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New to Home Schooling

Are you new to home schooling?  Do you need ideas or suggestions for finding out your child's learning styles or deciding what curriculum is right for your child?  Would you like to talk to a current homeschooling mom?  Below are a few resources that can help you find answers for some of your questions. 

"You are not legally required to register with your local school district or receive their permission to homeschool, but according to Texas Education Agency (TEA) policy you must officially withdraw your child(ren) from public school if they are already enrolled by sending a letter of intent.

The date that you will begin homeschooling is now required by the TEA in order to withdraw a child from public school. It is important to make certain that your students are withdrawn before homeschooling begins and that homeschooling begins as soon as your student is withdrawn in order to avoid the public school counting your student as absent and potentially filing truancy charges.

It is important to note that you are not required to complete any requirements except to submit a valid notice of withdrawal. If the school subsequently contacts you and says you must do more (e.g., come to the school office, fill out a form, present curriculum for review), you are not required to comply.

Instead, respond by email or mail with a letter of assurance. The TEA has instructed school districts that such letters meet the guidelines of cooperation in compliance with compulsory attendance laws..." Source: THSC.org

Information on Teaching Materials, Learning Styles, and Teaching Approaches 

Local Homeschool Support Groups and Co-Ops

Joining Peach

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

For Frequently Asked Questions, we can refer to the very robust list of questions on the THSC web site here. Includes information about Getting Started, Curriculum, School Districts, Homeschool requirements (including testing), and Tax / Government Benefits.
*Note that while THSC recommends joining when you begin homeschooling, it is not a legal requirement to be a part of THSC, HSLDA, or another homeschool organization.

 

If you have some resources that you think should be added,
or you've found some that are now "dead ends",
please email us at info@peachonline.org

 

Information and links on the PEACH web site does not necessarily indicate endorsement by PEACH.  Information is provided to PEACH members to assist in home schooling their children.  PEACH members are expected to verify information and investigate for themselves whether information from these links would be appropriate for their particular family situation.


Texas Law


What must be taught in Texas Home Schools?

On April 13, 1987, presiding Judge Charles J. Murray issued a decision (binding on all 1,100 school districts) which was a complete vindication of the rights of parents to educate their children at home in the state of Texas.  The judge concluded that, "A school-aged child residing in the State of Texas who is being educated in a bona fide manner by the parents, or those standing in parental authority, in or through the child's home using a curriculum, consisting of books, workbooks, other written materials, including that which appears on an electronic screen or either a computer or video tape monitor, or any combination of the preceding from either:

  1. a private or parochial school which exists apart from the child's home or
  2. which has been developed or obtained from any source, said curriculum designed to meet basic education goals of reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics and a study of good citizenship, is in attendance upon a private or parochial school within the meaning of Section 25.086(a)(1) of the Texas Education Code and exempt from the requirements of compulsory attendance at a public school.

The only requirements for home schooling to be legal in Texas are

  1. the instruction be bona fide (i.e. not a sham);
  2. the curriculum be in visual form (e.g. books, workbooks, video monitor); and
  3. the curriculum include the basic subjects of reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and a study in good citizenship.

Parents may obtain curriculum materials from outside sources or develop their own.  They may also send their children into the home of another parent for instruction or have a tutor come into their home for all or part of the instruction.

(quoted from "Home Schooling in Texas: A History Lesson" by
Tim Lambert in the "THSC Handbook for Texas Home Schoolers")