Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in California?

Yes. Notice goes to California Department of Education (online Private School Affidavit); no report to the school district is required. Deadline: October 1-15 each year (statutory window). A home school starting at another time files when it begins; the online system is open August 1 through June 30 for new and home schools. It renews annual.

Homeschooling in California

What the law requires, what you file and when, and what to keep — with the statute behind each rule.

notice only 9 sources Verified 12 October 2026

What California requires

Notify: California Department of Education (online Private School Affidavit); no report to the school district is required — October 1-15 each year (statutory window). A home school starting at another time files when it begins; the online system is open August 1 through June 30 for new and home schools. (annual)
Testing or evaluation: Not required.
Subjects set by the state: Yes — 1 group of required subjects, listed below
Teaching time: 3 hours, 175 days — in detail
Compulsory school age: 6 to 18
Records: At the school: a copy of the affidavit, an attendance register recording every absence of a half day or more, courses of study, and names, addresses and qualifications of instructors (plus background-check information where required).

Confidence in this record: medium. The facts below come from the sources listed, but at least one could not be confirmed against a primary source.

Taking your child out of school in California

First move: Withdraw the child from the public school (informing the district avoids truancy confusion) and file the Private School Affidavit to establish the home school, or enroll in a PSP, which files it.

Districts verify the private school exemption by checking affidavit compliance.

The legal routes

4 routes exist in California. They carry different duties, and families often do not know the alternatives to the obvious one.

Home-based private school (Private School Affidavit): Parent operates a private school at home and files the annual Private School Affidavit (PSA) with the California Department of Education. Must teach in English the branches of study required in public schools and keep attendance and other records.
Private school satellite program (PSP): Enroll the child in a private school that supports home instruction; the PSP files the affidavit and keeps the records, and the parent teaches at home.
Credentialed private tutor: Instruction by a person holding a valid California teaching credential for the grade taught, at least 3 hours a day, 175 days a year, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., in English. No affidavit.
Public charter school or district independent study: Study at home as a public school student through a nonclassroom-based charter or a district independent study program; the school sets requirements, assigns a credentialed teacher, and requires state testing. Many charters provide instructional funds.

The notice, and who receives it

Goes to: California Department of Education (online Private School Affidavit); no report to the school district is required
Deadline: October 1-15 each year (statutory window). A home school starting at another time files when it begins; the online system is open August 1 through June 30 for new and home schools.
Renews: annual
Form: Private School Affidavit (filed online; a 'statement in lieu' is allowed if online filing is not possible) — official form

Subjects California requires

Branches of study required in public schools, taught in English (Ed. Code 51210 for grades 1-6: English, math, social sciences, science, visual and performing arts, health, physical education; Ed. Code 51220 for grades 7-12)

See which courses here cover these subjects →

Teaching time

Private home school/PSP: none set by statute beyond full-time day school. Private tutor: 3 hours/day, 175 days/year, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Who may teach

Private home school and PSP: instructors must be 'capable of teaching' (no credential). Private tutor option: valid California teaching credential for the grade taught.

Testing and evaluation

No state testing for private home schools, PSPs or tutors. Charter and independent study students take state tests.

Records to keep

At the school: a copy of the affidavit, an attendance register recording every absence of a half day or more, courses of study, and names, addresses and qualifications of instructors (plus background-check information where required). CDE also recommends individual pupil records (5 CCR §§ 430-437).

High school, diplomas and transcripts

The private school (parent) sets graduation requirements and issues the diploma and transcript; there is no state graduation requirement for private schools. Alternatives include the GED and the California Proficiency Program.

Charter/independent study students earn a public school diploma.

Public school classes, sports and activities

No state law gives private homeschoolers part-time enrollment or public school sports access. A child may re-enroll in public school at any time; the district decides grade placement and credit.

Funding: education savings accounts, vouchers and tax credits

No ESA, voucher or tax credit. Nonclassroom-based public charter schools often provide per-student instructional funds; the 2026-27 budget trailer bill (AB 126, signed July 2026) added oversight requirements for these charters.

What changed recently

SB 848 (Pérez; Ch. 460, Stats.

2025; signed Oct 7, 2025), which HSLDA calls the 'Safe Learning Environments Act': from July 1, 2026 private schools must adopt written policies on adult-pupil professional boundaries (including social media/text contact limits), provide annual child-abuse prevention training, and their employees, certain volunteers and governing board members become mandated reporters; private school employers must join a statewide misconduct data system due by July 1, 2027. HSLDA says the major provisions do not apply to parents teaching only their own children under a PSA but can apply to PSPs that enroll homeschool students. July 2026: AB 126 (2026-27 education budget trailer bill) was signed, adding new requirements for nonclassroom-based charter schools used by many homeschoolers (e.g., itemized contract costs under LEA contracting policies due by July 1, 2027); it does not change the PSA, PSP or tutor options.

What we could not confirm

The 'Safe Learning Environments Act' name comes from HSLDA; the SB 848 chaptered text read (partial) uses the heading 'Professional Boundaries Between Adults and Pupils and the Safety of Learning Environments' and confirms the July 1, 2026 private school duties, but exactly which home-based private schools/PSPs are covered (e.g., schools with no employees or volunteers) was not confirmed from the full text. AB 126 signing date and charter provisions confirmed only via CASBO.

CIF sports eligibility for PSA homeschoolers and community college dual-enrollment rules were not verified. Statute text of Ed. Code § 48222 and § 33190 was not read directly (relied on CDE pages).

AB 126 bill text not read (leginfo would not load)

Listed because a legal summary that hides its gaps is harder to trust than one that names them. How these pages are checked.

Statutes and sources

Statute and regulation

Cal. Educ. Code § 48200
Cal. Educ. Code § 48222
Cal. Educ. Code § 48224
Cal. Educ. Code § 33190
Cal. Educ. Code §§ 51210, 51220
5 CCR §§ 430-437