Finding a School for your Child

This web page, which provides information about home schooling, was created by the Texas Education Agency as a courtesy to parents interested in educating their children at home.  The TEA does not regulate, index, monitor, approve, register, or accredit the programs available to parents who choose to home school.

Court Ruling

Home schooling has been a legal alternative to public schooling since 1994. In the case of Leeper et al. v. Arlington ISD et al., the Texas Supreme Court upheld a lower court's decision that children being taught at home are exempt from the compulsory attendance requirement to the same extent as students enrolled in private schools. Parents who choose to home school are required to follow a course of study that includes good citizenship. A public school district that becomes aware of a student who is potentially being home schooled may request in writing a letter of assurance from the parents that the student is being home schooled.

Transferring to a Public School

The State of Texas does not award a diploma to students that are home schooled. Home-schooled students can enter public school at any time but should be aware that most districts have policies and procedures in place to assess the mastery level of courses that students in home schools have taken. The results of the assessment may be used for grade placement or award of credit or both. Students transferring from home schools should be afforded the same treatment as students transferring from unaccredited private schools. TEA recommendations on appropriate placement assessments are included in the Commissioner's Home School Policy Letter.

Graduation Recognition

The State of Texas considers the successful completion of a home school education to be equivalent to graduation from a public high school, therefore an institution of higher education in Texas must treat a home school graduate to the same general standards, including specific standardized testing score requirements, as other applicants for undergraduate admission who have graduated from a public high school. For additional information and specific guidance please contact the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Resources

For additional information on home schooling, contact the Texas Home School Coalition or the Texas Home Educators. As an alternative, parents can contact the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission and International Association for Learner Driven Schools for information about accredited private schools. Parents interested in the state-mandated curriculum standards can visit the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) page on the TEA website.

In addition to the state's more than 1,000 public school districts, Texas offers a variety of alternative schooling options for parents. These include charter schools, which are monitored and accredited under the statewide testing and accountability system; private schools, which may or may not be accredited through various organizations; and home schooling, which is not accredited or regulated by any state agency in Texas or commission. Families may also be interested in online learning programs and high school equivalency programs. For more information on each of these alternative schooling options, follow the links below:

Charter Schools
In 1995, the 74th Texas Legislature passed legislation giving the state the authority to create open-enrollment charter schools. These schools are subject to fewer state laws than other public schools with the idea of ensuring fiscal and academic accountability without undue regulation of instructional methods or pedagogical innovation. Like school districts, charter schools are monitored and accredited under the statewide testing and accountability system.

Private Schools (outside source)
TEA does not have oversight of private schools in Texas; however, the agency works with the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission and International Association for Learner Driven Schools (IALDS) to ensure that students can easily transfer from non-public to public schools and that teacher service at non-public schools is recognized at public schools for salary purposes. Private schools may be accredited by a variety of organizations, but many private schools in Texas are not accredited by any organization.

Home Schooling
In 1995, the Texas Supreme Court affirmed the decision in the class action lawsuit Leeper v Arlington Independent. School District that home schools can legally operate as private schools in Texas. According to the ruling, home schools must be conducted in a bona fide manner, using a written curriculum consisting of reading, spelling, grammar, math, and a course in good citizenship. The Texas Education Agency has no regulatory authority over home schools, and the state of Texas does not award diplomas to students who are home schooled.

Texas Virtual Schools Network
Texas Virtual Schools Network (TxVSN), which launched in 2009, provides Texas students and schools access to interactive, collaborative, instructor-led online courses taught by state-certified and appropriately credentialed teachers. The TxVSN is made up of two components: the TxVSN statewide course catalog, which provides supplemental online courses to students in grades 8-12; and the TxVSN online schools program, which offers full-time virtual instruction through eligible public schools to Texas public school students in grades 3-12.

High School Equivalency Program (HSEP)
The In-School High School Equivalency Program is designed to provide an alternative for high school students age 16 and over who are at risk of not graduating from high school and earning a high school diploma.

Texas Certificate of High School Equivalency
Anyone aged 18 and older who has not earned a high school diploma and is not currently enrolled in an accredited high school is eligible to earn a Texas Certificate of High School Equivalency. Any exceptions must meet eligibility requirements to test for the high school equivalency.

Finding a school among Texas' 1,207 districts and charters, which contain nearly 9,000 campuses, can be daunting. To you help locate and select the correct district and campus, the Texas Education Agency provides several resources to help you find information on district boundaries, school type and location, accountability ratings, enrollment data, and contact information.

Find a Public School District or Charter

TXschools.gov School Finder
Search for schools around your address or filter for specific school characteristics and features.

Texas School District Locator (SDL)
The SDL provides basic information for Texas schools, districts, and education service centers (ESCs) in map format.

District Directory (AskTED)
AskTED is an online directory of Texas schools, including charters. The directory primary is primarily used by people seeking contact information for schools, districts, and education service centers.

Charter Schools
In 1995, the 74th Texas Legislature passed legislation giving the state the authority to create open-enrollment charter schools. These schools are subject to fewer state laws than other public schools with the idea of ensuring fiscal and academic accountability without undue regulation of instructional methods or pedagogical innovation. Like school districts, charter schools are monitored and accredited under the statewide testing and accountability system.

Alternative Schooling

Students seeking an alternative to traditional K-12 schooling can take online courses, attend a high school equivalency program, or test for a GED certificate:

Texas Virtual Schools Network
Texas Virtual Schools Network (TxVSN), which launched in 2009, provides Texas students and schools access to interactive, collaborative, instructor-led online courses taught by state-certified and appropriately credentialed teachers. The TxVSN is made up of two components: the TxVSN statewide course catalog, which provides supplemental online courses to students in grades 8-12; and the TxVSN online schools program, which offers full-time virtual instruction through eligible public schools to Texas public school students in grades 3-12.

High School Equivalency Program (HSEP)
The High School Equivalency Program, or In-School GED Option Program, is designed to provide an alternative for high school students age 16 and over who are at risk of not graduating from high school and earning a high school diploma.

Texas Certificate of High School Equivalency
Anyone aged 18 and older who has not earned a high school diploma and is not currently enrolled in an accredited high school is eligible to earn a Texas Certificate of High School Equivalency. Any exceptions must meet eligibility requirements to test for the high school equivalency.

Other Schooling Options

Texas parents also have the option to enroll their children in a private school or teach their children at home. TEA has no oversight of private schools or home school programs.

Texas Private School Accreditation Commission (outside source)
TEA does not have oversight of private schools or vocational schools in Texas. The Texas Private School Accreditation Commission and International Association for Learner Driven Schools provide information for private schools. For information related to alternative schooling options, visit the Alternative Schooling page.

Home Schooling
This page provides information on the legal requirements of operating a home school and resources for parents who want to pursue this schooling option. TEA has no regulatory authority over home schools, and the state of Texas does not award diplomas to students who are home schooled.