Arkansas Homeschool Requirements Checklist
Everything you need to do to homeschool legally in Arkansas, based on A.C.A. 6-15-501 through 6-15-507. Arkansas is classified as Low regulation.
This is the general checklist for Home School Under Notice (A.C.A. 6-15-501 et seq.), the most common of Arkansas's 2 pathways. Our free wizard customizes this for your family, including grade, pathway, enrollment status, and IEP.
Your compliance checklist
Do first
File your Notice of Intent
Submit to superintendent of local school district. Deadline: August 15, or at least 5 school days before withdrawing the student if starting mid-year.
Deadline: August 15, or at least 5 school days before withdrawing the student if starting mid-year
More details
Include: name, date of birth, and grade level of each child, location of the home school, core curriculum to be offered, proposed schedule of instruction, qualifications of the parent-teacher
Send a withdrawal letter
If your child is currently enrolled in school, send a withdrawal letter to superintendent of the school district where the child was enrolled.
Deadline: Before you start (if enrolled)
Ongoing
Renew each year
You must renew your homeschool notice each year by August 15.
Good news
No specific subjects required
Arkansas does not mandate specific subjects under this pathway.
No instructional time minimums
No minimum hours or days of instruction required.
No testing or assessment required
No standardized testing or assessments required under this pathway.
Education savings: Arkansas LEARNS Act ESA
Arkansas LEARNS Act ESA: ~$6,864/student ($1,716/quarter; 2025-2026) — All Arkansas students (universal)
Filing requirements
- What to file
- simple notice
- Send to
- superintendent of local school district
- Deadline
- August 15, or at least 5 school days before withdrawing the student if starting mid-year
- How often
- annual
- Official form
- Download / access form
Your notice must include:
- •name, date of birth, and grade level of each child
- •location of the home school
- •core curriculum to be offered
- •proposed schedule of instruction
- •qualifications of the parent-teacher
A.C.A. 6-15-502 (right to home school; notice requirements)
Ongoing requirements
Reporting
Varies by pathway. Home School Under Notice (A.C.A. 6-15-501 et seq.): "August 15"; Private/Umbrella School Enrollment: null
- Annual renewal
- Required by August 15
A.C.A. 6-15-502 (annual written notice to superintendent)
What you don't need to worry about
No specific subjects required
Arkansas does not mandate specific subjects under this pathway.
No instructional time minimums
No minimum hours or days of instruction required.
No testing or assessment required
No standardized testing or assessments required under this pathway.
Education savings: Arkansas LEARNS Act ESA
Arkansas LEARNS Act ESA: ~$6,864/student ($1,716/quarter; 2025-2026) — All Arkansas students (universal)
Other ways to homeschool in Arkansas
This checklist covers Home School Under Notice (A.C.A. 6-15-501 et seq.), the most common pathway. Arkansas offers 2 different ways to homeschool, each with different requirements:
- •Home School Under Notice (A.C.A. 6-15-501 et seq.)(this checklist) : You file a simple notice of intent with your local school district superintendent by August 15 each year. No required subjects, no testing, no recordkeeping, and no curriculum approval — Arkansas is one of the least regulated states for homeschooling. Your only ongoing obligation is renewing the notice annually.
- •Private/Umbrella School Enrollment : You enroll in a private umbrella school that handles filings and compliance on your behalf. You still teach at home, but the school provides administrative structure, and requirements depend on that school's policies. Best for families who want organizational support or prefer having a school name on records.
Our wizard helps you choose the right one. Compare all pathways for Arkansas
Education savings available
Arkansas offers Arkansas LEARNS Act ESA. Learn about ESA programs
Get your personalized checklist
This is the general checklist for the most common pathway. The wizard customizes it for your family's specific situation, including grade, pathway, and IEP status.
Get your Arkansas checklistRequirements sourced from A.C.A. 6-15-501 through 6-15-507. Verified against primary legal sources. Last verified: March 2026