California Homeschool Requirements (2026 Update)

Compulsory attendance (ages 6–18)

California requires children ages 6 through 18 to attend school under Cal. Ed. Code § 48200. "School" for this purpose includes public school, private school (including a home-based private school), or a state-recognized alternative program. Homeschooling therefore requires compliance with one of the four legal option paths — a parent cannot simply keep a school-age child home without qualifying under a legal option.

Truancy for a school-age child not enrolled in a compliant program can trigger action by the local school district's Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) and, in serious cases, referral to the district attorney.

Four legal options

The PSA option is the most common for families who want maximum flexibility with minimum state involvement. The IS and charter options provide more structure and access to public funding for curriculum and enrichment.

Option 1 — Private School Affidavit

Under Cal. Ed. Code § 33190, any person operating a private school must file an annual Private School Affidavit with the California Department of Education. This same provision is used by families operating a home-based private school for their own children.

Filing process

1. Between October 1 and October 15 each year, file the PSA online through the California Department of Education's Private School Affidavit portal. Schools established after October 15 must file within 15 days of establishment.
2. Provide basic information: school name, address, students enrolled by grade, and administrator information.
3. Certify compliance with health, safety, and course requirements.
4. Print and retain the filing confirmation.

The PSA is essentially self-certifying — the state does not review, approve, or inspect PSA schools. Once filed, the PSA has legal effect for the school year.

Requirements for PSA homeschools

• Teach the "several branches of study" required in public schools (see curriculum section below).
• Instruction in English.
• Keep attendance records showing which students attended on which days.
• Maintain a list of textbooks and instructional materials.
• Keep a list of all people employed by or teaching in the school.
• Comply with California immunization requirements (except in narrow cases).
• Complete a criminal background check for anyone with unsupervised access to children (parents teaching own children are typically exempt).

Option 2 — Independent Study Program

California public school districts offer Independent Study Programs (IS) that allow students to complete public school curriculum from home. Under Cal. Ed. Code § 51745 et seq., a student enrolled in IS remains a public school student — the district provides curriculum, oversight, and typically a supervising teacher who meets with the student regularly.

IS students take California statewide assessments (CAASPP), follow California standards-aligned curriculum, and are subject to full district oversight. In exchange, the student is officially enrolled in and funded by the public system.

Option 3 — Private tutor

Under Cal. Ed. Code § 48224, a child taught by a private tutor holding a valid California teaching credential is deemed to be attending school. The tutor must:

• Hold a valid California teaching credential for the grade being taught.
• Instruct the child in the branches of study required in public schools.
• Teach at least 3 hours per day for at least 175 days per year.
• Instruct in English.

This option is rarely used because it requires either the parent to hold a teaching credential or hiring a credentialed tutor — an expensive proposition. Most credentialed-parent homeschoolers actually use the PSA option instead because it doesn't require the daily-hours reporting.

Option 4 — Charter school enrollment

California allows charter schools — publicly funded but independently operated schools — to offer home-based programs, independent-study tracks, and hybrid learning models. Enrolling in a charter school with a homeschool-friendly program combines public funding (typically $1,500–$3,000 per year in curriculum funds) with home-based flexibility.

Charter students remain public school students and are subject to state testing and full oversight, but many families find the flexibility and funded curriculum access worth the tradeoff. Popular California homeschool charters include Sky Mountain, iLead, Springs, and various regional programs.

Curriculum requirements

PSA homeschools must teach the "several branches of study" required in California public schools under Cal. Ed. Code § 51210 (elementary) and § 51220 (secondary). At minimum:

• English (reading, writing, spelling, vocabulary).
• Mathematics.
• Social sciences (history, geography, civics).
• Science.
• Physical education.
• Health.
• Visual and performing arts (music, drama, art).
• For secondary: also foreign language, applied arts, career technical education.

There is no state-mandated curriculum, no state-approved textbook list, and no state-mandated minimum hours per subject. The parent has broad discretion over what curriculum and materials to use, as long as the required subject areas are covered.

Attendance records

PSA homeschools must keep attendance records — a simple record showing which students attended on which days is sufficient. There is no state-mandated form or reporting; the records only need to be produced if requested (which is rare unless a truancy issue arises).

Public school year is 180 days for elementary and 180 days for high school, though PSA schools are not strictly bound to this and can define their own school year.

Testing (not required)

PSA homeschool students are not required to take any state assessments or standardized tests. This is a significant difference from IS and charter enrollment, where students take the CAASPP suite. Parents can choose to have their children take standardized tests through private testing services if they want benchmarks for college applications or other purposes.

High school diploma

PSA schools can issue their own high school diplomas — the PSA operator is the school administrator and has the authority to certify completion of the school's own graduation requirements. A PSA diploma is a valid high school diploma for most purposes including college admission, military enlistment, and employment.

Students who prefer a state-recognized credential can take the California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE) at age 16+ or the GED.

Special-needs students

Homeschooling a child with special needs is legal in California, but the parent takes on responsibility for the child's educational needs. Some options:

• Homeschool under PSA and independently arrange services (private therapies, tutoring, etc.).
• Enroll in a public IS or charter program that offers special education services.
• Dual-enroll for specific services through the local school district while otherwise homeschooling.

California IDEA rights (Individualized Education Program, etc.) apply to publicly-enrolled students; the reach of these rights for PSA-enrolled students is more limited.

State agency contact

Compared to neighboring states

Related California laws

• California child custody
• California child support
• California marriage laws
• California adoption laws
• California special education rights
• California truancy laws
• California immunization requirements
• California name change

Related comparisons

Related guides

Recent changes

• 2020–2022
  COVID-era expansion of independent study and remote learning under AB 130 (2021) permanently updated Cal. Ed. Code § 51745 procedures for IS programs.
• 2015
  SB 277 eliminated the personal-belief exemption from California school immunization requirements, applying to PSA homeschools with 6+ students. Homeschools serving only the parents' own children face different rules.

Sources

Frequently asked questions