Below is brief summary of the home schooling law in Texas.
For a detailed analysis of home schooling in Texas,
see: Texas—A Legal Analysis
(Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
In Texas, home schools are considered private schools.
As such, they are not regulated in any way by the state!
(Did you know that Texas private schools are completely unregulated?
I'd bet some families spending a lot of money on
private schools would be surprised to know that.)
Compulsory School Age
"a child who is at least six years of age, or who is younger than six years of age and has previously been enrolled in first grade, and who has not yet reached the child's 18th birthday."
| Texas Home Schooling Law: | |
| Legal : | Establish and operate a home school as a private school |
| Attendance: | None |
| Bona Fide | Education should be occurring in a good faith manner |
| Curriculum | Formal or informal, from any source, including video and computer or internet-based instruction, |
| Subjects: | Reading, spelling, grammar, math, good citizenship (although there is no standard as to how these subjects should be taught). |
| Qualifications: | None |
| Notice: | None |
| Recordkeeping: | None |
| Testing: | None |
From Texashomesschoolers.com:
You can keep as detailed or as relaxed records as you wish.
If the school hassles you, the best response is to say, "If you will submit to me in writing what you want, I'll be glad to respond, according to state law and TEA guidelines." When (if) this request is given in writing, the parent should send a simple letter of assurance. A sample is given below:
"This letter is to assure you that we have a curriculum that covers the basic areas of reading, spelling, grammar, math and a course in good citizenship. We are pursuing it in a bona fide manner. If you have any further questions please submit them to us in writing."
Please note, that only a few schools have attempted to cause trouble for home schooling parents. Do not go into the situation assuming you will have a difficult time. Many schools are understanding and aware of home schooling in Texas, even if they do not necessarily agree with the choice.
