How to homeschool my child in texas

Texas Homeschool Laws – Texas Unschoolers

In 1994 the Texas Supreme Court unanimously upheld lower court decisions that home schools, by law, are considered private schools. Private schools are exempt from the compulsory attendance requirements placed upon public school attendees. Private schools in Texas are not regulated or accredited by the state.

References:

Section 25.086(a)(1) of the Texas Education Code (Texas Statutes)
1987 Leeper vs Arlington ISD class action (PDF)
1994 Texas Supreme Court decision (PDF)
White Paper on History of Homeschooling in Texas (Texas Home Educators)
Texas Education Agency’s Home Schooling page

There are only three requirements to homeschool in Texas:

The instruction must be bona fide (i.e., not a sham).
The curriculum must be in visual form (e.g., books, workbooks, video monitor).
The curriculum must include the five basic subjects of reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and good citizenship.

There are no reporting agencies and no testing requirements for homeschoolers. The state of Texas does not regulate homeschoolers once they have been removed from the public school system.

IF YOUR CHILD HAS NEVER ATTENDED SCHOOL

If your child has never attended public school you can simply keep them home and homeschool.
You do not have to notify the school or sign the intent to homeschool if they have never been enrolled.

HOW TO WITHDRAW YOUR CHILD FROM PUBLIC SCHOOL

BY MAIL (recommended): It is suggested that you send this certified mail, return receipt requested, so you have proof of their receipt of the letter. Texas Home Educators also suggests you send a copy to the registrar in case the principal forgets to notify them. They have a sample letter here.
IN PERSON: Go to the school and tell the administrator that you will be withdrawing your child to homeschool him/her. You can physically deliver your letter (recommended) or sign the provided form (“Intent to Homeschool”, “Homeschool Assurance Statement”, or whatever the school titles it) This form may ask you what type of curriculum you intend to use. You DO NOT have to answer this question. You can leave it blank if you like. Or, if you want to put something there you can simply say you will be using an eclectic approach, utilizing many types of resources.
Pay any library fines, return books that belong to the school, settle up cafeteria charges, etc.
Should you have any issues from the school, you should contact an attorney or you can seek legal guidance from a homeschool group that provides legal representation.
Enjoy homeschooling your child!

Many people who are exploring unschooling are afraid that the unschooling philosophy doesn’t meet the above requirements. Remember, that as long as your child is exposed to reading, spelling, grammar, math and good citizenship in any form he is being exposed to visual forms of media from which he CAN and WILL learn. When YOU as the parent begin to see all that he/she is learning you will be amazed that learning can happen in every day life.

How Do They Learn… ? offers more inspiration in recognizing everyday learning.

Meeting the Texas Homeschool Law Requirements is a summary of a presentation Sue Patterson gave at the 2015 Texas Unschoolers Conference.

Texas Homeschooling Information and Resources

View Our Lesson Demos

Texas is a popular state for homeschoolers because it is low on regulations but high on opportunities for experiential learning. Not only are there hundreds of support groups throughout the state, but there are also even more educational field trips waiting to happen. Yet, with all that to look forward to, we know you still have concerns and are probably wondering things like, “Just how does homeschooling work in Texas?”

We want you to feel confident in your choice to start homeschooling in Texas. Below, you will find information that will guide you in the areas you are likely most eager to know about, including:

How to Start Homeschooling In Texas
Texas Homeschool Laws
Texas Homeschool Associations
Texas Homeschool Groups and Co-ops
Texas Homeschool Field Trips
Texas Homeschooling by City
Texas Standardized Testing and Test Prep
Why Time4Learning is the Leading Homeschool Curriculum in Texas

This information should by no means be interpreted as legal advice. It is your responsibility to interpret and understand the laws that you will be homeschooling under.

How to Start Homeschooling in Texas

In order to legally homeschool your child in Texas you must:

Officially withdraw your student from their current school if they are already enrolled.
Provide legitimate instruction to the child.
Choose your ideal curriculum. (In Texas, homeschool curriculum choice is up to the parent.)
Curriculum must cover at least the following subjects: reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and good citizenship.
Begin enjoying learning together!

Texas Homeschooling Laws

There are only a few basic legal requirements for homeschooling in Texas:

The student must be educated in a bona fide manner by the parents
The curriculum used should be visual in nature (such as textbooks, workbooks, online programs, etc.)
The curriculum should include these subjects: reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and citizenship

Learn more: Texas Homeschooling Laws

Texas Homeschool Associations

Did you know that, as a Texas homeschooling family, you don’t have to go it alone? That’s right. Texas has not one, but two statewide homeschool associations for support, information, and even legal representation in case (rare, but possible) you have any legal problems related to teaching your child from home. Learn about these two organizations and what benefits you might receive from joining one or both of them. More info: Texas Homeschool Associations

Texas Homeschool Groups and Co-ops

In addition to state-level support, homeschooling families in Texas also have many local and regional support groups to lean on. Even in rural areas, homeschoolers can use online networks to link up with other families for sharing information, getting advice, and planning activities. You may find that having a local support net increases your confidence about the homeschool experience and bolsters your spirits when you go through inevitable “rough patches.” Learn more about group options and benefits on our Texas Homeschool Groups and Co-ops page.

