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Homeschooling in Texas

Homeschool rules in Texas, in plain English

In Texas, a homeschool is legally treated as a private school, so you do not register with the state, get approval, or report to the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Your teaching must be genuine (not a sham), use books, workbooks, or other visual materials, and cover reading, spelling, grammar, math, and good citizenship. If your child was enrolled in public school, send the school a dated written withdrawal letter.

See another state

This explains each state's homeschool rules in plain English, from the state's own published sources. It isn't legal advice, and we aren't lawyers. Laws change and every family is different, so check with your state, your school district or a lawyer before you rely on it.

How much it asks
Light: few or no forms
School age
Age 6 (or younger, if previously enrolled in first grade) until the 19th birthday. Homeschoolers are exempt under the private school exemption.
Time
No set number

Option 1

Home school under the private school exemption

Parents who teach their children at home themselves or with tutors. Texas law treats a bona fide home school as a private school for compulsory attendance.

  1. Before you startWhat to teach

    Plan a genuine program

    Your instruction must be bona fide, meaning real and not a sham. The curriculum must be in visual form, such as books, workbooks, or written or screen materials. It must cover reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and good citizenship.

  2. Before you start, if your child is enrolledPaperwork

    Withdraw from public school, if enrolled

    If your child is currently enrolled in a Texas public school, give the school a signed, dated letter stating that you are withdrawing the child to homeschool and the date homeschooling begins. No district or TEA approval is needed. If the child was never enrolled, no notice is required.

  3. OngoingWhat to teach

    Teach the required subjects

    Keep the program going with the five subjects every year. Texas sets no minimum number of days or hours.

  4. Only if a school district asks in writingPaperwork

    Answer a letter of assurance if asked

    A school district that learns of a home school may ask you in writing for a letter of assurance that your child is being homeschooled and that the curriculum covers the basic subjects. Such a letter is not required every year.

Option 2

Enroll in a private school that includes good citizenship

Families who want a private school with staff and its own course of study instead of teaching at home. The school must include a study of good citizenship in its course.

  1. Before you startGood to know

    Choose a private school

    Find a private or parochial school that includes a study of good citizenship in its course. The TEA does not accredit or monitor private schools.

  2. Before the first day at the private schoolPaperwork

    Enroll and withdraw from public school, if enrolled

    Enroll your child in the private school. If your child is in public school, send the district a signed, dated withdrawal letter stating the date the child leaves.

Subjects to teach

  • Reading
  • Spelling
  • Grammar
  • Mathematics
  • Good citizenship

Tests and reviews

Texas does not require standardized tests, evaluations, portfolio reviews, or teacher qualifications for homeschoolers. The TEA does not monitor or approve home school programs.

Records to keep

  • Keep a copy of your dated withdrawal letter if your child was enrolled in a public school.
  • Keep a copy of any letter of assurance you send to a school district.
  • State law sets no required record-keeping period. Many families keep course lists, samples of work, and grades for transcripts.

About time

Texas sets no minimum number of school days or instructional hours for homeschools. Texas public schools have a 180-day calendar, but that rule does not apply to home schools.

Also good to know

  • Returning to public school is allowed at any time. Most districts assess a returning student's mastery of courses taken at home and use the results for grade placement or credit.
  • The State of Texas does not award diplomas to homeschooled students. The TEA says successful completion of a home school education is considered equivalent to a public high school graduation for Texas college admission.
  • Under Texas Education Code 29.916, districts must let home school students take the PSAT/NMSQT and Advanced Placement tests that the district offers to its enrolled students.

What we couldn’t confirm

  • Special education services for a homeschooled child with a disability. I did not find an official source that I could confirm for this guide.
  • Whether a state education savings account program for homeschool families is available and what it requires. I did not confirm its terms from an official source.
  • The full text of Texas Education Code 25.086 and 25.085, and the 2025 homeschool law (HB 2674). I could not open the official statute pages directly, so I relied on passages quoted in official TEA and Texas Children's Commission materials and secondary sources.
  • Whether a child who is at least 17 and has a diploma or equivalency certificate, or is in a course to prepare for the equivalency exam, has any other rules. I did not confirm this.

From Texas’s own sources

Last checked against these sources on November 7, 2026. We check every state each week.

How Study Naturally helps in Texas

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Homeschooling in Texas

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