Homeschool records in Texas: what to keep when the state doesn't ask

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) says it does not regulate, monitor, approve, register or accredit homeschool programs, and you don't need to tell TEA you are homeschooling. If your child is enrolled in a school, you do need to withdraw them.

When you withdraw, TEA's guidance says a school district may ask in writing for a letter of assurance that you are homeschooling and that your curriculum covers the basic subjects, including good citizenship. Such a letter is not required each year, and you don't need to present your curriculum for review.

Texas homeschools are treated as private schools, which must be pursued in a bona fide (genuine) manner using a curriculum in visual form that covers reading, spelling, grammar, math and good citizenship. Records are the easiest way to show that if anyone ever asks.

HSLDA notes that Texas law does not require homeschool records but recommends keeping them. Records may be requested in situations such as:

• Returning to school. Schools decide grade placement and, in high school, which credits to accept. Work samples, book lists and a transcript help.
• College applications. Texas public colleges must treat homeschool graduates by the same general standards as other applicants, so expect to provide a transcript and test scores.
• Driver's license, military enlistment and other paperwork. HSLDA lists these among the occasions when homeschool records may be requested.
• A question about attendance. A clear record of what you teach is your best answer.

If your child has a Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA), the money is spent on approved education expenses through the program's online platform, not paid to you as cash. The program's rules provide for regular audits of accounts and of whether funds were spent on approved expenses.

We could not find a published list of specific records TEFA homeschool families must keep. As good practice:

• Save every purchase confirmation from the platform, with the date, vendor, item and amount.
• Note what each purchase was for, such as "Grade 5 math curriculum" or "Algebra tutoring, fall semester".
• Keep copies of your application documents and any messages from the program.
• Read the parent agreement and program rules each year, since requirements can change.

Our TEFA guide explains how the program works for homeschoolers.

HSLDA's Texas guidance recommends keeping these records for at least two years:

• Attendance records
• Textbook and curriculum information
• Work samples and portfolios
• Test results
• Correspondence with school officials

It recommends keeping some records permanently: high school transcripts, report cards, standardized and college entrance test scores, and immunization records, along with any correspondence with school officials. HSLDA also stresses keeping copies or backups.

• Yearly plan. One page per child listing subjects, the main curriculum for each and a few goals. Make sure reading, spelling, grammar, math and good citizenship are clearly covered.
• Weekly log. A few lines per week on what you did in each subject. A simple attendance tracker can sit alongside it.
• Work samples. A handful of dated pieces per semester in each core subject, chosen to show progress, with a short note on each.
• Photos. Field trips, experiments, projects, sports and art, each with a date and caption.
• Reading log. Titles and dates, including read-alouds and audiobooks.
• Year-end summary. A one-page note per child: where they started, what you covered, what changed and next year's goals.

Store it digitally in one folder per child per year, name files with the date first so they sort in order, and back up to the cloud and a separate drive. Ten minutes at the end of each week keeps it manageable. Our free printables include a weekly planner, learning log, reading log, attendance tracker and work sample record.

In high school, records become a transcript. HSLDA recommends starting it when your student finishes 9th grade (or their first high school courses) and adding to it every year rather than building it in senior year.

• What goes on it. Student name and date of birth, your homeschool's name and address, courses by year with credits and final grades, a grading scale, cumulative credits and GPA, graduation date, and your signature as the school administrator.
• Course descriptions. A short description of each course covering what was studied, materials used and how you graded it. HSLDA says these matter most for selective colleges, big scholarships, military academies and NCAA eligibility.
• Supporting records. Reading lists, a few major papers or projects, dual credit transcripts and test scores.

Our free homeschool high school transcript template on the Printables page gives you a ready layout for Grades 9 to 12, and our guide to homeschooling high school in Texas covers credits, diplomas and college admission.