Homeschool Field Trips in Texas

Without a doubt, one of the best parts of homeschooling is the flexibility it offers you to learn by doing. Once you remove the classroom mindset and realize that learning can happen anywhere and everywhere you happen to be, a whole new world opens up for you and your children. This is especially true for Texas, where historical sites dot every part of the landscape and you have mountains, beaches, and prairies — all in one state! When you have the freedom as a homeschooler to throw the students in the car and head out on a learning adventure, why wouldn’t you? Let’s go field tripping! Learn more: Homeschool Field Trips in Texas

Texas Homeschooling by City

If you live near any of Texas’ major cities, you may begin to see your city with all new eyes. When you’re homeschooling, you have time to explore and experience all that it has to offer. Click the links below to discover the specific opportunities you have in these Texas cities.

Texas Standardized Testing and Test Prep

Although homeschoolers aren’t required by law to do standardized testing, many families appreciate the opportunity to evaluate how their homeschooler is progressing in comparison with other students at their grade level. Most educational experts agree that testing is a measure of how well students comprehend and apply knowledge. They also agree that high standards are a worthy goal. If you’d like to know more about Texas state assessments and how to prepare for them, you can explore Time4Learning’s Texas STARR test page.

Why Time4Learning is the Leading Homeschool Curriculum in Texas

Once you know how to enroll in homeschool in Texas, your next big step is figuring out how to choose the best homeschool curriculum to use. Whether you decide to go with a literature-based program, a textbook-based program, or an online curriculum, Texas families have unlimited options to mix and match the best curricula to meet each student’s needs. This is why Time4Learning is the leading online curriculum for homeschoolers in Texas:

Time4Learning covers all the core subjects that are required by Texas homeschool law. Our PreK-12 online curriculum offers standards-based instruction in the required subjects–reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and good citizenship–plus more.
When it comes to record keeping, Time4Learning has parents covered! Time4Learning includes an automated reporting system which tracks test and lesson scores, time spent on each activity, completed lesson summaries, and more.
Each student’s monthly subscription includes multimedia instruction in up to three grade levels at once, animated interactive lessons and printable worksheets for reinforcement.
The flexible and accessible nature means that students can use Time4Learning in a variety of ways, such as learning during the summer, or filling in learning gaps during afterschool enrichment.
It has a low monthly price, does not require a contract, and provides a money-back guarantee.

how children learn in home schools in America

Rainbow beginning

Elina is our late child, and my husband and I really wanted to give her a quality education. At the age of three, we sent her to a Montessori school - a great place for a preschooler. By the age of six, Ellina knew so much that we were amazed at the level of her development. At that time, we did not yet know what kind of test we would have when our daughter turned ten.

A year in an ordinary Russian school

For family reasons, we had to spend the last year in Russia. Elina turned 10 in September. She was mistakenly enrolled in the sixth grade instead of the fifth or even the fourth due to the incorrect recalculation of the school classes of the American system into the Russian one. nine0005

We can talk for a long time about our sufferings of that year. Russian for Elina is a second language, learning it was very difficult. I constantly wrote cards for her with explanations of Russian words. Plus, my daughter was faced with complex, never seen before, subjects of the Physics and Mathematics Lyceum, which we got into.

Classmates were one and a half to two years older. Once Ellina came to me and said that the guys in the class called her some words, asked if she knew what it was, and laughed. nine0005

Fortunately, this quickly passed. Ellina joined the team, became friends with some of the guys. But I was madly worried about her, especially when I had to fly home to the USA for a short time and leave her with new classmates.

But we survived!

At the end of the school year, the math teacher sent Elina to the Foxford Olympiad. My daughter then completed assignments in several subjects and even got good results, but the main miracle of this whole event was that we learned about the existence of Foxford Home School. nine0005

Homeschool Miracle in the USA

In America, we live in the Norfolk area. A significant part of the male population here serves in the army (there are many military bases in the region), and women take care of children. Due to the fact that many women do not work, homeschooling in America is very developed. For example, Ellina is a musician, and her entire violin orchestra consists of homeschoolers. The same is true for dancing.

Yes, and throughout America, this form of education is very common, its legalization began back in 1975 year. However, education lies almost entirely on the shoulders of the parents. They gather in groups, hire teachers. Many of these groups have long since become official "home schools", but still, parents have to draw up the program and curriculum themselves, look for teachers in those subjects that are not in the home school group, and often have to teach themselves. This, of course, imposes a huge responsibility and burden on parents who decide to take such a step.

When it comes to online learning, there are even fewer opportunities. Yes, you can take separate courses, but these will be videos, not live lessons, and only in certain subjects. Yes, you can study with teachers via Skype, but that's another story. nine0005

If there was a school like Foxford in America, all homeschoolers would go to it.

After the Olympiad, in which Ellina participated, we took a subscription to some Foxford summer courses. We looked at how it all works, we really liked it. We did not even dream of such happiness, such strong teachers, such a well-thought-out deep program in absolutely all subjects, and even without leaving home!

