A Arizona Field Guide · Updated for 2026

How to start homeschooling in Arizona.

A clear, practical guide for families ready to bring learning home - written for the way Arizona actually does it. One notarized affidavit, filed once with your county. Five required subjects. No testing, ever. Everything you need to begin with confidence, in plain language and without the noise.

The Path · Getting Started

Five steps from maybe we could to teaching under the desert sky.

№ 01
01

Decide: homeschool or ESA?

Arizona offers two distinct legal paths to learning at home, and the difference matters. Traditional homeschooling under A.R.S. § 15-802 is private and nearly paperwork-free. The Empowerment Scholarship Account funds home-based education generously - but ESA students are legally not homeschoolers, and the two statuses cannot overlap.

What to decide
The two paths:
  • Homeschool - affidavit on file, full independence, no funding
  • ESA home-based education - state funds with contract obligations
  • You cannot hold both statuses at once
02

File your Affidavit of Intent.

Within 30 days of beginning home instruction, file a notarized Affidavit of Intent with the county school superintendent for the county where you live - not the school district, not the state. Attach proof of your child's identity and age. File it once, and you're done: no annual renewal.

Your affidavit must include
  • Child's name, date of birth & current address
  • Names, phones & addresses of custodial parents/guardians
  • Notarized parent/guardian signature
  • Certified birth certificate or other proof of identity (A.R.S. § 15-828)
03

Cover the five subjects, your way.

A.R.S. § 15-802 names five subjects - reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies, and science - and then steps back entirely. Arizona does not approve curriculum, set hours, or check your lesson plans. Textbooks, online programs, co-ops, microschool-style pods, unit studies: the method is yours.

Useful starting points
  • Arizona academic standards (benchmarks, not requirements)
  • AFHE conventions, co-ops & park days
  • Public library programs & museum passes
  • Curriculum review sites like Cathy Duffy
04

Set up simple records.

Arizona requires no attendance logs, no portfolios, and no reporting after the affidavit. Keep light records anyway: a copy of your filed affidavit, a yearly materials list, and sample work. If your child may rejoin a school, play sports, or apply to college, those papers do the talking.

Keep on file
  • Filed affidavit & any county confirmation
  • Yearly curriculum & materials list
  • Sample work from each subject
  • Course lists & transcript for high school
05

Plan for sports, high school, and what's next.

Homeschoolers can try out for interscholastic activities at the public school in their attendance area under A.R.S. § 15-802.01 - you'll submit written verification of passing grades. For graduation, you set the requirements, issue the diploma, and build the transcript. And if you ever switch to the ESA, remember to formally end your homeschool status first.

Worth planning early
  • Sports tryouts & grade-verification letters (A.R.S. § 15-802.01)
  • Parent-issued diploma & transcript
  • Notify the county within 30 days if you stop homeschooling
  • ESA switch: withdraw the affidavit before signing the contract
The Law · Arizona

Two ways home - know which one you're on

№ 02

Homeschooling in Arizona runs on a single, light statute: A.R.S. § 15-802 exempts homeschooled children from compulsory attendance once a one-time, notarized Affidavit of Intent is on file with the county school superintendent. Five subjects are required; days, hours, testing, and records are not. Arizona's universal ESA program is a separate legal status - generously funded, contractually supervised, and by law not homeschooling.

Option 01

Traditional Homeschool

Best for families who want full independence - one filing, five subjects, and no state involvement after that.

  • File one notarized Affidavit of Intent with your county - within 30 days, no renewal
  • Teach reading, grammar, math, social studies & science
  • No required days, hours, tests, or records
  • No teacher qualifications; you issue the diploma
  • Governed by A.R.S. § 15-802
Option 02

ESA Home-Based Education

Best for families who want state funding for curriculum, tutors, and therapies - and accept that this is legally a different status than homeschooling.

  • Universal eligibility; roughly 90% of state per-pupil funding (commonly $7,000-$8,000/yr)
  • Spend on curriculum, tutoring, therapies & more via ADE-approved channels
  • Sign an ESA contract; spending is reviewed by ADE
  • Legally NOT a homeschooler - no affidavit of intent may be on file
  • Governed by A.R.S. § 15-2401 et seq.
Requirements · Curriculum

Five subjects, zero supervision.

№ 03

A.R.S. § 15-802 asks that homeschooled children be taught 'at least in the subjects of reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies and science.' That single phrase is the whole curriculum law - Arizona does not approve materials, audit coverage, or test results. Here's what each area typically includes.

01

Reading

Phonics, fluency, comprehension, and literature across genres and grade levels.

02

Grammar

Language mechanics, composition, and clear written and spoken English.

03

Mathematics

Numeracy, arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and applied math reasoning.

04

Social Studies

History, geography, government, and civic life - Arizona's and the nation's.

