A California Field Guide · Updated for 2026

How to start homeschooling in California.

A clear, practical guide for families ready to bring learning home - written for the way California actually does it. One affidavit filed each October 1-15. Three records to keep. No testing, no district approval. Everything you need to begin with confidence, in plain language and without the noise.

The Path · Getting Started

Five steps from could we really? to running your own little schoolhouse.

№ 01
01

Choose how you'll operate as a private school.

California has no homeschool statute - and that's good news. Families homeschool under private-school law: most file their own Private School Affidavit and become a tiny school of one family; others enroll in a private school satellite program (PSP) that files for them; a credentialed tutor is the third route.

What to decide
The three pathways:
  • Home-based private school - you file the PSA (most common)
  • Private school satellite program (PSP) - the school files; you follow its policies
  • Credentialed tutor - Ed. Code § 48224
02

File your Private School Affidavit.

File the PSA online with the California Department of Education - not your district - between October 1 and 15 each year. Starting mid-year? File when your school is established; the system stays open year-round. Filing is registration, not approval: CDE records it and asks nothing more.

Your PSA covers
  • School name & address (your home)
  • Records location & custodian; directors & officers
  • Enrollment by grade & number of teachers
  • Attestations that required records are kept (Ed. Code § 33190)
03

Plan the branches of study.

Private schools must offer 'the several branches of study required to be taught in the public schools,' in English (Ed. Code § 48222) - think language arts, math, science, social sciences, the arts, health, and PE. California names the branches and leaves every choice of curriculum, method, and pace to your school.

Useful starting points
  • Ed. Code §§ 51210 & 51220 (the branches, by grade span)
  • HSC and CHEA guides, co-ops & park days
  • California's library, museum & state-park resources
  • Curriculum review sites like Cathy Duffy
04

Set up your three required records.

PSA schools keep three records: an attendance register, courses of study by grade level, and a faculty record with each instructor's qualifications. They're kept at your school - not submitted - and must be producible on request. Add sample work and, for teens, a transcript, and your school's paper trail is complete.

Keep on file
  • Attendance register (Ed. Code § 48222)
  • Courses of study for each grade taught
  • Faculty names, addresses & qualifications (Ed. Code § 33190)
  • Sample work, report cards & high school transcripts
05

Run your school year - and refile every October.

There's no state calendar, no testing, and no inspector coming. Your annual rhythm is simple: teach your program, keep the three records current, and refile the PSA each October 1-15. For high schoolers, plan the transcript early - your school issues the diploma, and UC and CSU both admit homeschool graduates.

Worth planning early
  • A recurring October 1-15 reminder to refile
  • Transcript & course descriptions from 9th grade on
  • CHSPE option at 16 / grade 10, if useful
  • A-G documentation strategy for UC-bound students
The Law · California

Three doors into schooling at home

№ 02

California homeschooling operates under private-school law, not a homeschool statute. Cal. Educ. Code § 48222 exempts children attending a full-time private day school from compulsory attendance, and § 33190 requires every private school - including a school of one family - to file the annual Private School Affidavit with CDE each October 1-15. The PSA is registration, not licensure: the state keeps a directory, and your school keeps its independence.

Option 01

Home-Based Private School (PSA)

Best for families who want full independence - your own school, your own calendar, your own diploma.

  • File the PSA with CDE each October 1-15
  • Teach the public-school branches of study, in English
  • Keep 3 records: attendance, courses of study, faculty qualifications
  • No testing, no district role, no credential required
  • Governed by Cal. Educ. Code §§ 33190 & 48222
Option 02

Private School Satellite Program (PSP)

Best for families who want an established school to handle the filing, records, and transcripts - with community built in.

  • Enroll in an existing private school that runs independent-study/home programs
  • The PSP files the affidavit and keeps the legal records
  • Often includes counseling, transcripts, diplomas & activities
  • Tuition or membership fees typically apply
  • Same private-school exemption - Cal. Educ. Code § 48222
Option 03

Credentialed Private Tutor

Best for families where the teaching parent (or a hired tutor) holds a current California teaching credential.

  • Tutor holds a valid CA credential for the grades taught
  • At least 3 hours a day, 175 days a year, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
  • Instruction in the required branches of study, in English
  • No affidavit required under this option
  • Governed by Cal. Educ. Code § 48224
Requirements · Curriculum

The branches of study your school must offer.

№ 03

Ed. Code § 48222 requires private schools to teach the branches of study required in California's public schools - sketched out in §§ 51210 and 51220 - in English. The state names the territory; how you cover it, with what books and at what pace, is entirely your school's call. No curriculum is approved, submitted, or reviewed.

