The best attendance record is one you can keep consistently. Rhode Island requires an attendance register, but you do not need to import another state’s hours calculation to make your own records useful.
The statutory standard
Section 16-19-2 says attendance must be substantially equal to that required by law in public schools, with registers kept and returned to the school committee, superintendent of schools or truant officers. The provision does not prescribe a single statewide homeschool register template or a fixed homeschool-specific daily hours requirement.
You may encounter 180 days as a common local benchmark linked to the public-school year. Clarify your committee’s attendance expectations and approved arrangements. Do not present 180 days or a particular hours total as a universal homeschool target set out in § 16-19-2.
Keep the register simple
A practical family record can identify the student and school year and list the dates on which instruction occurred. A short note about learning can be useful, but distinguish those optional notes from the attendance entries themselves.
- Record actual instruction days rather than filling in projected dates as completed.
- Keep each child’s entries identifiable, even when siblings learn together.
- Review the dates periodically for omissions or duplicate entries.
- Keep a copy of the register you return and evidence of when you sent it.
Ask about format and return timing
The law requires registers to be kept and returned. Ask your committee or superintendent what format and return procedure it expects, and keep the answer with your approval records. A locally requested date should be recorded as your local follow-up date—not advertised as a statewide filing deadline.
Logs and the register do different jobs
Learning logs can hold reading, activities, subjects and optional time notes. The attendance register answers the narrower question of when the child attended instruction. In Pennsole, logged school days feed a dated register; check that your entries reflect actual instruction before downloading or sharing it. Recording hours for your own planning does not create a legal hours mandate.
A home base for your Rhode Island records
Pennsole’s Rhode Island requirements guide and request and instruction-plan generator are free, with no account needed. Membership adds saved plans, daily logs, an attendance register, progress-report templates, optional portfolios, a committee log and an evaluation tracker. Rhode Island membership is $149/year ($12.42/month billed annually).
Official sources
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-19-1 — compulsory attendance and approved home instruction
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-19-2 — approval, subjects and attendance registers
- Rhode Island Department of Education — home schooling
Reviewed October 25, 2026. General guidance, not legal advice. Check current law and your school committee’s procedures before acting.