Homeschooling in Texas

Legal Foundation: The Leeper Decision

Every homeschool parent in Texas should know the name Leeper v. Arlington ISD. This 1994 Texas Supreme Court case is the bedrock of homeschool freedom in the state. The court ruled that homeschools operating in a bona fide manner are private schools under Texas law.

"Bona fide" means three things in practice:

1. The instruction must be pursued in good faith. You're genuinely educating your children.
2. The curriculum must be visual. You should have books, workbooks, online resources, or other materials that someone could see.
3. The curriculum must cover five subjects: reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and good citizenship.

In 2025, the Texas Legislature passed the Homeschool Freedom Act (HB 2674), which explicitly prohibits state agencies from regulating homeschools — codifying into statute what Leeper established through case law.

How to Start

If your child is currently enrolled in school: Send a withdrawal letter. That's it. Write a simple letter stating your child's name, your intent to begin homeschooling, and the date you'll start. Send it by certified mail with return receipt requested.

If your child has never been enrolled: Just start. There is no form to file, no office to notify, no approval to wait for. You don't need to register with the Texas Education Agency or notify your local school district.

Curriculum Requirements

Texas requires five subjects: reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and good citizenship. Beyond that, you have total freedom in how you teach, what materials you use, and how you structure your days.

Reading: Phonics programs, chapter books, audiobooks — any approach that develops reading skills.

Spelling and Grammar: Formal curriculum, writing practice, copywork, or any method that develops written communication.

Mathematics: Saxon, Singapore, Math-U-See, Khan Academy, Teaching Textbooks, or any combination.

Good Citizenship: Character education, community service, studying the Constitution, or discussing current events.

Most families teach far more than these five subjects — science, history, foreign languages, art, music — but only those five are legally mandated.

Record-Keeping

Texas law does not require attendance records, grades, transcripts, or portfolios. But keeping records is smart. Here's what to maintain:

• Attendance log — a simple calendar marking school days
• Course descriptions — a paragraph for each subject
• Grades or evaluations
• Work samples — a few representative pieces per semester
• A running transcript — especially starting in 9th grade

If you ever need to prove your homeschool is bona fide, having organized records makes that conversation very short.

Texas Education Freedom Account (ESA)

Starting in the 2026-27 school year, the Texas Education Freedom Account (ESA) program created by Senate Bill 2 provides eligible homeschool families up to $2,000 per student per year for approved educational expenses like curriculum, tutoring, and educational materials. Students with disabilities may qualify for up to $30,000.

The program is funded with $1 billion from the state legislature. Participation is optional, and accepting ESA funds does not change your homeschool status or create additional regulatory requirements.

UIL Extracurricular Access

The UIL Equal Access law (SB 401, passed in 2025) allows homeschooled students to participate in UIL activities at their local public school, including sports, band, and other extracurriculars. School districts are automatically opted in unless they specifically choose to opt out. Students must demonstrate grade-level academic proficiency on a nationally standardized test to participate.