Glossary · Texas
Homeschool glossary
The words you'll meet when you start homeschooling in Texas, explained in plain English, with links to our full guides.
- Bona fide
- Genuine, not a sham. Texas homeschools must be conducted in a bona fide manner. Learn more →
- Charlotte Mason
- An approach based on the ideas of the 19th-century British educator Charlotte Mason: short lessons, "living books", narration, nature study and the arts. Learn more →
- Child find
- The duty under federal law (IDEA) for school districts to locate and evaluate children who may have disabilities, including homeschooled children. Learn more →
- Classical education
- An approach built around three stages — grammar, logic and rhetoric — with a strong emphasis on history, literature and writing. Learn more →
- Co-op
- A group of homeschooling families who share teaching, classes, activities or costs, often meeting weekly. Learn more →
- Deschooling
- A settling-in period after leaving school, when families slow down and let a child adjust before starting structured learning at home.
- Dual credit
- College courses that count toward both high school and college credit; many Texas community colleges accept homeschool students. Learn more →
- Eclectic homeschooling
- Mixing methods and resources — for example a structured math program with interest-led projects — to suit each child. Learn more →
- Good citizenship
- One of the five subjects Texas homeschools must cover, alongside reading, spelling, grammar and math. Learn more →
- Leeper decision
- Texas Education Agency v. Leeper (1994), the Texas Supreme Court case holding that a homeschool run in a bona fide manner is a private school. Learn more →
- Montessori
- A child-led, hands-on approach based on the work of Maria Montessori, most often used in the early and primary years. Learn more →
- Portfolio
- A collection of dated work samples, photos and notes that shows a child's learning and progress over time. Learn more →
- TEA
- The Texas Education Agency. It does not regulate, approve or register homeschools. Learn more →
- TEFA
- Texas Education Freedom Accounts, the state education savings account program; eligible homeschool students can receive up to $2,000 a year for approved expenses. Learn more →
- TEKS
- The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, the state standards for public schools. Homeschools don't have to follow them. Learn more →
- Transcript
- A summary of high school courses, grades and credits issued by the parent as homeschool administrator, used for college and job applications. Learn more →
- UIL
- The University Interscholastic League, which runs public school extracurricular competitions. Since 2025–26 districts must let eligible homeschoolers take part unless they opt out. Learn more →
- Unit study
- Teaching several subjects through one theme, such as the ocean or a historical period; popular with families teaching several ages together. Learn more →
- Unschooling
- Interest-led learning that follows the child's curiosity and everyday life rather than a set curriculum. Learn more →
- Visual curriculum
- Curriculum in written or visual form — books, workbooks, worksheets or online materials — as Texas homeschools must use. Learn more →
- VOE
- Verification of Enrollment and Attendance, the form a homeschooled teen under 18 uses to show school enrollment when applying for a Texas driver license. Learn more →
- Withdrawal letter
- A dated written notice to a public school that a child is being withdrawn to homeschool, so they aren't recorded as absent. Learn more →