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. Conditions: The superintendent or school board of the resident school district may waive the five-school-day waiting period (6 CAR § 33-104(d)(2)). Families moving into a district during the school year must file a copy of the current-year notice of intent within 30 calendar days of establishing residency (6 CAR § 33-104(e)).
Deadline: August 15, or at least 5 school days before withdrawing the student if starting mid-year
More details
Include: name, sex, date of birth, and grade level of each child, name and address of the school last attended, if any, mailing address and telephone number of the home school, name of the parent or legal guardian providing the home school, statement of plans to participate in public school interscholastic activities, statement of plans to seek a high school equivalency diploma, signature of the parent or legal guardian, agreement that the parent or guardian is responsible for the child's education. Conditions: The superintendent or school board of the resident school district may waive the five-school-day waiting period (6 CAR § 33-104(d)(2)).; Families moving into a district during the school year must file a copy of the current-year notice of intent within 30 calendar days of establishing residency (6 CAR § 33-104(e))..
Send a withdrawal letter
If your child is currently enrolled in school, send a withdrawal letter to the local public school the child attends. Conditions: The superintendent or school board of the resident school district may waive the five-school-day waiting period (6 CAR § 33-104(d)(2)). Families moving into a district during the school year must file a copy of the current-year notice of intent within 30 calendar days of establishing residency (6 CAR § 33-104(e)). Filing the notice of intent does not withdraw the child. DESE tells parents whose child is still enrolled to contact the public school directly to withdraw the child after the five-school-day waiting period. Neither 6 CAR pt. 33 nor DESE guidance says the withdrawal must be a letter.
Deadline: Before you start (if enrolled)
Ongoing
Review curriculum requirements
Check the cited source for curriculum requirements that may be described without a subject-by-subject list.
Review instructional-time requirements
Check the cited source for the school-term or instructional-time rule that applies to your pathway.
Testing: what applies to you
Students participating in the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program must take a standardized test (DESE Home School FAQ, May 2026).
Renew each year
You must renew your homeschool notice each year by August 15. Conditions: The superintendent or school board of the resident school district may waive the five-school-day waiting period (6 CAR § 33-104(d)(2)). Families moving into a district during the school year must file a copy of the current-year notice of intent within 30 calendar days of establishing residency (6 CAR § 33-104(e)).
Good news
Education savings: Arkansas LEARNS Act ESA
Arkansas LEARNS Act ESA: 90% of the prior year's statewide foundation funding amount per student under A.C.A. 6-20-2305 (6 CAR 35-105(f)(1)). — Any Arkansas resident child who is eligible to enroll in an Arkansas public elementary or secondary school, for 2025-2026 and every year after (6 CAR 35-103(b)). Homeschooled children can take part: EFA funds may pay qualifying expenses for a student enrolled in a home school under A.C.A. 6-15-501 et seq. (6 CAR 35-102(16)).
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
- The superintendent or school board of the resident school district may waive the five-school-day waiting period (6 CAR § 33-104(d)(2)).
- Families moving into a district during the school year must file a copy of the current-year notice of intent within 30 calendar days of establishing residency (6 CAR § 33-104(e)).
- How often
- annual
- Official form
- Download / access form
Your notice must include:
- •name, sex, date of birth, and grade level of each child
- •name and address of the school last attended, if any
- •mailing address and telephone number of the home school
- •name of the parent or legal guardian providing the home school
- •statement of plans to participate in public school interscholastic activities
- •statement of plans to seek a high school equivalency diploma
- •signature of the parent or legal guardian
- •agreement that the parent or guardian is responsible for the child's education
A.C.A. 6-15-503(a); 6 CAR § 33-104
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
What you don't need to worry about
Education savings: Arkansas LEARNS Act ESA
Arkansas LEARNS Act ESA: 90% of the prior year's statewide foundation funding amount per student under A.C.A. 6-20-2305 (6 CAR 35-105(f)(1)). — Any Arkansas resident child who is eligible to enroll in an Arkansas public elementary or secondary school, for 2025-2026 and every year after (6 CAR 35-103(b)). Homeschooled children can take part: EFA funds may pay qualifying expenses for a student enrolled in a home school under A.C.A. 6-15-501 et seq. (6 CAR 35-102(16)).
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 notice of intent with the superintendent of your resident school district each year by August 15, or five school days before withdrawing your child if you start during the school year. State law sets no required subjects, instructional hours or recordkeeping, and no curriculum approval. Homeschooled students who do not take part in the Education Freedom Account program are not required to take standardized tests.
- •Private/Umbrella School Enrollment : Some curriculum suppliers describe themselves as a "private school" or "umbrella school" and say families who enroll will not need to file a Notice of Intent. The Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education says this is false. A home school is a school a parent provides for their own child (A.C.A. 6-15-501), so if you teach at home you still file the Notice of Intent to Home School each year by August 15 (A.C.A. 6-15-503). The other home school rules are the same, with no required subjects, hours, records or testing set by state law.
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. Last reviewed October 2026