How to Start Homeschooling in Arizona

Yes. Homeschooling is legal in Arizona. Under A.R.S. 15-802(A), the person who has custody of a child chooses a public, private, or charter school or a homeschool, or signs a contract to participate in an Empowerment Scholarship Account.

Arizona law defines a homeschool as "a nonpublic school conducted primarily by the parent, guardian or other person who has custody of the child or nonpublic instruction provided in the child's home" (A.R.S. 15-802(G)(2)).

Arizona is a low-regulation state for homeschooling. No teacher qualifications. No testing while your child is homeschooled. No required hours or days. No annual reports. Your obligations are the affidavit of intent, proof of your child's age and identity, and instruction in five subjects.

Arizona requires instruction for children between the ages of six and sixteen. This comes from A.R.S. 15-802(A).

There is a helpful option for young children. If your child will be homeschooled and has not reached eight years of age by September 1 of the school year, and you do not want to begin home instruction until age eight, you can file an affidavit of intent saying so (A.R.S. 15-802(B)(3)).

If your child is younger than six, you do not need to file anything yet. Start when your family is ready.

Getting started takes less paperwork than most parents expect. Here is how to begin homeschooling in Arizona, step by step:

Step 1: Get the affidavit of intent. Contact your county school superintendent's office. Ask for their affidavit form and what it needs to include.

Step 2: Start teaching. Begin instruction in reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies, and science.

Step 3: File the affidavit with your county school superintendent within 30 days. The 30 days run from when your child begins homeschool (A.R.S. 15-802(C)). It goes to the county school superintendent, not your school district.

Step 4: Give proof of age and identity within 30 days. Within 30 days after home instruction begins, give the county superintendent a certified copy of your child's birth certificate. If you cannot, the law allows other reliable proof of identity and age with an affidavit explaining why (A.R.S. 15-828(B)).

Step 5: Withdraw from school (if enrolled). If your child is enrolled in a school, let the school know your child is leaving. More details below.

Step 6 (optional): Look into the ESA. The ESA is a separate option from filing a homeschool affidavit. See the pathways section below before you decide.

You have two items to give your county school superintendent.

The affidavit of intent (A.R.S. 15-802(B)(2)). File it within 30 days of when your child begins homeschool. Your county superintendent's office can confirm what it needs to include and whether they have their own form. Keep a copy for your records.

Proof of age and identity (A.R.S. 15-828(B)). Within 30 days after home instruction begins, provide a certified copy of your child's birth certificate, or other reliable proof of identity and age as the statute allows.

The affidavit is not required again unless homeschool instruction ends and then resumes (A.R.S. 15-802(C)). If you stop homeschooling, notify the county superintendent within 30 days. If you start again later, file a new affidavit within 30 days.

Arizona keeps the subject list short. Under A.R.S. 15-802(A), every child between six and sixteen must be provided instruction in at least reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies, and science.

That is the full list. No required curriculum. No required textbooks. No lesson plans to turn in. You choose how and what to teach.

Arizona gives you two main ways to educate at home.

Traditional Homeschooling (A.R.S. 15-802). File the affidavit of intent and proof of age with your county school superintendent. Teach five subjects. No testing, reporting, or recordkeeping. No teacher qualifications. Self-funded.

Empowerment Scholarship Account (A.R.S. 15-2401 through 15-2404). Instead of choosing a school or homeschool, a parent can sign an ESA contract with the state. A signed agreement counts as the school attendance A.R.S. 15-802 requires (A.R.S. 15-2402(I)). Under A.R.S. 15-2402(B), the parent agrees to:

• Provide instruction in at least reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies, and science
• Not enroll the child in a school district or charter school
• Use account money only for allowable expenses, such as curricula, tutoring, nonpublic online programs, certain tests, and qualified school tuition
• Not file an affidavit of intent to homeschool

The parent renews the account every year (A.R.S. 15-2402(F)). The Department of Education accepts applications all year, from July 1 through June 30, sends an award letter within 30 days of a completed application, and makes deposits quarterly unless it sets another schedule (A.R.S. 15-2403). It also reviews a random sample of accounts each year (A.R.S. 15-2403(C)). State law does not require ESA students to be tested, to keep attendance or grade records or a portfolio, or to meet a minimum number of days or hours.

A few things every family should know about homeschooling in Arizona:

File with the right office. The affidavit goes to the county school superintendent, not your school district.

Do not forget proof of age. Within 30 days after home instruction begins, give the county superintendent a certified birth certificate copy or other reliable proof of identity and age (A.R.S. 15-828(B)).

The affidavit is a one-time filing. It is not required again unless homeschooling ends and then resumes. If you stop, notify the county within 30 days.

The ESA is a separate option. ESA families sign the ESA agreement instead of filing a homeschool affidavit: the agreement includes a promise not to file one (A.R.S. 15-2402(B)(5)). The Department of Education, not you, sends the county its list of ESA students (A.R.S. 15-802(F)).

Keep your own records. The law does not require records for homeschoolers, but your own records help later. Save your filed affidavit, work samples, and course descriptions. Start building transcripts in high school.

Your child can try out for school sports and activities. Under A.R.S. 15-802.01, a homeschooled child who lives in a public school's attendance area may try out for its interscholastic activities in the same manner as enrolled students. The person providing primary instruction submits written verification of passing grades and satisfactory progress. A child who was enrolled in a school earlier that school year is not eligible for the rest of that year.

IEP services and evaluations. When you leave public school, your child's IEP does not follow them home. For ESA families, A.R.S. 15-2402(B)(2)(a) keeps the prior school's obligation to conduct an evaluation. Students who meet the disability criteria in A.R.S. 15-2401 may use ESA funds for additional services, such as educational therapies.

You issue the diploma. As the parent, you issue your homeschooler's diploma. Start building your transcript early so you are ready when college applications arrive.