California Homeschool Documents & Templates

What to file

simple notice

Send to

California Department of Education (CDE), Superintendent of Public Instruction

Deadline

Between October 1 and October 15 (filing window)

How often

annual

Official form

Download / access form

The PSA is a notification, not an application for permission. The CDE does not approve or deny it. Filed online through the CDE Private School Affidavit portal. PSA requires: school name, address (home address), owner/administrator names, enrollment by grade, student names/addresses/birth dates, teacher names and qualifications, confirmation of required courses of study, and whether criminal background checks were conducted. If beginning mid-year, file as soon as possible rather than waiting for the October window.

EC Section 33190 (annual Private School Affidavit filing); EC Section 48222 (private school exemption from compulsory attendance)

Status

Not required, but recommended to prevent truancy concerns

Send to

child's current school

No specific withdrawal statute exists. Notify school in writing. School should code student as transferring to a private school (CALPADS code T180). Send via certified mail or obtain written confirmation. File the PSA before or concurrent with withdrawal if within the October 1-15 window. Having the PSA on file helps avoid SARB (School Attendance Review Board) truancy referrals.

EC Section 48222 (private school attendance satisfies compulsory education under EC 48200)

Deadline

October 1-15

Only reporting obligation is the annual PSA renewal. No progress reports, test scores, curriculum plans, or attendance reports need to be submitted to the state or district.

EC Section 33190 (annual PSA filing between October 1 and October 15)

• ✓Attendance records

Attendance register required by EC 48222. Enrollment records (names, addresses, birth dates) required by EC 33190. Faculty information required. Records must be maintained but do not need to be submitted to anyone. An attendance register is important evidence of compliance if ever questioned in a truancy proceeding or custody dispute.

EC Section 48222 (attendance register); EC Section 33190 (enrollment records: names, addresses, birth dates)

This page covers Home-Based Private School (Private School Affidavit). California offers 4 different ways to homeschool, and each may require different documents:

• •
  Home-Based Private School (Private School Affidavit)(this page): You file a one-page Private School Affidavit with the CDE each October, keep an attendance register, and teach required subjects. No testing, no curriculum approval, no reporting beyond the annual PSA. Most California homeschoolers choose this pathway.
• •
  Private School Satellite Program (PSP / Umbrella School): You enroll in a Private School Satellite Program (umbrella school) that handles all state paperwork on your behalf. The PSP files the PSA, maintains records, and keeps your home address out of the public CDE directory. You teach at home with PSP guidance. Good for families who want administrative support or privacy.
• •
  Private Tutor: A credentialed California teacher tutors your child for at least 3 hours per day, 175 days per year, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. No state notification required, but the tutor must hold a valid credential for the grade taught. This pathway is costly and impractical for most families.
• •
  Independent Study Through Public School or Charter School: Your child enrolls in a public school or charter school independent study program and learns at home under a credentialed teacher's supervision. The school provides curriculum, handles all reporting, and your child retains full IEP and special education rights. Less parent autonomy but more support and services.

Our wizard helps you choose the right one and generates the correct documents. Compare all pathways for California