How to Homeschool in Texas (2026 Guide)
Last reviewed:
At a Glance
The short version
Texas is one of the freest states for homeschoolers in the country. You don’t register with the state, don’t notify anyone at the start of the year, don’t submit test scores, and don’t keep records for the government. Your home school is treated as a private school under state law, which means the Texas Education Agency leaves you alone. The one substantive requirement: you’re genuinely teaching your child from a written curriculum that covers basic subjects including good citizenship. Texas also launched the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program in 2026, which can provide up to $2,000 per year for homeschool families — or up to $10,474 for those enrolling in a participating private school.
Legal basis
Texas homeschooling rests on a 1994 Texas Supreme Court ruling, Leeper et al. v. Arlington ISD et al., which held that children taught at home under a bona fide curriculum are exempt from the compulsory attendance law to the same degree as students in private schools. That exemption is codified in Texas Education Code § 25.086(a)(1).
In 2025, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 2674 (effective June 20, 2025), which explicitly prohibits state agencies — including the Texas Education Agency (TEA) — from imposing new regulations on home school programs. This reinforced what Leeper established: the state does not regulate, index, monitor, approve, register, or accredit home school programs.
The TEA’s own page confirms this plainly: “The TEA does not regulate, index, monitor, approve, register, or accredit the programs available to parents who choose to home school.”
Primary DOE resource: Texas Education Agency — Home Schooling
Notice of intent
None required. Texas does not ask you to notify the TEA, your local school district, or any other state agency before you begin homeschooling.
If your child is currently enrolled in a public school, you do need to withdraw them — contact the school directly to do so. The school may ask for a written “letter of assurance” confirming that you are homeschooling, and you can provide one, but this is not a legal filing with any government body. The decision to withdraw and homeschool is yours to make.
Required subjects
Texas law does not prescribe a specific curriculum or list of required courses. Based on the Leeper ruling, a valid home school must:
- Use a written curriculum (textbooks, workbooks, online materials, or similar)
- Provide bona fide instruction — genuine teaching, not a formality
- Cover core educational goals, specifically: reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and a study of good citizenship
There is no mandated number of school days, no required daily hours, and no list of approved curriculum providers. Parents choose their own materials.
Record keeping
Texas law does not require homeschooling parents to maintain records for the government. No attendance logs, portfolio submissions, or test scores need to be filed with any agency.
That said, keeping your own records is practical common sense. If your child later transfers to a public school, most districts will conduct their own placement assessment. Good records — attendance logs, samples of work, curriculum lists — can also support college applications, dual enrollment eligibility, and other transitions. The state simply doesn’t mandate them.
Scholarship programs for Texas homeschool families
Texas launched the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program through Senate Bill 2 (2025 Legislature), administered by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. It is the largest day-one school choice initiative in the country, with $1 billion in initial funding.
For homeschool families specifically:
| Detail | Amount / Info |
|---|---|
| Annual award (homeschool/other setting) | $2,000 per child |
| Annual award (participating private school) | $10,474 per child |
| Students with disabilities (IEP on file with TEA) | Up to $30,000 per child |
| Administering agency | Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts |
| Program website | educationfreedom.texas.gov |
Eligibility: All Texas-resident children who are U.S. citizens or lawfully admitted to the U.S. are eligible to apply. If applications exceed available funding, a lottery determines placement, with priority given first to children with disabilities in lower-income households, then to families below 200% of the federal poverty level, then to families between 200–500% FPL, and finally to higher-income families.
Application window: The 2026–27 application period ran February 4 – March 31, 2026. The next window is expected to open in early 2027.
What funds can be spent on: Approved education-related expenses purchased through the TEFA online marketplace, including curriculum, tutoring, educational technology, and related services.
Withdrawing from public school
To begin homeschooling, contact your child’s current school and notify them in writing that you are withdrawing to homeschool. You do not need to ask permission — compulsory attendance law provides a clear exemption for home schools.
The school may send a letter requesting assurance that you are homeschooling. Provide one. The letter does not need to include curriculum details, test scores, or any other substantive information beyond confirming your intent.
Once withdrawn, your child is not on any state roster, and no annual renewal is required.
Transferring back to public school: If your child later enrolls in a public school, most districts have their own assessment process to determine grade placement and course credit. Texas law treats home school graduates as having completed an education equivalent to a public high school diploma, and Texas higher education institutions must apply the same general admissions standards to home school graduates as to public school graduates.
Support and community
Two well-established statewide organizations support Texas homeschool families:
- Texas Home School Coalition (THSC) — thsc.org — advocacy, legal support, group finder, and legislative monitoring
- Texas Home Educators (THE) — texashomeeducators.org — events, co-op connections, resource directory, and membership benefits
THSC maintains a searchable database of local support groups, co-ops, and regional groups across the state. If you’re new to homeschooling in Texas, either organization is a reasonable starting point for connecting with other families in your area.