California Homeschool Laws & Requirements

Compulsory School Attendance Age

California's compulsory education laws generally apply to children between the ages of 6 and 18.

Homeschool Notification and Enrollment

A parent operating a home-based private school generally files a Private School Affidavit (PSA) with the California Department of Education every year. The statutory filing period is October 1 through October 15.

Filing the PSA does not mean California has approved, accredited, endorsed, or evaluated the homeschool.

Instructional Days and Hours

California does not establish a specific numerical number of instructional hours or school days for a home-based private school operating under the private-school exemption, though it must operate as a full-time private day school.

The separate private-tutor route generally requires at least 3 hours per day for at least 175 days per calendar year by an appropriately credentialed tutor.

Required Subjects

California requires private schools, including home-based private schools, to offer instruction in the branches of study required to be taught in California public schools. Instruction is generally required to be provided in English.

Attendance and Records

California requires home-based private schools to maintain an attendance register, courses of study, names and addresses of faculty, and records of faculty educational qualifications.

Standardized Testing

California does not require students enrolled in a qualifying home-based private school to participate in California's regular public-school standardized testing program simply because they are homeschooled.

Parent Teacher Qualifications

California does not require a parent teaching through a home-based private school to hold a California teaching credential, though private-school instruction must be provided by persons capable of teaching.

Curriculum Freedom

Parents operating a California home-based private school are responsible for selecting and providing their own curriculum, instructional materials, textbooks, workbooks, online programs, educational resources, and teaching methods, while covering required branches of study.

Graduation

A privately operated homeschool is responsible for establishing its own academic program, course requirements, credit system, and graduation requirements.

Public School Programs Are Different

California public charter schools and public independent study programs are public-school programs and are different from independently operated home-based private schools.

Credentialed Private Tutor Option

California also recognizes a separate credentialed private-tutor exemption with its own teacher credential, instructional time, subject, and English-language requirements.

Alabama Church School Services for California Families

California families may choose Alabama Church School for curriculum, enrollment documentation, attendance resources, academic records, report cards, transcripts, diplomas, graduation documentation, and educational support. Enrollment does not replace California's legal requirements for the family's selected education option.