As a result of COVID-19, homeschooling is on the rise. For some, this is a short-term arrangement, and others have discovered that homeschooling is perfect for their family. In case you don’t know, homeschooling is simply the practice of educating your kids from home. Some families choose to collaborate through homeschooling cooperatives and extracurricular leagues to enrich the home school experience.

Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, including the District of Columbia. When exploring the homeschooling route, please be aware that the laws and policies that govern homeschooling differ by state. If you wonder if homeschooling is a good fit for your family, you probably have questions about how to begin the process and what resources are available. Because of this, we created a series entitled, How to Start Homeschooling. In each installment, we will discuss homeschooling rules and resources for each state. In today’s installment, we will discuss homeschooling in California.

What you need to know:

• California has four homeschooling options: a home-based private school, a private school, a private tutor, or a teacher, a public school independent study arrangement.
• You will need to decide which kind of homeschool option you wish to enroll your kid in. Each has a separate procedure to inform the Superintendent of Public Instruction that you will be homeschooling your kid. You will need to submit a withdrawal letter with a particular date to remove your kid either by mail or in person.
• There are particular requirements for each homeschool education option in California.
• The instructional hours required per day and days required per year depend on the homeschool option.
• All four homeschool options require seven academic subjects to be taught: English, mathematics, social studies, science, visual and performing arts, health, and P.E.
• Required academic records and testing regulations depend on which homeschool option you choose.
• If you decide to go back to a public school, your school may require academic records and placement testing. Public schools may choose not to accept the credits you have received while homeschooling.

Resources

California may have funding assistance available if you homeschool through a charter homeschool.

For more, you can check out the California Homeschool Network, the CA Department of Education: Schooling at Home, Home School Legal Defense Association – California, the Christian Home Educators Association of California, and the Sacramento Christian Organization of Parent Educators (SCOPE).