Returning to public school after homeschooling in Texas: enrollment, placement and credits

Enrollment is handled by your local school district, not TEA, so start by contacting the district or the campus you're zoned for. Admission rules are set out in Chapter 25 of the Texas Education Code. In most cases a student is entitled to attend the district where they and a parent live.

• Ask about the process. Many districts enroll online, then ask you to bring documents to the campus. Typical items are proof of identity and age, proof of residence, immunization records and the parent's ID.
• Mention that your child was homeschooled. It changes which records the school will ask for and how it decides placement.
• Ask for a meeting. For middle and high school, ask to meet the counselor before the first day to talk about classes and credits.

Texas has no homeschool registration, so there's nothing to cancel with the state. Your child simply starts attending once enrolled.

TEA's homeschooling page says most districts have policies and procedures to assess the mastery level of courses homeschooled students have taken. The district uses what it finds to decide grade placement, credit or both.

TEA's guidance letter to districts says homeschool transfer students should be treated the same as students transferring from unaccredited private schools. It describes the options districts can use:

• reviewing your child's curriculum and work
• for elementary students, a nationally recognized norm-referenced test or a previously released STAAR test for the grade level
• for secondary students, credit by examination or previously released STAAR end-of-course tests

Whether to test at all is a local decision. TEA also says that when assessments are used, the passing standard for homeschooled students should be no higher than for students from unaccredited private schools. Ask your district for its written policy on homeschool transfers before you enroll.

If your teen has done high school work at home, the district decides which of those credits it will accept toward a Texas public high school diploma. Under 19 TAC §74.26, districts must evaluate the records of students transferring from Texas nonpublic schools and place them in appropriate classes promptly, and TEA's guidance applies that to homeschool transfers.

• Bring a clear transcript. List each course by year with credits and final grades, plus your grading scale. Course descriptions, textbook lists and a few work samples help the counselor decide.
• Expect some credits to be tested or not accepted. Districts can review work or use assessments. TEA's guidance says the 70% standard for courses already taken should apply rather than the 80% standard for courses not previously taken.
• Ask about end-of-course tests. Public school graduation programs include state assessment requirements. Ask the counselor which STAAR end-of-course tests your teen will need to take for the courses the district accepts.
• Dual credit and AP scores count. Bring official college transcripts and AP score reports; these are usually easier for districts to accept than home-graded courses.

Talk to the counselor about the graduation plan and endorsements early, especially if your teen is entering in Grade 10 or later.

Credit by examination (CBE) is one way for your teen to earn credit for a high school course without retaking it. Under 19 TAC §74.24, districts must approve exams for high school courses, and a student with no prior instruction who scores at least 80% on an approved exam must be given the credit. A student can attempt credit by exam for a given high school course no more than twice.

For courses your teen has already studied at home, TEA's homeschool guidance points to the lower 70% standard for prior instruction. Districts publish CBE testing windows during the year, so ask for the dates as soon as you know you're enrolling.

CBE also exists for acceleration in elementary grades, with its own requirements. Ask your district if you think your younger child is ready to skip a grade.

• UIL: Once enrolled, your child follows the same UIL eligibility rules as any other student, including academic eligibility. UIL's homeschool FAQ says homeschool students are subject to the same rules and procedures as other students and may need a Previous Athletic Participation Form (PAPF). Students who have recently moved or changed schools can face extra eligibility review before playing varsity sports, so talk to the campus athletic coordinator before the season starts.
• TEFA: Texas Education Freedom Accounts are for students who are not enrolled in a public school. The program says a student enrolled in a public school isn't eligible, and that a participating student found enrolled in a public school will be removed from the program, with their funding returned to the state. If your child has a TEFA account, check with the program before you enroll and think about the timing.

For many kids the biggest change is the routine, not the schoolwork. A little preparation helps.

• Visit first. Walk the campus, find the classroom, cafeteria and pick-up line, and meet the teacher if you can.
• Practice the day. Shift bedtimes and wake-up times in the weeks before, and try the bus or car route.
• Talk about what's different. Bells, schedules, homework, lockers, hall passes and dress codes can all be new.
• Expect gaps and strengths. Your child may be ahead in some subjects and need to catch up in others. Both are normal.
• Check in early. Email the teacher or counselor after the first few weeks to see how things are going.
• Allow for tiredness. Full school days are long, so keep afternoons and weekends light at first.

If your child has a disability or learning needs, ask the school about an evaluation and support under special education or Section 504, and bring any reports you have.