Is Homeschooling Popular in Texas?
Homeschooling is very popular in Texas! According to the Texas Homeschool Coalition, Texas actually leads the country in the number of families that homeschool. The THSC shared that more than 750,000 students are taught at home in Texas. Looking for more numbers? Between Spring 2020 and Fall 2020 the percentage of Texas homeschoolers nearly tripled, jumping from 4.5% – 12.3%!
You’ve Decided to Homeschool, What’s Next?
After making the decision to homeschool, you might be looking for the next steps. Luckily, Texas is a very easy place to begin homeschooling (and continue homeschooling) your child! If your child is currently attending a private or public school, you will first need to officially withdraw them. This can be done via mail or in-person. Withdrawing via mail is the recommended method and the Texas Homeschool Coalition website has an easy to follow form to fill out and mail in. If your child has never attended school, you can begin homeschooling right away. The first place to start with homeschooling would be to figure out the curriculum that you would like to use.
Requirements for Homeschooling in Texas
As stated, Texas is a very homeschool friendly state so there are not a lot of requirements when it comes to getting started, but there are a couple important things to keep in mind:
- 5 Basic Subjects Must Be Taught
1. Good Citizenship
2. Reading
3. Spelling
4. Grammar
5. Math
* While not required by the state, science and history are highly recommended for students who plan on applying to college, as most will require these subjects for admission*
- A real curriculum (Like Dailies!) must be being taught – instruction must utilize visuals such as textbooks, workbooks, videos, or online schooling. Essentially, families are free to create a curriculum on their own, but the curriculum must be purposefully designed with educational goals in mind.
Dailies Offers A Variety of Curriculum Options
Luckily for homeschooling families in Texas (and across the country!) Dailies offers a variety of curriculum options for all homeschooling types. Whether you are looking for small group pods, enrichment activities, camp-style classes, or even a full curriculum, we are here to support you however we can.
Proof of Homeschooling in Texas
Technically, proof of homeschooling is also not a requirement in Texas. However, keeping records of your child’s work and progress is highly recommended, especially if they do every return to traditional schooling or are planning on applying to college. Textbook information, portfolios/samples of work, any school correspondence, and any other information or examples of what your child has learned are important to keep a record of. Dailies provides daily, weekly, and monthly reports on each individual student that would be useful as proof of education!
How Dailies Can Help
The decision to homeschool is a huge step in a family’s life; everyone must be fully committed to the time, energy, and effort that is necessary to support a child’s education. Homeschooling support groups are a wonderful place to start gathering information from real-life families who are in your same shoes. With our multiple options available, Dailies is also a wonderful resource! Our dedicated educators and personalized lesson plans provide students and families with the support necessary to thrive academically and socially in an online environment.
Our support team is waiting to help you navigate the best route for your child’s education, to get started with your first FREE class, please visit DailiesPods.com!
