Everything you need to know about homeschooling in Texas - one of the most homeschool-friendly states in the country. No notification, no testing, no record-keeping required. Updated for the 2025-2026 school year.
Texas is one of the easiest states in the country to homeschool. Under Texas law, homeschools are legally classified as private schools, which means they are exempt from virtually all state regulation. There is no notification requirement, no registration, no approval process, no mandatory testing, and no record-keeping obligation.
The legal foundation comes from the landmark Leeper v. Arlington ISD (1994) Texas Supreme Court ruling, which established that homeschools qualify as private schools under state law. This was further strengthened by the Homeschool Freedom Act of 2025 (HB 2674), which explicitly prohibits any state agency from regulating homeschooling.
The only legal requirements are straightforward: pursue a course of study in a bona fide (genuine, good-faith) manner, use a written curriculum consisting of visual materials, and cover five required subjects.
Texas has no notification requirement at all. You do not need to tell the state, the school district, or anyone else that you are homeschooling. If your child has never been in public school, you simply start teaching. This is one of the lightest regulatory environments in the entire country.
Texas does not offer multiple compliance paths like some states. Instead, there is a single legal framework: your homeschool operates as a private school. This classification gives homeschool families the same legal standing as any other private school in Texas.
| Requirement | Texas Homeschool (Private School) |
|---|---|
| Legal Basis | Leeper v. Arlington ISD (1994) + HB 2674 (2025) |
| Notification | None required |
| Attendance | No minimum days or hours |
| Teacher Qualification | None (parent teaches) |
| Required Subjects | 5 subjects (reading, spelling, grammar, math, good citizenship) |
| Curriculum | Must use written/visual materials (bona fide) |
| Testing | None required |
| Record-Keeping | None required by law |
The Texas Supreme Court ruled in Leeper v. Arlington ISD that homeschools qualify as private schools and are exempt from compulsory attendance laws, as long as they pursue a course of study in a bona fide manner using a curriculum consisting of visual materials covering the five required subjects.
This law explicitly prohibits any state agency from regulating homeschooling, further strengthening protections for Texas homeschool families. It codified the freedoms that the Leeper decision established and put them beyond the reach of future regulatory action.
The Leeper ruling requires that instruction be pursued in a bona fide manner - meaning genuine and in good faith. As long as you are actually educating your children using real curriculum materials, you meet this standard. The state cannot inspect or evaluate your program.
How you start homeschooling in Texas depends on whether your child is currently enrolled in public school.
No action is required. Simply choose your curriculum, covering the five required subjects with written materials, and begin teaching. You do not need to notify anyone.
You must send a withdrawal letter to the school before beginning homeschool. This is the only formal step required.
Begin homeschooling immediately after withdrawal. If there is a gap between withdrawal and the start of instruction, the school may mark your child absent and potentially file truancy charges. There should be no period where your child is neither enrolled nor being homeschooled.
Keep a copy of your withdrawal letter and any confirmation from the school. Send it via certified mail or email so you have proof of delivery. Blue Folder can generate a withdrawal letter for you, pre-filled with your information. Try it free →
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Texas does not require a minimum number of school days, instructional hours, or specific school calendar. You set your own schedule entirely. There is no requirement to follow the public school calendar, and you can school year-round, take breaks whenever you want, or adjust your schedule as needed.
There is also no legal requirement to track attendance. The state does not ask for attendance logs, and you do not need to submit any records of your school days.
Even though Texas does not require attendance tracking, many experienced homeschool families keep basic attendance records for their own reference. This is especially helpful if your child plans to attend college, return to public school, or if you want documentation of your homeschool program. Most families log between 160-180 days of instruction per year.
Texas has no legal requirement to keep records of any kind. You are not required to maintain a portfolio, keep attendance logs, save work samples, or document your curriculum. This makes Texas one of the simplest states for homeschool compliance.
However, experienced families strongly recommend keeping records for practical reasons, even though they are not legally required.
Even in a state with no record-keeping requirements, keeping organized records makes your life easier. Use Blue Folder to track attendance, upload work samples, and build a compliance binder - so you always have documentation if you need it. Try it free →
If your child is college-bound, detailed records become essential. Parents create their own transcripts in Texas. Include courses, grades, credits, and GPA. Texas colleges are required to accept homeschool graduates on equal terms with public and private school graduates.
