How to Homeschool in Arkansas (2026 Guide)

The short version

Arkansas is among the least restrictive homeschool states in the country. The entire legal obligation comes down to one annual step: file a Notice of Intent (NOI) with your local school district superintendent by August 15 each year. After that, you choose your own curriculum, set your own schedule, and keep whatever records you find personally useful — the state does not mandate any particular subjects, standardized testing, or academic records from homeschool families. No teacher certification is required. Arkansas also has the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program, created by the 2023 LEARNS Act, which became universally available to all K–12 students starting in the 2025–26 school year and can provide approximately $6,800 per student annually for approved education expenses — including curriculum, tutoring, online programs, and more.

Legal basis

Arkansas homeschool law is found in Ark. Code § 6-15-501 through § 6-15-510 (Subchapter 5 of Chapter 15, Title 6 of the Arkansas Code). The subchapter defines a home school, establishes the notice requirement, addresses re-enrollment in public schools, restricts state and local funding, and governs homeschool student participation in public school interscholastic activities.

Section 6-15-501 defines a “home school” as a school provided by a parent or legal guardian for their own children. This definition is important: the law only permits parents and legal guardians to operate a home school for their own children. It does not extend to co-op arrangements where unrelated families share teaching responsibilities unless those operate under a separate legal structure.

Section 6-15-503 is the operational heart of the law. It requires parents who intend to homeschool to give written notice to their local school district superintendent at the beginning of each school year, no later than August 15. The same section specifies what information the notice must include and confirms that the state and local districts may not create additional criteria or require additional information beyond what the statute specifies. Subsection (b) expressly states that information submitted on the NOI is confidential and not subject to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act — it may be used only for statistical and recordkeeping purposes.

Section 6-15-507 states that home schools are not eligible for local, state, or federal funds, which is why the Education Freedom Account is structured as a separate program through different statutory authority rather than direct school funding.

There are no educational requirements for parents who provide a home school. Arkansas law does not require any parental teaching credentials, educational background, or certification of any kind.

Primary sources:

Notice of intent

Every homeschool family in Arkansas must file a Notice of Intent to Home School (NOI) once per year. This is your single required legal step with the government.

Who receives it: The superintendent of your resident school district. Note that the NOI goes to your resident district, not to the state. The state’s Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) does not accept NOI forms directly — they are processed through the district.

Deadlines:

August 15 for families starting homeschool at the beginning of the school year, or for continuing homeschoolers renewing for a new year.
Five school days before withdrawing a student from public school, if you are pulling a child out of school mid-year (Ark. Code § 6-15-503(a)(1)(B)). The superintendent or school board has the authority to waive this waiting period.
Within 30 calendar days of establishing residency in a new district, if your family moves during the school year (§ 6-15-503(a)(2)).

The NOI window opens June 1 each year. Forms submitted before June 1 are processed for the preceding school year rather than the upcoming one. DESE notes that a reminder email is typically sent to registered home school families in June announcing the opening of the window.

How to file: The NOI may be submitted electronically (online at noihs.ade.arkansas.gov), by mail, or in person (§ 6-15-503(a)(4)). When you submit online, you will receive an email confirmation. File one form per family per school year — not a separate form for each child.

What the NOI must include (§ 6-15-503(a)(3)):

Name, sex, date of birth, grade level, and name and address of the last school attended for each student
Mailing address and telephone number of the home school
Name of the parent or legal guardian providing the home school
A statement of plans to participate in public school interscholastic activities (optional to complete, but the form asks for it)
A statement of plans to seek a high school equivalency diploma during the current school year
Signature of the parent or legal guardian

You are not required to provide a reason for your choice to homeschool, and the law (§ 6-15-503(e)) explicitly prohibits the state and districts from creating additional criteria or requiring additional information.

Important: If a vendor or curriculum supplier claims that purchasing their curriculum relieves you of the obligation to file an NOI, this is incorrect. The obligation to file depends on whether your child is being educated within Arkansas, not on the source of the curriculum used. Contact the DESE Home School Office at (501) 683-5313 if you have questions about maintaining legal homeschool status.

Required subjects

Arkansas law does not specify required subjects for home schools. Section 6-15-503 sets out the notice requirements but says nothing about curriculum content, subject areas, or minimum instructional hours.

The DESE Homeschool Fact Sheet confirms: “Parents/legal guardians are not regulated with regards to choice of books, curriculum, online, or correspondence programs. Parents/guardians also set their own schedule of instruction for their child(ren).”

You have complete freedom to design your educational program. There is no state-approved curriculum list, no requirement to cover any particular subject area, and no minimum hours of daily or annual instruction. The law also does not require you to teach state academic standards or align your instruction to any public school framework.

Standardized testing

Arkansas does not require homeschool students to take standardized tests. Act 832 of 2015 repealed the previous testing requirement. Homeschool families have had no state-mandated assessment obligation since that time.

