Texas Homeschool Laws
So, you’re thinking about homeschooling – or maybe you already are! Whether you’re doing research pre or post decision, knowing your state’s homeschool laws is essential to a happy homeschooling journey. There is a ton of information out there, so we broke it down into bite-size chunks to save you time. However, we want to be clear that this information is not legal advice. We always recommend you check out the HSLDA for further information and clarification on Texas homeschool laws.
What Do Texas Homeschooling Laws Cover?
The main aspects of homeschooling laws refer to curriculum, record-keeping, attendance, transcripts, testing, graduation, and notice of intent. Once you have these parts figured out, you can typically move on to the more enjoyable parts of homeschooling!
Curriculum Requirements in Texas
If you’re homeschooling in Texas, your curriculum must be visual. An example of a visual curriculum would be teaching through books or videos. Providing lessons only through an audiobook format would not meet the visual curriculum standard set by Texas.
The instruction must also be “bona fide,” meaning genuine or real. Giving the child a math workbook and telling them to “have at it” would fail to meet this standard, which is mainly a good faith requirement.
Texas seems to require only five subjects for homeschoolers: reading, spelling, grammar, math, and good citizenship. The first three would typically fall under the category of Language Arts. The “good citizenship” requirement could be fulfilled with topics like caring for the environment, learning how voting laws work, and serving the community.
You may have noticed the absence of two core subjects: science and social studies. Though not required by law, you will want to incorporate them into your curriculum. These subjects help make children more knowledgeable and well-rounded, providing them with more tools for success in life after graduation.
It is also worth noting that in Texas public schools, graduation requires courses in English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education, and Personal Finance. While these courses are not all required for homeschooled students, they will certainly make students more competitive if pursuing higher education, and better prepared for life after high school.
Notice of Intent to Homeschool in Texas
If your child has never been enrolled in a public school, you are not required to provide any notice of intent. If your child is enrolled in a public school, you must send a letter of withdrawal with “intent to homeschool” to the office of your county superintendent before withdrawing your child. This step is very important because if the school district is not informed of your intent to homeschool, they may see your child as being truant, and send an officer to check on them. No need to worry! You can make sure that your homeschooling journey starts off on the right foot by submitting your letter of withdrawal. Organizations like the Texas Homeschool Coalition even offer simple ways of preparing this letter!
Texas Homeschool Recordkeeping Requirements
Texas does not have any laws mandating recordkeeping for homeschoolers. While it may be tempting to ignore recordkeeping completely, we recommend that you do keep certain records. Good records can be a vital resource for homeschooling families as they provide a good way to track student progress and encourage a growth mindset! They are also extremely helpful if you decide to send your child back to public school.
Good records contain attendance information, immunization records, names of the texts and workbooks used, samples of schoolwork, test and evaluation results, and any correspondence you have had with school officials. With a few ideas and tips, good recordkeeping doesn’t have to be a headache!
Texas Transcript Requirements
Texas does not require homeschooling parents to keep a transcript for their child. If you do feel like keeping a transcript, however, we suggest including course names, course descriptions, credits earned, and the final grade received in each course. If you take note of these details throughout the school year, you can see where your student specifically struggles and use that information to form a plan to support them.
Testing Requirements for Texas Homeschoolers
Texas does not have any testing requirements for homeschooled students. Strict testing and standards are a common reason to leave public school, so this may be great news for many families. Testing, however, can still be helpful in your homeschooling journey. Testing allows you to gauge both what your student has learned and where they are still struggling. This allows you to create a plan that will support their individual learning needs. Since there are no requirements, you may test as often or as little as you prefer.
Texas Homeschool Laws for Graduation
Texas homeschool laws allow parents to be the ones who determine when their homeschooled student is ready to graduate. They are able to issue their own diploma, and post-secondary schools in the state of Texas are required to apply the same standards to homeschool graduates as to public school and private school graduates. This ensures students are not being disadvantaged simply by being homeschooled.
Alright! Now you know the basics of Texas homeschool laws. Remember that the provided information should not be taken as legal advice. Make sure you regularly check your local and state laws, along with the HSLDA to stay current on your state’s requirements.
Miacademy and MiaPrep are great tools to have during your homeschooling journey. Our accredited, flexible curriculum can help you build a learning path that fits your child’s individual needs. Still have questions about homeschooling or our sites? Reach out to our friendly customer service representatives in the chat box on the home page (click our logo) or email us at [email protected].