Texas does not require any annual evaluation, testing, or assessment of homeschool students. There are no portfolio reviews, no standardized tests, and no progress reports to submit to anyone.
This is one of the key advantages of Texas homeschool law. You are the sole judge of your child's educational progress.
While not required, some families choose to administer standardized tests for their own purposes. Common options include:
If you participate in the new Education Savings Account (ESA) program (applications open February 2026), annual standardized testing will be required as a condition of participation. Many homeschool families choose not to participate specifically to maintain full freedom from testing requirements.
Texas requires homeschools to cover five subjects using a written curriculum with visual materials. This is the core legal requirement established by the Leeper v. Arlington ISD decision.
Good citizenship encompasses civics, U.S. and Texas history, government, and civic responsibility. This can be taught through textbooks, historical reading, community involvement, current events discussions, or any other approach you choose.
The only format that does not qualify is purely oral instruction with no written component. As long as your teaching includes some form of written or visual material, you satisfy this requirement.
The following subjects are not legally required in Texas, but many families choose to include them:
For college-bound students, covering a well-rounded set of subjects beyond the required five is highly recommended. Texas public universities use a 26-credit template that includes 4 credits each of English, math, science, and social studies, plus foreign language, fine arts, PE, and electives.
Texas has remarkably few deadlines for homeschool families. Since there is no notification, no evaluation, and no annual filing, the timeline is driven entirely by your own decisions.
| When | What | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Before withdrawing from public school | Send withdrawal letter | Required only if child is currently enrolled. Begin homeschool immediately after - no gap. |
| February 4, 2026 | ESA applications open | Optional. Education Savings Account program (SB 2) for 2026-27 school year. Up to $2,000/year for homeschoolers. |
| Fall (annually) | SAT/ACT registration | Optional. Only if your student is college-bound and needs test scores for admissions. |
| When you decide | Graduation | Parents determine when the student has met graduation requirements and issue the diploma. |
Most states have mandatory filing deadlines, annual evaluation due dates, and attendance reporting periods. Texas has none of these. The only time-sensitive action is sending a withdrawal letter before pulling your child from public school.
Texas offers several financial resources for homeschool families, including a major new program launching in 2026.
Signed into law in May 2025 as SB 2, the Texas ESA program provides funds for educational expenses. Applications open February 4, 2026 for the 2026-27 school year.
| Student Category | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Homeschool students | Up to $2,000/year |
| Private school students | Up to $10,000/year |
| Students with disabilities | Up to $30,000/year |
Participating in the ESA program adds requirements that do not otherwise exist for Texas homeschoolers: annual standardized testing, annual spending audits, and use of approved vendors. Many families choose not to participate in order to maintain full freedom from government oversight.
Under HB 3041 (2025), homeschoolers are now eligible for TEXAS Grants starting Fall 2026. This is a significant financial aid opportunity for college-bound homeschool students attending Texas public universities.
HB 3041 also created an automatic admission pathway for homeschoolers at Texas public universities using SAT/ACT scores, putting homeschool graduates on equal footing with public and private school graduates.
Texas has significantly expanded public school access for homeschoolers in recent years, with major new laws taking effect in 2025.
Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, homeschool students can participate in UIL (University Interscholastic League) activities at their local public school. This includes:
Schools must allow participation unless the local school board formally opted out before September 1, 2025. If your local school opted out, you can participate at the nearest school that allows it.
Homeschoolers have equal access to dual credit courses at public colleges. Community colleges have offered this since 2001, and under HB 3041 (2025), four-year universities now also participate. Credits count toward both high school completion and college.
Dual credit courses are an excellent way to get a head start on college while building a strong transcript. Many Texas homeschool students graduate with significant college credit or even an Associate's degree by age 18.
Texas homeschool law is simple, but new families still run into avoidable problems. Here are the most common ones.
If you are withdrawing your child from public school, keep a copy of your withdrawal letter and proof of delivery. This is your primary legal protection if the school questions your child's enrollment status. Without it, you could face truancy allegations.
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Track Texas ComplianceDisclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Homeschool laws can change. Always verify current requirements with the Texas Education Agency or consult a qualified attorney. For more information, see TEA Home Schooling and the Texas Home School Coalition. Last updated February 2026.