Homeschooling in Texas: laws, requirements and how it works

Yes. Texas law requires children who are at least 6 and under 19 to attend school, but students enrolled in a private or parochial school are exempt — and that includes a homeschool.

The basis for this is the Texas Supreme Court's 1994 decision in Texas Education Agency v. Leeper, which held that a home school is a private school when it is run in a bona fide manner. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) says it does not regulate, monitor, approve, register or accredit homeschool programs.

Under the Leeper decision, a Texas homeschool must:

• be conducted in a bona fide (genuine, not sham) manner;
• use a curriculum in visual form — for example books, workbooks, worksheets or online materials;
• cover the basic subjects of reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics and good citizenship.

That's it. Texas does not require registration, teacher qualifications, standardized testing, a set number of school days or hours, or approval of your curriculum. Science, history and other subjects are not legally required, but most families teach them — and colleges usually expect them on a high school transcript.

If your child has never been enrolled in a public school, you can simply start. If they are currently enrolled, send the school a short written notice that you are withdrawing them to homeschool, and keep a copy with the date you sent it. Without notice the school may record your child as absent, which can lead to truancy follow-up.

Some districts ask parents to sign a letter of assurance that the homeschool will teach the required subjects. TEA's guidance to districts discusses withdrawal documentation and letters of assurance; HSLDA publishes a sample statement of assurance.

Senate Bill 2 (2025) created Texas Education Freedom Accounts, an education savings account program run by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. For the 2026–27 school year, eligible homeschool students receive $2,000 a year, which can be spent on approved education expenses through the program's payment system — not withdrawn as cash.

Demand has been far higher than the number of places. In August 2026 the Comptroller reported funding for more than 100,000 students and more than 100,000 more on the 2026–27 waitlist. Taking TEFA money does not change your homeschool's legal status, but check the program rules and the approved-expense list on EducationFreedom.Texas.gov before you apply or spend.

From the 2025–26 school year, SB 401 changed the default for University Interscholastic League (UIL) activities: school districts must let eligible homeschool students take part unless the district's board has adopted a policy opting out.

Students usually participate through the school they are zoned to attend and must meet eligibility conditions. The UIL's homeschool FAQ is the place to check current rules before you contact your district.

Apart from UIL, Texas doesn't give homeschoolers a general right to take public school classes; it is up to each district. TEA's guidance notes that districts must give homeschool students the opportunity to take PSAT/NMSQT and Advanced Placement exams.

Homeschooled children with disabilities may be eligible for some services funded under the federal IDEA through the local district. Contact your district's special education department to ask what is available.

For high school courses, the Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN) offers online courses through approved providers; check with TEA and the provider about eligibility and costs.

The State of Texas does not issue diplomas to homeschooled students. As the administrator of a private school, the parent decides when a student has completed high school and can issue a diploma and transcript.

TEA notes that successfully completing a homeschool program is treated as equivalent to graduating from high school for college admission, although colleges may still set their own requirements such as standardized test scores. Keep a clear transcript with courses, grades and credits from Grade 9 onward.

Texas doesn't require you to submit records, but keeping them is the simplest way to show your homeschool is bona fide if questions ever come up — and it makes transcripts, TEFA paperwork and returning to school much easier.

A useful record is: your curriculum list for each subject, a weekly log of what was covered, a few dated work samples each term, and — in high school — a running transcript. Success Homeschool's free planner and learning record are designed for exactly this.