Homeschooling in Texas Starts With the Curriculum, Not the Paperwork

It's natural to expect homeschooling in Texas to begin with forms. Then they read the rules and find there's almost nothing to file. No state registration, no annual approval, no required test. That surprise is good news, and it shifts the real work to the part that matters most: building a homeschool curriculum in Texas that fits your child.

Here's the short version. In Texas, homeschools are treated like private schools, and the Texas Education Agency (TEA) doesn't regulate, approve or register them. What's expected is a curriculum that covers reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics and good citizenship. Everything else, from the materials you use to your schedule, is your call. Always confirm details with your district, and check the TEA's own pages before you rely on any summary, including this one.

What does Texas require to homeschool?

Texas expects a homeschool curriculum that covers five basic areas: reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics and good citizenship. That's the core. The state doesn't approve curricula, set a minimum number of school days or require annual testing. The TEA says it does not regulate, approve or register homeschool programs. Families choose their own materials and schedule.

The legal footing comes from a Texas Supreme Court case, Leeper v. Arlington ISD. The TEA summarizes it this way: students who are homeschooled are exempt from compulsory attendance to the same extent as students enrolled in private schools.

The five subjects come up most directly in what's called a letter of assurance. According to the TEA's 2019 guidance to school districts, a district that thinks a child may be homeschooled can ask the parents in writing to confirm it. That letter may ask you to confirm that your curriculum is designed to meet basic goals in reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics and good citizenship. The same guidance says a letter like this is not required every year.

How do you withdraw a child from public school in Texas?

If your child is enrolled in public school, withdraw them in writing. The TEA's 2019 guidance says students should be disenrolled when school officials receive written notice, either a signed withdrawal form or a letter of withdrawal. Parents don't need to appear in person, present the curriculum for review or meet other requirements to withdraw. A signed, dated letter saying your child is being homeschooled, with the start date, is sufficient documentation.

Keep a copy of the letter and note the date you sent it. If your child has never been enrolled in a Texas public school, there's usually nothing to send at all. Your district may still contact you later with a letter-of-assurance request. If it does, a short written reply covering the five subjects is the norm.

What should a homeschool curriculum in Texas include?

With so little paperwork, the curriculum carries the whole weight of your Texas homeschool. It's the evidence you have a real course of study, it's what you'd describe in a letter of assurance, and it's the thing that decides whether your child is learning. Spend your energy here, not on forms that don't exist.

Start with the five required areas and build outward. Science and history are the usual next layer, and you might add art, music, a foreign language or faith studies, depending on your goals. Under the TEA's guidance, none of those additions are required, which is the freedom Texas gives you. Use it to fit the curriculum to your child rather than copying a public school's scope and sequence.

It helps to think about the curriculum per child, not per family. A seven-year-old and a twelve-year-old can share good citizenship and history, built around one Texas topic. They usually need separate math and reading, each at their own level. Writing that split down early saves you from buying the same program twice or forcing two kids into one pace.

A practical way to build it:

1. Cover the five areas first. One resource or plan each for reading, spelling, grammar, math and good citizenship.
2. Add what your family values. Science and history are the common next layer.
3. Pick the model that fits your hours. Fixed, parent-led and adaptive programs each ask for different amounts of your week. How to choose a homeschool curriculum walks through the trade-offs and a 30-minute test to run with your child.
4. Write it down. A one-page list of subjects and materials per child is enough to answer a letter of assurance.

What counts as good citizenship?

Good citizenship is the least defined of the five areas, and you have room to decide how to teach it. Texas and U.S. history, how local and state government work, civics discussions, community service and biographies of public figures all fit. Many families cover it through history lessons. Note what you used, in a sentence or two, so you can describe it if asked.

Texas history makes an especially natural fit, and it works across ages. A younger child can map the state and learn its symbols. An older one can write about a turning point and the people involved.

Does Texas require records or testing?

Texas doesn't require homeschool families to file records or take state tests. Keeping your own records is still worth it. A short log of subjects, materials and samples of work protects you if questions come up, and it helps if your child later enrolls in a public school.

That second reason matters more than it seems.

Under the TEA's 2019 guidance, a district placing a returning student may review the curriculum, course of study and work, or may use assessments. For elementary students, that means a nationally recognized norm-referenced test or a previously released STAAR test. For secondary students, it means credit-by-examination or previously released STAAR end-of-course tests. Districts decide whether to test. Records you kept along the way make that conversation easier.

How much planning will a Texas homeschool take?

With no state paperwork, the time cost is almost all planning and teaching. That depends on the model you choose. A parent-built curriculum can take many hours a week to assemble. A program that builds lessons for you shrinks planning to a check-in. Decide your hours first, then choose the model, so the curriculum doesn't quietly become a second job.

If you want help with the planning, AI Home Academy builds a full course from your child's subject, grade and length. It dates the lessons on a weekly schedule and records what your child completed and understood. You stay responsible for meeting Texas expectations and for the parts no program covers, like hands-on projects and time with other kids. For the week-to-week rhythm, see a homeschool schedule built for the days nobody cooperates.

If you're comparing Texas with other states, or moving, homeschool laws by state lays out what to check before you start.

Common questions

These are the questions Texas parents ask most once they've read the basics. Each answer is based on the TEA's published guidance. Where something depends on your local district, check with the district directly.

Do I need a teaching certificate to homeschool in Texas? The TEA doesn't list a certificate requirement, and homeschools are treated like private schools under Leeper. Parents teach their own children without state certification.

Does my homeschool need state approval? No. The TEA does not approve or register homeschool programs, so there's no state sign-off to wait for. You can start once your plan is ready and, if needed, your withdrawal letter is sent.

Can a Texas district require me to send a letter every year? No. The TEA's guidance says a letter of assurance is not required each year. A district may ask for one if it believes a child is being homeschooled.

The short version

Homeschooling in Texas starts with a curriculum, not a stack of forms. Cover reading, spelling, grammar, math and good citizenship, withdraw in writing if your child is enrolled, and keep simple records of your own. This week, write a one-page plan: the five areas, one resource for each, and the extras your family wants. That page is your Texas homeschool.

Sources: Texas Education Agency, "Home Schooling" page, homeschool information page and "Home Schools" letter to school administrators (July 11, 2019). Retrieved 2026-10-19. Requirements can change, so confirm with the TEA and your district.