Legal/Homeschool Laws
Laws that regulate home education vary from state to state. It is important to understand the legal requirements in your state and to be aware of legislative and other legal issues that affect homeschoolers in your community. We've compiled resources that will help you become informed. Although homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, and the vast majority of homeschoolers face no problems, you may find that you need legal assistance at some point in your homeschooling career. We've compiled a list of resources to help you find the support you need. And if you'd like to become more involved in working towards homeschooling freedoms, we discuss some of the issues facing homeschoolers that we hope you find compelling.
State Laws
Read the laws regulating home education in Texas and browse through the case law and legal opinions relating to those laws, along with government publications relating to homeschooling and summaries of the laws.
Forms
Which forms do you need to fill out? Where can you get them? Here is a list of useful forms for homeschooling in Texas.
Legal Support
If you need legal information or have run into a legal situation regarding your decision to homeschool, these resources will be helpful.
Lobbying Groups
A listing of local and national lobbying groups and information on how you can become involved in the political process to ensure the freedom to homeschool is protected.
Attorneys
When searching for an attorney, it is helpful to know whether he or she has experience working with homeschoolers and is interested in protecting the right to homeschool.
Legal Issues
Is homeschooling legal? Which laws pertain to homeschoolers and which don't? How do homeschoolers protect their rights to freely educate their children and to preserve their privacy?
Government Resources
A listing of local and state government resources, including your state's Department of Education, school districts, and Senate and House of Representative information.
What's Popular
TX Department of Family and Protective Services Letter
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services letter confirming that a CPS workers have no jurisdiction in home education, truancy or compulsory school attendance matters.
Leeper vs. Arlington ISD Appeals Decision
The Leeper verdict was appealed by the state, and on November 23, 1991, the Court of Appeals, Second District, upheld the lower court’s ruling completely and without changes. This is the text of the appeals court ruling in this case. The original lower court ruling was upheld, affirming that students who are legitimately being educated at home are exempt from compulsory attendance laws.
North Texas Home Educators’ Network (NTHEN)
The North Texas Home Educators’ Network (NTHEN) provides services and support to homeschool families and homeschool support groups in north and northeast Texas. Their goal is to ensure homeschool leaders and parents have the proper tools and resources to create an enriching education experience for every homeschool student. NTHEN is the largest regional homeschool organization in Texas, serving local support group leaders in more than 80 counties and from more than 160 support groups throughout ...
Texas Home School Laws
The Home School Legal Defense Association provides a brief summary of the homeschooling laws in Texas. Includes a link to a legal analysis of laws relating to homeschooling in Texas.
CPS Memorandum on Homeschooling
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services memo to all CPS staff regarding lack of CPS authority over home schooling
Texas Education Agency Home School Informationq
Includes a home school information cover letter, the Commissioner's April 20, 2004, Home School Policy Letter, and the text of the Texas Education Code governing operation of schools and School Attendance.
Letter from Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
Letter from Commissioner Cockerell of Texas Department of Family and Protective Services clarifying that CPS does not consider home schooling as a risk factor in determining the safety of a child.
Is Unschooling Legal?
Although it hasn't been tested in court, as far as this mother is concerned for her family unschooling is perfectly legal in the state of Texas. Here's how she sees unschooling fits the Leeper decision for her and her family.
Texas Homeschooling Curriculum Requirements
Some Texas homeschoolers are being given false information by some school districts. This is the Texas Home School Coalition's response from August 15, 1997.
Homeschool Attorneys in Texas
These attorneys have indicated that they are willing to provide legal information, consult with or represent homeschoolers on homeschooling or other legal issues they may have in their states. Most of these attorneys homeschool or have homeschooled their own children.
I've Decided to Homeschool--Now What?
You've made the decision to homeschool, so what's next? This article includes some friendly, non-legal advice concerning what to do and what not to do when beginning to homeschool in Texas.
7 Easy Steps to Begin
Questions and answers concerning the legal requirements for homeschooling in Texas provided by the Texas Home School Coalition Association.
Leeper Case Decisions
In March 1985, attorney Shelby Sharpe, on behalf of several home school families and curriculum suppliers, filed a lawsuit against all the school districts in Texas on behalf of all home educators in Texas. In what became known as the Leeper vs. Arlington class action suit (Leeper v. Arlington I.S.D. No. 17-88761-85), home educators asked the court to give a declaratory judgment on the question of whether or not the legislature had intended home schools to be private schools when they enacted th...
Sample Letter of Assurance
This is a sample letter of assurance to send to your school district in response to requests for information.
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is comprised of the commissioner of education and agency staff. The TEA and the State Board of Education (SBOE) guide and monitor activities and programs related to public education in Texas.
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Featured Resources
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Real-Life Homeschooling: The Stories of 21 Families Who Teach Their Children at Home
The book that shows homeschooling in action! What does it really mean when parents say they homeschool their child or children? For Rhonda Barfield -- a homeschooler for the past 10 years -- the definition is as diverse as the 21 families she studi...
Handbook of Nature Study
A matchless handbook for decades, this classic work has been the natural history bible for countless teachers and others who seek information about their environment. Written originally for those elementary school teachers who knew little of common p...
Considering God's Creation
Life science truly comes alive with this 270-page lap-book style notebook for 2nd-7th graders. A Charlotte Mason type discovery approach is easily implemented with creative activities, music and topical Bible studies, making this program a perfect ch...
A Little Way of Homeschooling
This book is a compilation of the experiences of 13 different homeschoolers and how they incorporated an unschooling style of teaching in their homes. This book addresses the question of whether a Catholic can happily and successfully unschool. This ...
Montessori: A Modern Approach
Montessori: A Modern Approach has been called the single best book for anyone -- educator, childcare professional, and especially parent -- seeking answers to the questions: What is the Montessori method? Are its revolutionary ideas about early child...