Name: Thrive! NCHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-05-22T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-24T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Tagged: Texas Homeschool laws/regulations/requirements, texas homeschooling

This topic has 8 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 4 months ago by TailorMade.

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

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August 4, 2011 at 7:51 pm
trulyblessed26
Participant
Hi there,
I have looked on a couple of sites about homeschooling in Tx and know it is legal and the subjects you have to teach and all, but it doesn’t say about reporting and who to and what age and dates, etc.. Do any of you have a site that has all this info? I think I heard you have to register by the time they are 6 in Sept? Sept when? We have a Sept birthday. We will be living in McKinney if that matters. Oh, and regarding what we need to teach, what exactly is “good citizenship” as a subject? Thank you!
August 4, 2011 at 8:26 pm
LindseyD
Participant
There are no homeschooling laws in Texas, so no one to report to! Texas is one of the easiest states when it comes to homeschooling. Homeschools are considered private schools in Texas, so your curriculum is not regulated or inspected in any way. There are no required tests, and you don’t have to submit any reports, completed assignments, etc.
The cut-off date for attending public school is Sept. 1.
Good citizenship would be considered social studies, I think. I consider habit training, chores, helping others, community service work, and church attendance to be instruction enough in good citizenship.
You can check out HSLDA’s site and click on Texas to find out the exact homeschool laws, if you like. As a Texan I can tell you that we won’t be leaving anytime soon because homeschooling here is so unregulated and easy!
Blessings,
Lindsey
August 4, 2011 at 8:26 pm
LindseyD
Participant
There are no homeschooling laws in Texas, so no one to report to! Texas is one of the easiest states when it comes to homeschooling. Homeschools are considered private schools in Texas, so your curriculum is not regulated or inspected in any way. There are no required tests, and you don’t have to submit any reports, completed assignments, etc.
The cut-off date for attending public school is Sept. 1.
Good citizenship would be considered social studies, I think. I consider habit training, chores, helping others, community service work, and church attendance to be instruction enough in good citizenship.
You can check out HSLDA’s site and click on Texas to find out the exact homeschool laws, if you like. As a Texan I can tell you that we won’t be leaving anytime soon because homeschooling here is so unregulated and easy!
Blessings,
Lindsey
August 4, 2011 at 9:04 pm
crazy4boys
Participant
HSLDA just sent out an email that the TEA is requesting (it’s a law they can’t require) that parents sign a letter of notification if they are withdrawing their student from public school. Please check out their site to see how they recommend you handle the situation.
August 5, 2011 at 2:20 am
trulyblessed26
Participant
Hey Lindsey! Hope your daughter is still doing great! Thank you and crazy4boys for the replies.
No wonder I couldn’t find any info on reporting! Seriously, you do nothing?? That’s amazing. We are starting with a kindergartener and have never been to a public school so we just do….nothing? That just feels weird! But, hey good for us! Do you moms in Tx do anything to keep track of your work, school year, etc on your own just in case anything changes? I did see on HSLDA where some families were accused of truancy, so how would that kind of thing happen if we don’t have to report anything? Thank you for your help!
August 5, 2011 at 3:23 am
Sue
Participant
Shhhhh…..don’t say it too loudly, or every homeschooling family will move to Texas!
(Actually, I’ll stay here on the Great Lakes….I love our seasons–even the winters–and I like that we only need home a/c for about 5 seconds out of the summer!)
I’m glad I read this thread because it reminded me to pray for two things: 1) God’s blessings on HSLDA for their tireless efforts in defending and protecting homeschooling rights across the U.S., and 2) protection and continued favor for those who live where homeschooling is legal and God’s intervention for those who live in places where homeschooling is difficult or even illegal.
Sue
August 5, 2011 at 5:12 am
TracyM
Member
If you are moving from out of state, you don’t have to do a thing. Since you’re not withdrawing a child from a school here, no notice whatsoever is needed. You just show up and start schooling when you want. Schools here start the week of Aug. 22nd, but I plan to start probably after Labor Day because we’re moving in a couple weeks and will need time to get settled, get all the books out of books, etc.

Tracy
August 5, 2011 at 5:14 am
TracyM
Member
Oh, and I have a late sept. birthday so he started school the following year, but that is also up to you since. I thought the age that school was required was 7? That probably takes into account late birthdays that don’t make the cut-off for 1st grade. Kind. is not required here even in the schools I don’t think. That might have changed though since my older ones were in Kind.
December 17, 2012 at 5:54 am
TailorMade
Participant
I ran across this thread while searching for Texas history suggestions from those who’ve studied it already. I thought I’d clarify a bit, because there is a “law” in Texas for homeschoolers to follow. There are five required courses. And, if you are withdrawing your child from public school, you must fill out a withdrawal form, even if you finish the year out and plan to start Homeschooling the following year, this form must be filed, or your child is considered truant. Those who never enroll in the system need not file paperwork. No standardized testing is required, except for the THEA in order to enroll in college/university courses. ACT/SAT tests are utilized depending on goals. CLEP tests may be used for college credit by exam during highschool, if you choose to use that option.
Be careful when considering any K-12 type online “charter” school options. Many, if not all of these are part of the public school system here, which means they fall under compulsory attendance laws. I’ve known families that have been tripped up by this thinking they have the same freedoms as other homeschoolers only to find themselves having conversations with truancy officers over not attending class frequently enough online, etc.
For future reference when others want to search for Texas’ requirements:
http://www.thsc.org/Categories3.aspx?Id=Its_Legal
Blessed to Homeschool in Texas!
Becca<><