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Homeschooling is legal in every US state, and each state writes its own rules. Some ask families for nothing at all, while others want a notice, a teaching plan, regular reports and a yearly assessment.
This guide covers what six states require, how online schools fit into state law, diplomas and accreditation, test fees, and the routes to college, federal student aid and NCAA sport.
Yes, in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. There is no federal homeschooling law, so what you have to do depends on where you live.
| State | How the law treats it | What you file | What else it requires |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | As a private school, under the Leeper v. Arlington ISD ruling | Nothing to the state, and a written withdrawal notice if your child leaves a public school | A written curriculum covering reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics and good citizenship, taught in good faith |
| Illinois | As a private school | Nothing, though a voluntary registration form is available | Teaching of the subjects taught in public schools, in English |
| California | As a home-based private school, or through a charter, independent study or a credentialed tutor | A yearly Private School Affidavit with the California Department of Education, for a home-based private school | Attendance records and a list of courses, with instruction in English |
| Florida | As a home education programme under state law | A notice of intent to the county school superintendent within 30 days of starting | A portfolio kept for two years, and an annual educational evaluation filed with the district |
| New York | As home instruction under a state regulation | A notice of intent by 1 July, or within 14 days of starting, then an Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP) | Quarterly reports and an annual assessment |
| Pennsylvania | As a home education programme under the School Code | A notarised affidavit or unsworn declaration to the district superintendent before you start, and by 1 August each year | A portfolio with test results in grades 3, 5 and 8, reviewed each year by an evaluator |
Each state sets its own compulsory school age and decides where home education fits. Texas and Illinois treat a homeschool as a private school, while Florida, New York and Pennsylvania have rules written for home education.
Rules change, and school districts handle the paperwork in slightly different ways, so read your state education department's guidance before you withdraw your child. HSLDA's state summaries are a useful starting point, but your state's own law and guidance are what count.
All three happen at home, but the law treats them differently, and the difference decides what you file.
Federal data on learning at homeYou direct your child's education and follow your state's homeschool law. You choose the curriculum and keep the records, and you usually issue the transcript and diploma yourself, because many states don't issue diplomas to homeschooled students.
The school teaches, marks and keeps the records, and it issues the transcript and diploma. Whether enrolment counts as private school attendance depends on your state. New York, for example, doesn't recognise diplomas from online-only schools, so families there file the home instruction paperwork and use the online school as part of their plan.
A state-funded virtual school is free, but your child is a public school student, so its attendance, testing and curriculum rules apply. In 2022/23, 1.8% of US students studied full time at a virtual public or private school, and 3.4% were homeschooled.
These five steps cover most states. Take them in this order so your child is never out of compliance between schools.
Find your state education department's homeschool page and the law behind it. Note what you have to file and when, and whether your state sets subjects, hours, testing or evaluations.
If your child is enrolled, write to the school to withdraw them. Texas, for example, tells districts to take a student off the roll once they receive a withdrawal letter or signed withdrawal forms.
That might be nothing, a notice of intent, an affidavit or a full instruction plan. Keep a dated copy of everything you send.
Decide whether you'll teach from your own materials, join a co-op or enrol with an online school, and check how your state classifies the option you pick.
Attendance, work samples, course lists and grades feed your state's portfolio or reports, your transcript, college applications and any NCAA review.