If you choose to test your student, that is entirely at your discretion and your expense. The DESE Fact Sheet lists a range of nationally recognized norm-referenced assessments that some families find useful, including the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT 10), Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS), TerraNova (CAT 6), California Achievement Tests (CAT E/Survey), Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED), Metropolitan Achievement Test (MAT 8), Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), and Brigance Diagnostic Inventories. This list is informational only — it does not limit your choices, and you are not required to use any of them.

One optional state-funded testing opportunity is worth knowing about: starting in the 2021–22 school year, homeschool students may participate in the one-time, state-funded PSAT (10th grade only) or ACT (11th grade only). You indicate your interest while completing your annual Notice of Intent. Advanced Placement (AP) exams are also accessible, though exam fees may apply. Contact the DESE Home School Office at (501) 683-5313 for details on accessing these options.

Note: Families who participate in the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program are subject to a separate annual testing requirement specific to that program. See the EFA section below for details.

Record keeping

Arkansas law does not require homeschool families to keep academic records, maintain attendance logs, submit progress reports, or produce portfolios. The DESE Fact Sheet states directly: “The law does not give the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education or the school district the authority to review or monitor a home school student’s work.”

You are not required to maintain any records under state homeschool law. However, practical record keeping can be valuable for several purposes:

Re-enrollment in public school: When a homeschool student transfers to a public school, the school will evaluate the student to determine proper grade placement. If you have records of completed coursework, grades, and a transcript, the school may use that documentation in credit decisions. Under Arkansas rules, school districts cannot deny awarding course credits earned in home school as long as records are produced as outlined in DESE’s rules — but if records are not available, the district has sole authority to determine credit and graduation eligibility (see DESE rules at dese.ade.arkansas.gov).
College applications and dual enrollment: Colleges and dual enrollment programs may request transcripts. Homeschool families often create their own transcripts or use organizations such as the Education Alliance (arkansashomeschool.org) for transcript services.
High school diploma: No diploma is provided by school districts, education service cooperatives, or DESE for homeschool students. Diplomas and transcripts come from curriculum providers, cover schools, or homeschool support organizations.

The DESE Fact Sheet suggests families may find it useful to keep an attendance record, a portfolio of student work at each grade level, grades for each subject, and a transcript — but emphasizes these are personal choices, not legal requirements.

Education Freedom Accounts: EFA program for Arkansas homeschoolers

Arkansas’s Education Freedom Account (EFA) program, created by the LEARNS Act (signed March 2023), is a school choice initiative that provides eligible families with public funding to use for approved educational expenses outside the traditional public school system. The program is administered by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) through the Office of School Choice and Parent Empowerment.

Universal eligibility as of 2025–26: The EFA program phased in eligibility over three years. Beginning with the 2025–26 school year, the program is universally available to all K–12 students in Arkansas — any student in grades K–12 may apply, regardless of income, background, or prior school enrollment. (In 2023–24 and 2024–25, eligibility was limited to specific groups including first-time kindergarteners, students from low-performing schools, students with disabilities, foster care students, homeless students, and children of active-duty military.)

Funding amount: Approximately $6,800 per student for 2025–26 (roughly 90% of the state’s prior year per-student foundation funding amount). Funds are deposited quarterly into a ClassWallet account — four installments per year. Beginning in 2025–26, unused funds may roll over to the following school year up to a limit set by ADE (in earlier years, unused funds returned to the state at year end). No cash withdrawals are permitted; all spending must be through the ClassWallet platform for approved educational purposes.

What EFA funds can pay for (homeschool path):

Curriculum packages, textbooks, workbooks, and instructional materials
Online course subscriptions and educational software or apps
Tutoring services and academic enrichment classes from approved providers
Microschool or learning co-op tuition (if the provider is an approved EFA vendor)
Therapy services for students with special needs (speech, occupational, behavioral therapy) from licensed providers
Standardized test fees including ACT, SAT, AP exams, CLEP, and other assessments
Technology for educational use: computers, laptops, tablets, and basic peripherals
General school supplies, musical instruments, and sports equipment for co-curricular activities
Dual enrollment fees for college courses taken during high school
Transportation to and from a participating school or educational provider (not to exceed approved mileage rates)
Membership fees for educational venues (museums, zoos) within the 25% extracurricular cap
Extracurricular, PE, and field trip expenses, subject to a 25% cap of total annual EFA funds

Expenses that are not eligible include entertainment electronics (gaming consoles, televisions, smartphones), medical or health expenses, home internet service, post-secondary tuition after high school graduation, non-uniform clothing, recreational travel and lodging, optional activity fees that are not part of a student’s educational plan, and any personal or household expenses.

