How to Homeschool in California (2026 Guide)
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At a Glance
The short version
California has four legal pathways for homeschooling, and none of them require prior approval from anyone — but most require you to take a specific step before you start. The most popular route is filing a Private School Affidavit with the state, which makes your home the legal equivalent of a private school. You’ll need to keep basic attendance and curriculum records, teach the subjects required of California public schools, and instruct in English. No standardized testing is required. California does not have an active homeschool scholarship or voucher program as of 2026, though several bills are working their way through the legislature.
Legal basis
California’s compulsory education law (EC § 48200) requires every child between ages 6 and 18 to attend public school full-time unless they qualify for a recognized exemption. Homeschooling is legal through four distinct exemptions, each with different requirements and tradeoffs.
Pathway 1: Private School Affidavit (PSA)
The most common pathway. Under EC § 48222 and EC § 33190, parents can operate their home as a private school by filing an annual Private School Affidavit (PSA) with the California Department of Education (CDE). When you file, you declare under penalty of perjury that your school meets all statutory requirements for a full-time private school: attendance records, courses of study, and qualified instruction.
The PSA is an annual filing, not a one-time registration. The statutory filing window is October 1–15 each year, though the CDE typically opens the online system in August. If you begin homeschooling mid-year, you can file outside this window. Your school name and address become part of the public record once you file.
CDE PSA resource: Schooling at Home — California Department of Education
Pathway 2: Private School Satellite Program (PSP)
A PSP is a private school that has already filed its own PSA with the CDE. When you enroll your child in a PSP, you become a teacher in that school — your name does not appear on the state affidavit, but the PSP keeps a record of each teacher and their qualifications. The PSP administrator handles the annual affidavit filing and usually reminds you to submit attendance records and a course of study summary. Curriculum flexibility and oversight vary widely between programs; some offer full curriculum packages, others provide minimal structure.
This pathway suits families who prefer someone else to handle the administrative filings while still maintaining substantial control over instruction at home.
Pathway 3: Public School Independent Study Program (ISP) or Public Charter School
Some public school districts offer independent study programs designed for home-based instruction. Homeschool-friendly public charter schools operate in a similar way. Under this pathway, your child remains technically enrolled in a public school and is assigned a credentialed teacher who oversees the program. Parents serve as instructional aides, not as the legal school operator.
The upside: no PSA paperwork, access to public school resources and sometimes per-pupil funding for materials. The tradeoff: you operate within the public school’s curriculum and policy framework, your assigned teacher must approve your educational plan, and your child is subject to public school assessment requirements. The degree of flexibility depends entirely on which program or charter you choose.
Pathway 4: Credentialed Tutor (Private Tutorial)
EC § 48224 provides an exemption for children instructed by a private tutor who holds a valid California state credential for the grade and subject taught. Requirements:
- Instruction for at least 3 hours per day, 175 days per calendar year
- Instruction must take place between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
- Instruction must cover the branches of study required in California public schools, in English
- No PSA filing is required — the arrangement with the credentialed tutor is the legal basis for the exemption
This pathway is narrow in practice. The tutor — whether a credentialed parent or a hired professional — must hold a current, active California teaching credential covering the grades and subjects being taught. You can verify any tutor’s credential status through the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) public database.
Notice of intent
Notice requirements depend on which pathway you choose.
PSA pathway: File the annual Private School Affidavit with the CDE between October 1 and October 15 each year. The CDE typically opens the online system in August. Filing online takes under an hour if you have your information ready. The affidavit is submitted at www3.cde.ca.gov/psa. There is no fee.
After you file, your local public school district is required — by law, under EC § 48222 — to verify that the PSA has been filed in order to grant your child’s exemption from compulsory attendance. This verification happens on the district’s end; you do not need to do anything additional. Importantly, the CDE’s acceptance of your filing is not itself an approval or endorsement — the exemption becomes valid only after district verification.
PSP pathway: Contact the PSP to enroll. The PSP files its own affidavit; you do not file one separately.
Public ISP / charter: Enroll through the program. No separate notice to the state is required.
Credentialed tutor pathway: No filing with the state. The exemption arises from the tutoring arrangement itself.
