Straight answers to the questions Arkansas families ask most.
Getting started
Yes. In Arkansas, parents may educate their own children at home. To do so, you file a Notice of Intent to Home School with your local school district. We hold that this right belongs to parents, not the state, and the law recognizes your freedom to exercise it.
It is a written notice you file with your local school district's superintendent, stating that you are providing a home school for your children. It is the one form Arkansas requires of homeschool families.
By August 15 for the coming school year. The window to file for the next year opens in early June. If you are withdrawing a currently-enrolled child mid-year, you file at least five school days before withdrawing, though the superintendent may waive that wait.
Yes. A new Notice of Intent is filed for each school year you homeschool.
What the law does and does not require
No. Arkansas does not require any teaching credentials or degree to homeschool your own children.
No. Arkansas does not require standardized testing for homeschool families. Testing is available if you choose it, but it is not required.
No. You choose your own curriculum, materials, and approach. Arkansas does not mandate subjects, school hours, or a set number of days.
No. You are not required to submit progress reports, evaluations, or records to the state. Keeping your own simple records is wise, but it is your choice.
No. Arkansas law says the district and the state may not create additional criteria or require additional information beyond what the statute lists. If a district asks for more, you can point them to the law.
Common questions
Arkansas's compulsory attendance applies to children ages five through seventeen. Filing your Notice of Intent satisfies that requirement for your homeschooled children. Parents may also waive kindergarten for a child who is not yet required to attend.
As the parent, you issue your child's diploma and keep the transcript. Arkansas does not issue diplomas to homeschool students, which means you have the freedom to set your own standards for completion.
Families are responsible for their own curriculum, materials, and costs. This independence is part of what keeps home education free from outside control.
You file your Notice of Intent and notify the school in writing. We walk through the whole process on the withdrawal page: How do I withdraw my child? ›
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