EFA testing requirement: Unlike the general Arkansas homeschool law, participation in the EFA program does carry an annual testing requirement mandated by state law. EFA-participating homeschool students must take a standardized achievement test in mathematics and reading each year and submit results to ADE, generally by June 30. Families may choose between (1) the state’s grade-level assessment (ATLAS, administered through an approved location) or (2) a nationally norm-referenced test approved by ADE, such as the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, Stanford Achievement Test (Stanford-10), TerraNova, MAP Growth (NWEA), or California Achievement Test. Testing providers such as NWEA Family Toolkit, BJU Press Homeschool Testing, Abeka Testing, and Seton Testing Services offer services for homeschool families. Failure to complete and submit annual testing jeopardizes continued EFA eligibility.

Legal status note: In Arkansas, students educated at home (including in parent-led microschools that are not accredited private schools) are legally considered homeschoolers under state law. EFA participation does not change this status — EFA-participating homeschool families still must file a Notice of Intent with their local district each year, as required by Ark. Code § 6-15-503.

How to apply: Applications are submitted through the ADE EFA portal. For the 2025–26 school year, the application window opened March 3, 2025, with priority windows running through August 15, 2025. The program uses multiple application windows rather than a strict first-come, first-served system. After approval, families set up a ClassWallet account and link their student to the homeschool track. ADE verifies that an NOI has been filed before funding the account.

For current program details, application timelines, and the list of approved vendors and expense categories, contact the EFA program office at ade.efa@ade.arkansas.gov or (501) 683-1876, or visit dese.ade.arkansas.gov.

Source: Arkansas EFA Family Handbook 2025–26 (DESE/OSCPE)

Withdrawing from public school

If you are transitioning your child from public school to homeschool, the process in Arkansas is straightforward:

File your Notice of Intent. Submit the NOI to your resident school district superintendent online, by mail, or in person (§ 6-15-503). Do this before or simultaneously with withdrawing from public school. If you file after August 15, a five-school-day waiting period applies before your child can be released to homeschool status — though the superintendent or school board can waive this period.
Return school-issued property. Before a student can formally leave public school and begin homeschooling, any items temporarily issued by the school (textbooks, devices, equipment) must be returned or paid for, unless the semester has already ended or the district waives this requirement (§ 6-15-503(f)).
Notify the school. Inform your child’s current school in writing that you are withdrawing the student. You are not required to provide a reason, attend an exit meeting, or submit a curriculum plan.
Students under disciplinary action: A student currently under disciplinary action by the school district — including for excessive unexcused absences — is generally not eligible to immediately enroll in home school, unless the superintendent or board approves it, the disciplinary action is completed (or the semester ends), or the student has been expelled (§ 6-15-503(d)).

Students with disabilities: If your child receives special education services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP), note that public school IDEA obligations do not follow students to homeschool. Under Arkansas law, homeschool students with disabilities receive the same consideration as private school students — which does not guarantee services. If you are considering withdrawing a student with an IEP, discuss the implications with your school district’s special education coordinator beforehand.

Re-entering public school: If your child later returns to public school, the school will evaluate the student to determine appropriate grade placement (§ 6-15-504). Home schools are not accredited by the state, so there are no grades or credits automatically issued by DESE or school districts for homeschool work. A student re-entering a public high school must attend classes for at least nine months immediately prior to graduation before becoming eligible for a diploma from that district. Documenting coursework and maintaining a transcript can help streamline the credit evaluation process.

Support and community

Arkansas has an active homeschool community with resources at both the statewide and regional levels.

Statewide:

The Education Alliance — Arkansas’s primary statewide homeschool support organization, providing legal information about Arkansas homeschool law, a beginner’s packet for new families, a transcript service, and two annual graduation ceremonies (Searcy and Bentonville). The Education Alliance is a division of Family Council and is listed as a resource by DESE. Phone: (501) 978-5503; arkansashomeschool.org
Home Educators of Greater Little Rock — A central Arkansas support network. Phone: (501) 396-9634; homeedonline.com
Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) — National membership organization providing legal representation and legislative advocacy for homeschool families. hslda.org
National Black Home Educators (NBHE) — National organization supporting Black homeschool families; nbhe.net

Regional groups (a selection):

Northwest Arkansas Christian Home Educators Association (NWACHEA) — Serving the Fayetteville and Rogers metro area; nwachea.org
Northeast Arkansas Christian Home Educators (NEACHE) — Jonesboro area; neache.com
North Arkansas Christian Homeschool Organization (NACHO) — Batesville area; (870) 613-1582
Home Educators of Greater Little Rock (Home Ed) — Little Rock; homeedonline.com
Growing Minds (Searcy) — An inclusive, secular-friendly co-op and support group; homeschool-life.com/2528

The DESE Home School Office publishes a full directory of support groups by county, available at dese.ade.arkansas.gov. Most counties have at least one group listed, and many metropolitan areas have multiple co-ops and learning pods.

Public school access: Arkansas law requires every public school district to adopt a policy allowing homeschool students to enroll in academic courses at their resident public school. The state provides a funding mechanism giving districts 1/6th of per-student foundation funding for each course in which a homeschool student enrolls. Some districts also allow access to extracurricular and interscholastic activities, though a 365-day waiting period may apply in certain circumstances. Contact your resident district for their specific policy.