05

Science

Inquiry, observation, life sciences, physical sciences, earth & space.

30
Days to file

File your notarized Affidavit of Intent with the county school superintendent within 30 days of beginning home instruction.

1
Filing, ever

The affidavit is one-time - no annual renewal unless you stop homeschooling and later resume.

5
Required subjects

Reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies, and science - named in A.R.S. § 15-802, methods left to you.

0
Tests & reports

Zero standardized tests, zero progress reports, zero attendance logs required by Arizona law.

Questions · Answered Honestly

The questions Arizona parents actually ask

№ 04
No. Arizona requires no degree, license, certification, or minimum education of homeschooling parents. File the one-time Affidavit of Intent, cover the five named subjects, and the how is entirely up to you.
Yes, any time of year. Withdraw your child in writing (keep a copy), begin teaching at home, and file your notarized Affidavit of Intent with the county school superintendent within 30 days of starting. There is no waiting period and no approval step.
No. The county school superintendent records your affidavit - that's the entire transaction. Neither the county, your school district, nor the Arizona Department of Education approves curriculum, inspects records, or evaluates your homeschool. If you ever stop homeschooling, you notify the county within 30 days; otherwise, you won't hear from them.
No. The Affidavit of Intent is a one-time filing. You only file again if you terminate homeschooling (for example, enrolling your child in school or moving to the ESA) and later resume - or if you move to a new county, where you should file with that county's superintendent.
Not currently any - after the affidavit, Arizona mandates no attendance logs, portfolios, or reports. We still recommend keeping a copy of the filed affidavit, a yearly materials list, sample work, and (for teens) course descriptions and a transcript. They make sports verification, re-enrollment, and college applications painless.
Yes. A.R.S. § 15-802.01 entitles a homeschooled child to try out for interscholastic activities at the public school in their attendance area, in the same manner as enrolled students and subject to the same fees and eligibility rules. The person providing instruction submits written verification that the student is passing each course and progressing satisfactorily. Note: an ESA student's access runs through different rules - ask the school's athletic office.
Yes. Arizona sets no graduation requirements for homeschoolers - parents define the course of study, issue the diploma, and prepare the transcript. Arizona's public universities and community colleges routinely admit homeschool graduates on transcripts, test scores, or both.
No - and the distinction is worth being precise about. The Empowerment Scholarship Account (A.R.S. § 15-2401 et seq.) is open to every Arizona student and funds home-based education at roughly 90% of state per-pupil funding, commonly $7,000-$8,000 a year. But by law, an ESA student is not a homeschooled student: you may not have a homeschool affidavit on file while on the ESA, you sign a contract, and ADE oversees spending. Many families happily choose the ESA - just know you are trading homeschool status for funded, supervised home-based education.
Resources · Arizona

Where Arizona families find solid ground

№ 05
Official - County

Your County School Superintendent

Homeschool affidavits are filed with your county, not the state - Maricopa County's office (linked) shows the process; every county has an equivalent.

See the Process
Community - Statewide

Arizona Families for Home Education (AFHE)

Arizona's statewide homeschool organization - the definitive law-and-affidavit guide, an annual convention, and decades of legislative watch.

Visit AFHE
Legal - National

Home School Legal Defense Association

Plain-language summaries of Arizona law, plus member-only legal advocacy if you ever face questions about your affidavit or status.

Read the Law
The Arizona Getting Started Kit

Everything from this guide, ready to use.

The Arizona Getting Started Kit turns the law into paperwork you can actually file - five polished, print-ready documents built specifically for Arizona's county-affidavit system, so your first year starts organized instead of overwhelming.

  • Affidavit of Intent companion - a fill-in worksheet with every element A.R.S. § 15-802 and § 15-828 require, including the notarization and birth-certificate steps, plus a school withdrawal letter.
  • Arizona Compliance Checklist - the 30-day filing window, the five required subjects, and the 30-day termination notice as simple checkable items.
  • Recordkeeping Log - a light instruction-and-materials tracker for a state that requires none but rewards families who keep one.
  • Weekly Planning Template - built around Arizona's five subjects, with room for co-ops, field trips, and desert-season scheduling.
  • Homeschool vs. ESA Decision Sheet - the legal status, funding, and oversight trade-offs side by side, including how to switch cleanly in either direction.
Instant Digital Download
$29
One-time purchase · Yours forever
Get the Arizona Kit
Secure checkout · Instant delivery by email
Arrowstead Academy

Insights, tools, and inspiration to help you cultivate wisdom, curiosity, and character at home.

Arrowstead Academy provides educational information, not legal advice. Homeschool law changes; verify current requirements with the Arizona Department of Education and your county school superintendent, or consult an attorney. Statute citations reflect Arizona law as of 2026.

© Copyright 2026 Arrowstead Academy. All rights reserved.