the survey more than a formality: it is the first test of whether Perham families want the district to compete for students who might otherwise learn from home outside the system.