01

English + Language Arts

Reading, writing, literature, and spoken English across grade levels.

02

Mathematics

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

03

Science

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

04

Social Sciences

History, geography, government, and civics - California's and the nation's.

05

Visual & Performing Arts

Art, music, theater, and dance - creative work as part of the core, not an extra.

06

Health

Personal health, nutrition, and well-being appropriate to each grade.

07

Physical Education

Movement, fitness, and games - the beach, the trail, and the backyard all count.

15
October deadline

The PSA filing window runs October 1-15 every year. Mid-year starters file when established, then refile each October.

3
Required records

Attendance register, courses of study, and faculty qualifications - kept at your school, produced only on request.

0
State tests

California requires no standardized testing or evaluation of private school students - in any grade, ever.

175
Tutor-option days

Only the credentialed-tutor route has a state calendar: 3 hours a day for 175 days. PSA schools set their own.

Questions · Answered Honestly

Real questions from California kitchens

№ 04
No - not on the two pathways nearly everyone uses. PSA and PSP instructors need only be 'persons capable of teaching' (Ed. Code 48222); no credential, degree, or coursework is required. Only the private tutor option (Ed. Code 48224) requires a valid California teaching credential.
Yes. Establish your exemption first - file your PSA (the online system stays open year-round for newly established schools) or enroll in a PSP - then formally withdraw your child in writing. Done in that order, your child moves from one lawful enrollment to another with no gap, and you simply refile the PSA the following October 1-15.
No. The PSA is a registration, not an application - CDE records it and expressly does not license, approve, or evaluate private schools. Your district's only role is verifying, if asked, that your child attends a school that filed the affidavit. Nobody approves your curriculum, inspects your home, or reviews your teaching.
Three: an attendance register, your courses of study for each grade taught, and a faculty record listing instructors' names, addresses, and qualifications (Ed. Code 33190 and 48222). They stay at your school - you don't submit them - but they must be producible if the Superintendent of Public Instruction asks. Most families add sample work and, for high schoolers, a running transcript.
Not generally. CIF, which governs interscholastic athletics, limits competition to students enrolled at a member school or its independent-study program - and a home-based PSA school is not a CIF member. Families who prioritize school sports usually enroll in a public charter or district independent-study program (a public school status) or find their teams through rec leagues and club sports, which are wide open.
Yes. Your private school sets its own graduation requirements and issues its own diploma and transcript - exactly as every private school in California does. Students 16 or older (or in grade 10) can also sit the CHSPE for a state-issued equivalency. UC and CSU admit homeschool graduates regularly via documented coursework, exam scores, or community college transfer.
Not currently. California has no ESA or voucher program, and PSA homeschoolers receive no state funds. Public charter and district independent-study programs do provide instructional funds - but enrolling makes your child a public school student under that program's oversight, which is a different legal status than private homeschooling. The trade-off for PSA independence is paying your own way.
No - not when instruction is home-based with no classroom-based instruction outside the home. California's school immunization requirements attach to classroom-based programs; a family filing its own PSA and teaching at home falls outside them. If you join a PSP or program with classroom instruction, ask how the rules apply to its setting.
Resources · California

Where California families learn the ropes

№ 05
Official - State

California Department of Education

CDE's Schooling at Home and PSA pages - the filing portal, FAQs, and the Education Code sections that govern private schools.

Visit CDE
Community - Statewide

HomeSchool Association of California (HSC)

Statewide, inclusive support since 1986 - step-by-step PSA guides, legislative monitoring, conferences, and local group connections.

Visit HSC
Legal - National

Home School Legal Defense Association

Plain-language summaries of California's private-school pathways, plus member-only legal advocacy if your school's status is ever questioned.

Read the Law
The California Getting Started Kit

Everything from this guide, ready to use.

The California Getting Started Kit turns private-school law into paperwork you can actually file - five polished, print-ready documents built specifically for the PSA model, so your first year starts organized instead of overwhelming.

  • PSA Filing Walkthrough - every field of the online affidavit explained, mapped to Cal. Educ. Code § 33190, with the October 1-15 window and mid-year filing rules.
  • California Compliance Checklist - the three required records, the branches of study, and the annual refiling as simple checkable items.
  • Three-Record Binder Set - attendance register, courses-of-study template, and faculty qualification form matching Ed. Code §§ 33190 and 48222.
  • Weekly Planning Template - organized around the seven branches of study, with room for co-ops, park days, and field trips.
  • First 30 Days Roadmap - choosing PSA vs. PSP vs. tutor, filing, withdrawing, and opening your schoolhouse, day by day.
Instant Digital Download
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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 California Department of Education and your school district, or consult an attorney. Statute citations reflect California law as of 2026.

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