Texas Homeschool Requirements Checklist
Everything you need to do to homeschool legally in Texas, based on Tex. Educ. Code 25.086(a)(1). Texas is classified as No regulation.
This is the general checklist for Private School Exemption. Our free wizard customizes this for your family, including grade, pathway, enrollment status, and IEP.
Your compliance checklist
Do first
Withdrawal letter recommended
A formal letter isn't required, but it is recommended if your child is enrolled in school. Send it to school principal or attendance office and/or district superintendent.
Deadline: Before you start (if enrolled)
More details
Not legally required but prevents truancy proceedings under Tex. Educ. Code 25.093. Cite Section 25.086(a)(1). District cannot refuse withdrawal or require curriculum info.
Ongoing
Required subjects
reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, good citizenship
More details
Curriculum must be bona fide (genuine, not a sham) and in visual form (books, workbooks, written materials). Per Leeper v. Arlington ISD.
Good news
No notification required
Texas does not require you to notify anyone to begin homeschooling.
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: Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA)
Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA): $2,000/student (homeschool); $10,474/student (private school) — All Texas students. Homeschool students receive up to $2,000/year for approved materials and services (homeschool students with disabilities are also capped at $2,000). Private school students receive ~$10,474. Students with disabilities at approved private schools (not homeschools) may receive up to $30,000.
More details
First application window: Feb 4 - Mar 17, 2026 for 2026-2027. Not first-come, first-served. Funds are disbursed quarterly through the Odyssey/ClassWallet platform (not family-submitted reports). All purchases go through state-supervised platform. Participants in good standing auto-continue without reapplication. Homeschool amount is $2,000/year; private school amount is ~$10,474/year (85% of statewide average). Non-ESA homeschoolers remain under baseline 25.086(a)(1) only.
Ongoing requirements
Required subjects
- ✓reading
- ✓spelling
- ✓grammar
- ✓mathematics
- ✓good citizenship
Curriculum must be bona fide (genuine, not a sham) and in visual form (books, workbooks, written materials). Per Leeper v. Arlington ISD.
Tex. Educ. Code 25.086(a)(1); Leeper v. Arlington ISD, 893 S.W.2d 432 (Tex. 1994)
What you don't need to worry about
No notification required
Texas does not require you to notify anyone to begin homeschooling.
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: Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA)
Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA): $2,000/student (homeschool); $10,474/student (private school) — All Texas students. Homeschool students receive up to $2,000/year for approved materials and services (homeschool students with disabilities are also capped at $2,000). Private school students receive ~$10,474. Students with disabilities at approved private schools (not homeschools) may receive up to $30,000.
Education savings available
Texas offers Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA). Learn about ESA programs
Related guides
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 Texas checklistRequirements sourced from Tex. Educ. Code 25.086(a)(1). Verified against primary legal sources. Last verified: March 2026