Russian school without leaving home

Elina has been a student of the Foxford Home School since September. We love that homeschooling covers the entire curriculum. We, as parents, have only a little left: to arrange a workplace, to see if the child plans and allocates his time correctly, whether he learns the material well. nine0005

Also, in my opinion, it is necessary to add control of those details that are still missing in the virtual format. This is the correctness of the design of tasks, the preparation of notes, retelling, memorization and recitation of poems, and so on. But this is such a small thing compared to what American moms and dads heroically do every day.

Home school unites the family very much. How much joy and laughter bring joint readings, discussions, discussions! Sometimes, of course, not without tears. But this is also wonderful - you can discuss what caused the failure, what caused the misunderstanding. nine0005

Homeschooling is a great opportunity to teach your child to be responsible for learning.

The expression “you study not for grades, but for yourself” at Foxford acquired the very real meaning. I like that in homeschooling in an online school there is no way to skip a topic. I remember how I myself (unfortunately) studied “from assessment to assessment”: today they asked, which means they won’t ask lesson 3-4, you can not teach. Elina simply does not have such an opportunity.

Ellina is currently homeschooled in the US under Russian and US programs simultaneously. She passes subjects in addition to the requirements of the American program. For example, studies additional foreign languages, American history, the Constitution, English literature. nine0005

My daughter also plays music (violin and piano) and sports (swimming and dancing). The load is, of course, very high. But we try to balance, so that there is time for housework, for games and meetings with friends, for the usual girlish “lounging”.

Texas Homeschooling Laws (AZ Guide)

Texas is one of the top US states for homeschooling. It is considered a private school, the activities of which are not regulated by the state. If you want to start Texas Homeschooling but don't know how to do it, in this article I will explain Texas Homeschooling Laws , Texas graduation requirements, home school record keeping, how to start homeschooling in Texas and much more other. So read to the end.

Contents

Texas School Requirements:

In order for you to be effectively homeschooled in Texas, you need to follow Texas Homeschooling Laws , which is very simple for homeschooling families. nine0005

Letter of Intent:

Unlike at Oregon Home School where you must submit a letter of intent to your school district, Texas Home School does not require this; all you have to do is formally write a letter of resignation from the public school to the school district where you live. The content of the letter will indicate that you have decided to homeschool your child from the date you start.

It is advisable to start the next day of school after the letter is submitted to avoid penalties for absenteeism. nine0005

teach the necessary items:

How you start home schooling in Texas , you need to teach the following subjects:

Mathematics
Reading
Verul and grammar
CEO of good citizenship.

You can also add Science and History, although this is not recommended by law. These subjects will give the child a broad outlook on education. In addition, the law requires that you use a visual curriculum such as online programs, textbooks to teach your child. nine0005

Number of days until homeschooling:

Company Texas Homeschool Laws does not specify the number of days a child is homeschooled. But it is important that you are homeschooled on the same days as in public school. On the other hand, keep the days and times of homeschooling appropriate for your child's learning abilities to prepare him/her for higher education.

Texas Homeschool Law Records :

Although record keeping is not declared until Texas Homeschooling , it is very important that you follow the curriculum, textbooks, tests, and quizzes while you study at home. You can keep records using the Home School Tracker to reduce the use of pen and paper when keeping records.

When put together, the record can form a Portfolio that serves as a home study reference and college application transcript. nine0005

Back to public school:

Returning to pubis after home schooling in Texas may be due to some problems that may arise in the family. Issues such as moving house, loss of a family member, may force a family to decide to return to a public school. In this case, the portfolio will serve as evidence of homeschooling and a means of evaluation for the child.

The school may decide to give a child an assessment test to find out what grade to give the child and how well the child is doing in that category. nine0005

Texas Graduation Requirements:

According to the Texas Education Agency, the State of Texas considers successful completion of a home school education equivalent to graduation from a public high school, so a Texas institution of higher education must refer to a home school graduate in accordance with those the same general standards, including specific standardized test results. requirements, like other undergraduate applicants who have graduated from a public high school. nine0005

Qualifications:

Texas does not have homeschooling teacher qualifications, but Texas homeschooling laws require that legal instruction be given to the child in the best form the child can understand.

Texas Homeschool Groups:

Groups help you meet other homeschoolers like yourself. In these groups, you receive advice and sometimes funds from fellow homeschoolers. Groups include:

Texas Home Educators :

This is a statewide home education service organization serving the Texas home education community. They will guide you through all your homeschooling adventures and guide you step by step through Texas Homeschooling Laws .

North Texas Home Educator Network (THEN) :

NTHEN is one of the largest regional homeschooling organizations in Texas, serving local support group leaders and homeschool families from over 75 local communities since 225. support organizations located in more than 1988 counties in north, northeast, and central Texas.

Closing Tips:

Texas is a wonderful state with thousands of homeschoolers across the state. The Good Thing About Texas Homeschooling There are many homeschooling support groups and Texas is more than a homeschool friendly state.