Schooling at Home

While the California Department of Education (CDE) does not provide guidance on how to home school, this page provides compiled resources and information to help parents succeed in homeschooling.

Homeschooling Options

In California, there are several ways parents may educate their children at home. Options include:

• Through a public charter school.
• Through a public school independent study program.
• Through an existing private school that offers online learning or independent study options.
• By establishing a home-based private school (home school).
• Through a credentialed tutor.

For more information on these options, as well as other education alternatives, please visit the Homeschooling and Education Alternatives web page.

Laws and Requirements

Below is a breakdown of the minimum Affidavit filing, course/curriculum, and record keeping requirements for private/home schools. For more information on these requirements and all laws pertaining to private/home schools, please visit the Education Code for Private Schools web page.

The Affidavit

Anyone offering or conducting private school instruction on the elementary or high school level is required to annually file a private school affidavit. (California Education Code (EC) Section 33190). For more information on Affidavit filing requirements, or to file an Affidavit, please visit the Private School Affidavit Information web page.

Course/Curriculum

Parents who opt to privately educate or "home school" their children must select and provide all curricular, instructional, and other necessary materials.

Children who are being instructed in a private full-time day school, unless exempt, shall be taught in the English language and shall be offered instruction in the several branches of study required to be taught in the public schools of the state.(EC Section 48222).

Refer to EC Section 51210 - Courses of Study for Grades 1 to 6 and EC Section 51220 - Courses of Study for Grades 7 to 12 for more information on the state courses of study requirements.

Record Keeping

Private/home schools are required to maintain the following records (EC Section 33190):

• Attendance records, which require the attendance of the pupils be kept by private school authorities in a register, and the record of attendance shall indicate clearly every absence of the pupil from school for a half day or more during each day that school is maintained during the year (EC Section 48222).
• The courses of study offered by the institution.
• The names and addresses, including city and street, of its faculty, together with a record of the educational qualifications of each.

In addition, it is highly recommended to maintain the following records:

• Copies of Private School Affidavits.
• Individual Pupil Records as described in the California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Division 1 California Department of Education, Chapter 2 Pupils, Subchapter 2 Records of Pupils, Article 3 Individual Pupil Records, Sections 430-437.

Parents are not required to report to their school district. However, public school districts are required to verify a child’s exemption from compulsory education by verifying that the private school affidavit filing requirements have been met. (EC Section 48222). Refer to the Private/Home School Guidance and Resources for Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) web page for more information on the private/home school disenrollment and compulsory education exemption verification process.

Resources

Schooling at Home Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Answers to frequently asked questions about schooling at home.

Curriculum/Course Resources

Content Standards
Content standards adopted by the California State Board of Education. Identifies and describes the knowledge, concepts, and skills that students should acquire at each grade level.

Curriculum Frameworks & Instructional Materials
Contains information on all subject areas and provides guidance for implementing the content standards adopted by the State Board of Education.

State Minimum High School Graduation Requirements
Minimum set of courses required for high school graduation.

Courses Required for California Public University
Courses required for California State University and University of California admission.

Online Resources

There are a lot of online resources available to assist those who opt to educate their children at home. Searching the internet for the term “California Homeschool,” will provide you with various homeschool resources and advocacy groups, both California-based and nationally. California homeschool organizations and local homeschool groups may also serve as a resource in providing information on curriculum, recordkeeping, transcripts and diplomas, legal advice, and more. Below are several links to helpful homeschooling resources.

• California Homeschool Network
• Homeschool Association of California
• The Homeschool Mom – Homeschooling in California