Cypress Homeschool Association

FAQs



Q:

How do I begin to homeschool in Texas?

A:

First of all, homeschooling is legal in all 50 states.  Texas is very fortunate in that homeschools are considered private schools, and thus have no governmental oversight.

If you have a child in public school and wish to withdraw your child from public school, you must either go withdraw your child in person or send a letter of withdrawal by certified mail to the principal of the school. Your child will be considered truant until officially withdrawn from the school system!

Texas Homeschool Coalition has a section entitled “Homeschool in Texas”  that may answer many questions you might have. Texas Home School Coalition has a sample letter of withdrawal on its website.

Whether you mail a letter or withdraw in person, you DO NOT have to bring samples of your curriculum for the school to examine or approve.  Any such request is not legal. If you find you are being harassed by mail or telephone by public school officials, you should send in a letter of assurance, and any further harassment is not legal.

This is the official Supreme Court of TX ruling on homeschooling:

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF TEXAS NO. D-2022 TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY ET AL., PETITIONERS
V. GARY W. LEEPER ET UX. ET AL., RESPONDENTS
ON APPLICATIONS FOR WRIT OF ERROR TO THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND DISTRICT OF TEXAS JUSTICE HECHT DELIVERED THE OPINION OF THE COURT, IN WHICH CHIEF JUSTICE PHILLIPS, JUSTICE HIGHTOWER, JUSTICE DOGGET, JUSTICE CORNYN, JUSTICE GAMMAGE, JUSTICE ENOCH, AND JUSTICE SPECTOR JOIN, AND IN PARTS I, II AND III OF WHICH JUSTICE GONZALEZ JOINS,

All school-age children in Texas are required to attend public schools a minimum number of days each year unless exempted by law.

TEX. EDUC. Code § 21.032. Among those exempt from this requirement is “any child in attendance upon a private or parochial school which shall include in its course a study of good citizenship”. Id. § 21.033(a)(l).

The dispute in this class action centers on whether the private school exemption includes children who are taught at home, in a bona fide manner, a curriculum designed to meet certain basic education goals, including a study of good citizenship.

The district court construed the exemption to include such children and permanently enjoined all school districts and their attendance officers from enforcing the compulsory attendance law based upon any other reading of § 21.033(a)(l).

Q:

How do I find out the education requirements for Texas? 

A:

The Texas Home School Coalition (THSC) website has extensive information regarding requirements for home education. 

In short, the requirements for homeschooling in Texas are:

  • The instruction must be bona fide (i.e., not a sham).
  • The curriculum must be in visual form (e.g., books, workbooks, video monitor).
  • The curriculum must include the five basic subjects of reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and good citizenship.

Becoming a member of THSC is not a requirement to homeschool, although there are many benefits to joining THSC.

Q:

How does my child graduate? Is there a ceremony? How do I get them a diploma?

A:

In Texas, homeschooling students are not subject to specific state-mandated graduation requirements like those in public schools. However, the TEA recommends a 22-credit plan, including 4 credits of English, 3 of science and social studies, 4 of math, 2 of foreign language, 1 of physical education, 1 of fine arts, and 5 of electivesNote that the TEA recommended program is only a guide. As a home educator, you are free to customize your student’s high school plan.

Parents, as the homeschool administrators, determine when their child is ready to graduate and can create their own transcripts.  Texas Home School Coalition (THSC) offers a guide with more detailed information.

Cypress Homeschool Association does host a graduation ceremony in May of every year.

Q:

What classes do I need for my child to be accepted into a college? 

A:

Under Section 51.9241 (2) of the Texas Education Code (TEC), homeschool graduates are to be treated by colleges in the same manner and placed under the same criteria as public school graduates.

That being said, there are many avenues to choose from. Some families choose to enroll their high school aged children in local "al la carte" classes for certain subjects while others choose dual enrollment through HCC or LSC -- some even choose to do all the educating themselves.  The choice is yours.

Most universities will have admission requirements on their website. It is best to look at the website for any colleges your child is interested in to ensure their requirements are met.

THSC has a great guide to homeschooling high school aged children.

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