If you want to start homeschooling during the school year and your child is currently enrolled in a public or private school, HSLDA recommends that you formally withdraw your child from that school. If you are going to start homeschooling after the school year is over, and your child is considered as enrolled for the following year, we recommend that you withdraw your child before the next school year begins so that the school does not mark your child as absent or truant.

We generally recommend that any correspondence with authorities be sent by “Certified Mail—Return Receipt Requested.” Keep copies of the withdrawal letter, any other paperwork or correspondence, and any green postal receipts for your personal records.

Note that local schools may have specific forms or withdrawal procedures, especially if you are withdrawing midyear (for example, you may have to return school computers or other technology). If you are an HSLDA member, you can contact your state’s legal team for more information about complying with these procedures. HSLDA members can also use one of our sample letters of withdrawal to correspond with school officials. You can find the sample withdrawal form for your state through our interactive legal map.

Generally, yes. The Constitution protects the fundamental right of parents to direct the education of their children, which includes the right to privately teach one’s own children instead of sending them to public schools. That said, you should follow two basic steps when you decide to homeschool your child.

First, you need to comply with any legal requirements to set up your homeschool program. You can find homeschool laws (including any requirements to get started) for all 50 states and US territories on our interactive legal map. HSLDA members can also contact their state’s legal team with any questions about starting a homeschool program.

Second, if your child was previously enrolled in another school (whether public or private), you should formally withdraw your student from that school when you begin your homeschool program.

For more information about withdrawing, read our "How do I withdraw my child from public or private school?" FAQ.

You can find homeschool laws for all 50 states and US territories on our interactive legal map. It provides detailed information about how to homeschool legally in your state, how to withdraw your child from public school, and more.

If you’re an HSLDA member, you can also use our state-specific forms and documents to simplify any homeschool paperwork you may have. Scroll down to the bottom of your state legal page to find your state-specific forms.