Required subjects
Regardless of which pathway you use, instruction must cover the same subjects required in California public schools. The relevant statutes are:
- EC § 51210 — Grades 1 through 6
- EC § 51220 — Grades 7 through 12
Grades 1–6 required areas:
| Subject | Notes |
|---|---|
| English | Reading, writing, listening, speaking, spelling, handwriting (including cursive at appropriate grade levels) |
| Mathematics | Concepts, operational skills, problem solving |
| Social sciences | History, geography, economics, government, California history, contemporary issues |
| Science | Biological and physical science; includes instruction on causes and effects of climate change (required by 2024–25) |
| Visual and performing arts | Dance, music, theater, visual arts |
| Health | Individual, family, and community health |
| Physical education | At least 200 minutes per 10 school days |
Grades 7–12 required areas:
| Subject | Notes |
|---|---|
| English | Literature, language, composition, speaking, listening |
| Social sciences | History, government, civics, economics, personal financial literacy, human rights, genocide/Holocaust study |
| World language | Beginning no later than grade 7 |
| Physical education | As required by EC § 51222 |
| Science | Physical and biological science, including climate change content |
| Mathematics | Concepts, operational skills, problem solving |
| Visual and performing arts | Dance, music, theater, visual arts |
| Applied arts | Consumer education, family and consumer sciences, industrial arts, business, or agriculture |
| Career technical education | Occupation-focused coursework |
| Driver education | Vehicle Code, traffic safety, motorcycle safety |
There is no list of approved curriculum providers. Parents choose their own materials. The CDE’s Standards and Frameworks page publishes the content standards California public schools follow, which can serve as a useful curriculum planning reference even though home schools are not required to adopt them.
Instruction must be in English under EC § 48222, though families may supplement with instruction in other languages.
Record keeping
Record-keeping is required under EC § 33190 for families on the PSA pathway. At minimum, your records must include:
- Attendance records: A register showing every absence of a half day or more, for each day your school is in session (EC § 48222)
- Courses of study: Documentation of the subjects you are offering
- Faculty records: Names, addresses, and educational qualifications of anyone providing instruction at your school
- A copy of your filed PSA
- Background check information for each instructor (EC § 33190(g) references EC § 44237)
The CDE also strongly recommends keeping individual pupil records as described in California Code of Regulations Title 5, §§ 430–437, including immunization records, emergency contact information, and academic progress records.
These records are kept at your school (your home) and are not submitted to the state. You are not required to report progress to your school district. However, because your district has a legal obligation to verify your exemption, having organized records on hand is prudent.
PSP pathway: The PSP administrator typically collects attendance records and course-of-study information from you on a set schedule. Check with your specific PSP for what they require and when.
Public ISP / charter: Record-keeping requirements are set by the program or charter. Your assigned teacher will specify what documentation is required.
Credentialed tutor pathway: While there is no state filing requirement, maintaining attendance records documenting the 3-hours-per-day and 175-days-per-year requirements is strongly advisable, since the tutor’s compliance with EC § 48224 is the sole legal basis for your child’s exemption.
Scholarship programs for California homeschool families
California does not currently have an active scholarship, voucher, or education savings account (ESA) program available to homeschool families as of 2026.
Several bills have been introduced in recent legislative sessions — including SB 64 and AB 19 in the 2025–26 session — that would create education savings accounts providing $8,000 or more per student annually. However, each of these proposals is contingent on voter approval of a companion constitutional amendment. As of the date of this review, no such constitutional amendment has been approved, and no program is operational.
Families enrolled in public school ISPs or homeschool-friendly charters may have access to per-pupil allowances for curriculum and educational materials through those programs — the specifics depend on the individual program.
If California enacts a scholarship or ESA program, this page will be updated.
Withdrawing from public school
If your child is currently enrolled in a public school, you will need to formally withdraw them before beginning to homeschool under the PSA, PSP, or credentialed tutor pathways.
Contact your child’s school directly to withdraw. You do not need the school’s permission — compulsory attendance law provides clear exemptions for private schooling and private tutoring. The school may ask for your child’s records; you are entitled to request a copy of those records for your files.
After withdrawing, submit your PSA (or enroll in a PSP or arrange credentialed tutoring) to establish the legal basis for your child’s exemption. Your local district’s attendance supervisor will verify the PSA filing as part of their routine compulsory education oversight process.
If your child has never been enrolled in a California public school, you can simply begin homeschooling once you have established your legal pathway — there is nothing to withdraw from.
Re-enrolling in public school: You can enroll your child in public school at any time. California law does not restrict re-entry, though most districts will conduct their own grade placement assessment. The quality of the records you have kept during your homeschool years can smooth that process considerably.
Support and community
California has an active homeschool advocacy and support ecosystem.
- California Homeschool Network (CHN) — californiahomeschool.net — legal options guidance, PSP directory, legislative monitoring, and local group finder. CHN’s legal options page is one of the clearest plain-language explanations of the four pathways available.
- HomeSchool Association of California (HSC) — hsc.org — annual conference, legislative advocacy, and curriculum fair. Organized by and for homeschooling parents.
- Christian Home Educators Association of California (CHEA) — cheaofca.org — faith-based resource network and annual conference, though some resources and events are open to all families.
Local co-ops and support groups exist in most metro areas and many smaller communities. Searching “homeschool co-op [your city or county]” is a reliable way to find options near you. Co-ops range from drop-off enrichment classes to full-curriculum collaborative programs.