Homeschooling in California

Options for homeschooling

: No

Notification required

: Yes

Standardized testing required

: No

ESA Option

: No

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California homeschooling laws and options

California's compulsory education laws require children between six and eighteen years old to attend school, with a limited number of specified exceptions. Under state law, a pupil who, without a valid excuse, is absent from school for three full days in one school year, or is tardy or absent for more than 30 minutes during the school day on three occasions in one school year, is considered truant.

Although the California education code never mentions homeschooling, parents have the legal right to homeschool and avoid truancy charges as long as they choose one of these five ways:

Establish a private school in their own home.
Enroll their children in a private school that offers a satellite program (PSP).
Hire a private tutor or hold a California teaching credential themselves.
Send their children to a public school that offers independent study.
Enroll their children in a public charter school.

We have done our best to ensure the accuracy of this information, however it should not be interpreted as legal advice. It is your responsibility to interpret and understand the laws that you will be homeschooling under.

How to get started with Time4Learning in California

How to get started
with
Time4Learning

For homeschooling parents who wish to homeschool through a private school (for option 1 above) will need to establish a private school based in their home by filing a California homeschool affidavit. In order for a homeschool student to be exempt from compulsory education laws under California Education Code (EC) Section 48222, the affidavit must be submitted to and verified by the local public school district.

Important notes about filing the Private School Affidavit (PSA) with the California Department of Education (CDE):

The statutory filing period is from October 1 to October 15, and the filing system is open throughout the school year beginning August 1 and ending June 30 to accommodate new schools and home schools.]
It must be filed every year that you plan to continue homeschooling as a private school entity.
You will need to create a name for your homeschool and keep specific items on file about it.

Once established, private school homeschools in California have an exceptional amount of freedom. There are no reporting requirements regarding your child’s curriculum or grades, no annual testing, and you have complete autonomy to choose the best homeschool curriculum to meet your child’s specific learning needs.

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California's high school graduation & diploma requirements

The primary thing to know is that the path to homeschool graduation isn’t usually parallel to the one traditional students follow. California’s graduation requirements depend on how your homeschool is set up, which will give you much more flexibility than traditional schools.

Diploma requirements. Parents homeschooling under the private home study option determine when their student has fulfilled graduation requirements and can issue their own homeschool diploma. 

High school testing. Homeschool students are not subject to testing requirements for graduation.

High school transcripts. Homeschool parents may create their own student transcripts, and may include any information they deem pertinent to colleges, military, and/or future workplace organizations.

High school course. Parents determine when their student has fulfilled graduation requirements; for the purpose of creating transcripts, some homeschool parents do assign credits to individual courses. 

GED eligibility. The same requirements for eligibility apply to homeschoolers as to public school students.

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Standardized test requirements for California homeschoolers

California standardized testing isn’t mandatory for all homeschoolers and will depend on the way they are set up. Homeschool students are not subject to testing requirements for graduation.

However many homeschool parents also use annual standardized tests as a benchmark to measure progress.

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Applying to college as a homeschooler in California

Homeschoolers have been successfully admitted to many types of colleges in California including public University of California (UC) schools and private colleges like Stanford and USC. We recommend checking with the admissions office for the campuses you wish to apply to, but here’s what is typically needed:

Transcripts: Provide detailed transcripts of high school coursework. As a Time4Learning member, you’ll be able to download a transcript template from our parent portal.
Standardized tests (if required): Some colleges require SAT, ACT, or AP test scores, though many are now test-optional.
A portfolio: This is a great opportunity to show how well-rounded your student is! They can stand out by including information about volunteer work, passion projects, and dual enrollment. As a Time4Learning member, you can print out weekly reports of work and place them in a 3-ring binder.
Letters of recommendation: These can come from co-op teachers, tutors, or community leaders.
Personal statement: A strong essay can showcase your unique homeschool experience.

When applying to UC and CSU schools, homeschoolers under a PSA might need to provide additional documentation since courses aren’t automatically A-G certified. However, this is manageable with thorough record-keeping and sometimes additional exams like the SAT Subject Tests (if needed).

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Using an ESA for homeschool financial aid in California

In California, Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) are not currently available as a formal financial aid option for homeschooling families. However, some families can use 529 College Savings Plans for K–12 private school tuition, which may include certain homeschooling costs if the curriculum is provided through a private institution. Additionally, California offers charter schools that support homeschooling families, sometimes providing funding or reimbursement for educational materials.

While ESA-like programs aren't widespread in the state, other avenues such as private scholarships, tax benefits, and charter school stipends can help offset homeschooling expenses, though these options can vary widely depending on the program and eligibility requirements. You can stay informed about legislative developments or funding options at EdChoice.org.