Homeschooling in Texas
Texas is one of the easiest US states to homeschool in with virtually no restrictions.
It is for the most part unregulated, but there are some basic requirements that need to be met regarding the type of learning that must take place. But parents essentially can educate their children in Texas as they wish.
In Texas, homeschooling requires:
- No standardized testing
- Educators do not need to have any qualifications or credentials
- It is permissiable to combine children from multiple households
- There’s no rules regarding how many hours or days should be spent educating
Notifying about your intent to homeschool in Texas
The rules around providing notification to the school district about home educating your child are also very relaxed in Texas.
If you want to educate your child at home from the very first day of school (i.e. your child is not going to be enrolled in kindergarten), then you do not need to notify the authorities at all.
If you want to withdraw your child from public school to start homeschooling instead, a simple one off written letter to inform the school district is all that’s needed. You only need to do that when you first start homeschooling after public school withdrawal, and don’t need to notify anyone in the following years.
Joining up with other homeschool parents in Texas
Homeschooling can feel lonely at times, especially if you don’t have any close friends or families who are also home educators. Networking or simply staying in touch with other homeschooling parents can be a lifeline, while also providing valuable tips and experiences from those who have many years of experience being a home educator.
Texas is a big state, and there’s countless small community homeschooling groups you can get in contact with. Many of these will be informal, such as Facebook groups. Others might meet in person or use something like Zoom to communicate. Whatever level of interaction or support you might be looking for as a homeschooling parent in Texas, you will find a group of like minded parents to reach out to.
The Texas Homeschool Coalition is the largest and best known homeschooling group in Texas. It’s a professionally run advocacy and support group with a board of directors and membership for parents. Not all homeschooling parents in Texas are members of the THSC, but the $150 yearly fee provides extensive benefits.
