Texas

Texas Education Code § 25.086(a)(1) (Private School Exemption)

Leeper v. Arlington ISD (Texas Supreme Court, 1994)

In 1994, the Texas Supreme Court unanimously ruled (9-0) that home schools are private schools under Texas law. This landmark decision established that homeschoolers are exempt from compulsory attendance requirements to the same extent as students enrolled in private schools.

Key Legal Sources

Bottom Line: Texas does not regulate, monitor, approve, register, or accredit homeschools. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has no authority over home education.

Texas is one of the least regulated states for homeschooling. There are only three requirements:

The Three Requirements

What Texas Does NOT Require

• No notification to state or district
• No registration or approval
• No testing or portfolio
• No evaluations
• No attendance records
• No minimum hours or days
• No teacher qualifications
• No specific curriculum

If your child has never been enrolled in public school, you simply obtain curriculum and begin. No paperwork required.

If Your Child Has Never Attended Public School

1. Choose a curriculum covering the 5 required subjects
2. Begin teaching
3. That's it — no notification required

If Your Child Is Currently in Public School

1. Write a withdrawal letter
2. Send to the school principal
3. Begin homeschooling

See Withdrawing from Public School section for the process and sample letter.

Compulsory School Age

Your curriculum must cover these five basic subjects:

Visual Curriculum Requirement

Your curriculum must be in visual form — something the student can see and read:

• Textbooks and workbooks
• Online programs
• Video courses
• Computer-based curriculum
• Library books
• Educational websites

Not acceptable: Purely oral instruction with no written or visual materials.

Bona Fide Instruction

"Bona fide" means genuine, in good faith — not a sham to avoid truancy laws. As long as you are actually teaching your child using real materials, you meet this requirement.

Additional Subjects (Recommended)

While only 5 subjects are legally required, most families also teach:

• Science
• History/Social Studies
• Foreign Language
• Art and Music
• Physical Education

For college-bound students, science and history are essential — colleges will expect them.

If your child is currently enrolled in public school, you must formally withdraw them before beginning to homeschool.

Withdrawal Process

1. Write a letter stating your intent to withdraw and homeschool
2. Include the date homeschooling will begin
3. Send via certified mail (return receipt requested) to the school principal
4. Keep a copy for your records

Important Notes

• You do NOT need to go to the school in person
• You do NOT need to fill out school forms
• You do NOT need to present curriculum for review
• You do NOT need permission
• If the school requests more, respond with a letter of assurance

TEA has instructed districts that a letter of assurance meets compliance guidelines.

No State Graduation Requirements

Texas has no graduation requirements for homeschoolers:

• Parents determine when student has completed high school
• Parents determine graduation requirements
• Parents issue the diploma
• No minimum age for graduation

Texas law treats homeschool graduation as equivalent to public school graduation.

Parent-Issued Diplomas

When your student completes your requirements:

1. Create a diploma (templates available online)
2. Sign and date it
3. Create a transcript documenting coursework

Creating Transcripts

A transcript should include:

• Student name and information
• Homeschool name and parent contact
• Courses by year with grades and credit hours
• Cumulative GPA
• Graduation date

Suggested High School Planning

For reference, Texas public schools require 22 credits for a Foundation diploma. Common recommendations:

These are suggestions, not requirements. Design your program to match your student's goals.

Strong Legal Protections

Texas law provides significant protections for homeschool graduates applying to college.

Texas Education Code § 51.9241 states:

"The state of Texas considers successful completion of a nontraditional secondary education to be equivalent to graduation from a public high school."

What This Means

• Texas public colleges cannot discriminate against homeschool applicants
• Homeschoolers must be held to the same general standards as public school graduates
• No different or additional requirements can be imposed solely because of homeschool status

Automatic Admission

Texas homeschool graduates have equal access to automatic admission programs at state universities (top 10% rule, etc.) when they meet the same criteria as other students.

What Colleges Typically Want

Financial Aid

• Homeschool graduates are eligible for FAFSA
• HB 3041 (2025) clarified eligibility for state financial aid programs
• Apply as "homeschool graduate" on FAFSA

UIL Sports Participation

As of 2021 (HB 547), homeschoolers may participate in University Interscholastic League (UIL) activities if:

• School district has opted in (not all do)
• Student takes nationally-normed standardized test for initial eligibility
• After first 6 weeks, student meets "no pass, no play" requirements
• Parent provides written assurance student is passing all subjects
• Student was not enrolled in public school that same year

Check with your local district to see if they allow homeschool participation.

Part-Time Public School

Districts may allow part-time enrollment — this is a local decision. Contact your district to inquire.

Driver's Education

Homeschool parents can provide driver's education to their teens, including classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel training.

Records and Documentation

While not required, keeping records is recommended:

• Curriculum materials used
• Work samples
• Attendance (informal)
• Transcripts (especially for high school)

Records are helpful for college applications, returning to public school, and responding to inquiries.

Returning to Public School

If your child returns to public school:

• Schools must accept transfer students from homeschools
• Schools may assess mastery level for placement
• Schools may evaluate courses for credit (high school)
• Homeschool students should be treated same as transfers from unaccredited private schools

Special Needs

Homeschoolers with special needs are not entitled to public school special education services. However:

• Some districts may offer services voluntarily
• Private evaluations and therapies are available
• Many homeschool support groups serve special needs families

Dual Enrollment

Homeschoolers can take community college courses. Check with local colleges for policies — many welcome homeschool students.