Private/Home School Guidance & Resources for LEAs

Guidance

Disenrolling Students to Attend Private/Home Schools

Upon receiving a parental request to withdraw a student from public school, the LEA shall follow local procedures for disenrolling the student from their LEA. LEAs should be aware that the filing of the Private School Affidavit (PSA) is not a prerequisite to withdraw a child with the intent to enroll them in a private/home school. Therefore, the LEA’s disenrollment procedures shall not include the requirement for parents to show proof of a filed PSA to begin the disenrollment process. Students, however, shall not be exempt from compulsory education laws until the LEA has verified that the PSA filing requirements have been met.

Verifying Compulsory Education Exemptions

For exemptions from compulsory education for children who are being instructed in a private full-time day school to be valid, the supervisor of attendance or other person designated by the local governing board shall verify that the private school has filed an affidavit per California Education Code (EC) Section 33190.

LEAs may verify PSA filing compliance by obtaining evidence of filing from the private/home school, or they may use the Private School Search Tool. Note, this tool is password protected and only available to LEA staff and authorized users. For access to, or assistance with this tool, please contact the Private School Data Team.

PSA Filing Dates

July 1 through July 31: PSA filing system is CLOSED.

The PSA filing system is not available during the month of July. Therefore, the verification of affidavits for children who are being instructed in a private full-time day school starting between July 1 and July 31 shall take place after the PSA filing system is made available on August 1. Note, during this time, parents may withdraw their children and enroll them in a private full-time day school, or begin homeschooling prior to filing an affidavit.

August 1 through June 30: PSA Filing System is OPEN.

Although the annual statutory affidavit filing period is October 1 to October 15, the PSA filing system is made available from August 1 through June 30 of the following calendar year. The California Department of Education (CDE) leaves the PSA filing system open throughout the school year to accommodate newly established private schools in meeting the PSA filing requirements. Therefore, the verification of affidavits for children who are being instructed in a private full-time day school within this time shall take place shortly after withdrawing the student from public school.

The CDE recommends that LEAs inform parents of their affidavit filing requirements and provide a time frame in which the parent needs to complete their affidavit filing in order for the LEA to validate their exemption from compulsory education and avoid referral to the school attendance review board (SARB).

Resources

Resources for LEAs

Private School Search Tool
Allows county offices, districts, and other authorized users to search for and obtain private school affidavit information for the private schools in their county.

School Attendance Review Boards
Information about school attendance review boards (SARBs) that are composed of school and community members who meet regularly to diagnose and resolve persistent student attendance or behavior problems.

Truancy
Information and resources that define truancy and truancy penalties and other related information.

Resources for Parents

Schooling at Home
Information and resources for educating children at home.

Private School Affidavit Information
Information on filing and maintaining a PSA.