How to start homeschooling in Texas: a step-by-step guide

Texas treats homeschools as private schools. Children aged 6 to 18 must attend school, and a homeschool counts when it is run in a bona fide (genuine) way, uses a curriculum in visual form and covers reading, spelling, grammar, math and good citizenship.

There is no registration, no teacher qualification, no required testing and no set number of hours. Read our full guide to homeschooling in Texas for the detail and official links.

If your child currently attends a public school, send the principal or registrar a short letter (email is fine, but keep a copy) saying that from a stated date your child is withdrawn to be educated at home in a private school setting.

You don't need the school's permission. Keep your copy with the date you sent it in case of attendance questions. Some districts ask for a signed letter of assurance that you will teach the required subjects.

Before buying anything, spend a week or two finding out where your child is in reading and math. Short, low-pressure activities, a few placement questions and conversations about what they enjoy will tell you more than a long test.

Success Homeschool's free practice checks give a quick read on each topic, and Success Tutoring offers a free academic assessment if you'd like an outside view.

Your curriculum can be a boxed program, individual textbooks and workbooks, online courses, library books or a mix — as long as it is in written or visual form and covers the required subjects.

Many families start with a strong math and reading program and add science, history and electives from free resources. You don't need to follow the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), though some families use them as a checklist.

Decide on your learning days, a start time and roughly how long each subject gets. Younger children often need only one to three focused hours a day; older students more.

Our free homeschool timetable generator lays out a balanced week you can drag, edit and print. Review it after a few weeks — the best plan is the one that fits your family.

Texas doesn't ask you to submit records, but keeping them shows your homeschool is bona fide and makes transcripts, TEFA paperwork and any return to school easier. A curriculum list, a weekly log and a few dated work samples each term are enough. From Grade 9, keep a running transcript.

Texas Education Freedom Accounts provide $2,000 a year for eligible homeschool students from 2026–27, with a waitlist. Check EducationFreedom.Texas.gov for current rules.

Local homeschool groups and co-ops, libraries, museums' homeschool days and state parks' Junior Ranger programs make it easy to add community and hands-on learning. If your child needs extra help in a subject, a tutor can work alongside your homeschool — see our homeschool tutoring guide.