Arizona Homeschooling Laws

Arizona homeschooling laws and requirements

Arizona homeschooling laws and requirements to homeschool in Arizona. Arizona homeschooling laws. Ways to homeschool legally within Arizona.

*This is not intended to be legal advice and is distributed for information purposes only. Check for updates at the Arizona Department of Education website for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment for Home Schools.

Compulsory attendance

Children who are between the ages of 6 and 16 years of age as of September 1. However, for children who have turned 6 before September 1st and who are under 8 years of age as of September 1, parents may notify the County School Superintendent (CSS) in writing that they don’t wish to have their child in school at this time. After age 8, parents need to follow the Homeschooling law outlined below.

Home Schooling Information

In Arizona, Home Schooling is under the jurisdiction of each county. Please visit your county office of education site directly for more information.

Learn about homeschooling start here

Currently, the Arizona Homeschooling law requires that:

Every child between the ages of six and sixteen years shall be provided instruction in at least the subjects of reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies, and science.
The person who has custody of the child shall choose a public, private or home school to provide instruction.
An affidavit of intent shall be filed within thirty days from the time the child begins to attend a homeschool and is not required thereafter unless the home school instruction is terminated and then resumed. The person who has custody of the child shall notify the county school superintendent within thirty days of the termination that the child is no longer being instructed at a homeschool.

If the home school instruction is resumed, the person who has custody of the child shall file another affidavit of intent with the county school superintendent within thirty days.

For the purposes of the above, “home school” means a school conducted primarily by the parent, guardian or other person who has custody of the child or instruction provided in the child’s home.
Homeschoolers should within thirty days after the home instruction begins, provide to the county school superintendent of the county in which the child resides:
- A certified copy of the child’s birth certificate, or other reliable proof of the child’s identity and age.

For further details regarding current Arizona Homeschooling Law consult Education Codes :
15-702, 15-745, 15-802, 15-802.01, 15-828, included on this page or at your local library, or contact:

Maricopa County School Superintendent
4041 N. Central Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85012
602-506-3866

15-702 . High school equivalency diploma

A. Any person who is sixteen years of age or older and who passes an equivalency test adopted by the state board of education shall be awarded an Arizona high school equivalency diploma by the state board of education and the state superintendent of public instruction. The state board of education may establish eligibility requirements for persons wishing to take an equivalency test adopted by the state board of education, except that the minimum age required to take the test may not be older than sixteen nor shall the board require the completion of any high school credits.

B. A person who meets the minimum course of study and competency requirements prescribed by the state board of education for graduation from high school through a combination of high school credits and community college and university credits, which are converted to high school credits in the same manner as provided in section 15-701.01, subsection F by the governing board or the state board of education, shall be awarded an Arizona high school equivalency diploma.

C. The state board of education may establish and collect fees for the issuance and reissuance of the following:

1. A high school equivalency diploma.

2. A high school equivalency transcript.

D. The state board of education shall adopt rules for fee waivers for the high school equivalency diploma and high school equivalency transcripts.

15-745 . Children instructed at home; testing; prohibition

A. This article shall not be construed to require the testing of children who are instructed in a homeschool program while they are receiving homeschool instruction.

B. A child who enrolls in a kindergarten program or grades one through twelve after receiving instruction in a homeschool program shall be tested pursuant to this article in order to determine the appropriate grade level for the educational placement of the child.

15-802 . School instruction; exceptions; violations; classification; definitions

A. Every child between the ages of six and sixteen years shall attend a school and shall be provided instruction in at least the subjects of reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies, and science. The person who has custody of the child shall choose a public, private, charter or homeschool as defined in this section to provide instruction or shall sign a contract to participate in an Arizona empowerment scholarship account pursuant to section 15-2402.

B. The parent or person who has custody shall do the following:

1. If the child will attend a public, private or charter school, enroll the child in and ensure that the child attends a public, private or charter school for the full-time school is in session. In accordance with guidelines adopted by the department of education, school districts and charter schools shall require and maintain verifiable documentation of residency in this state for pupils who enroll in the school district or charter school. If a child attends a school that is operated on a year-round basis, the child shall regularly attend during school sessions that total not less than one hundred eighty school days or two hundred school days, as applicable, or the equivalent as approved by the superintendent of public instruction.

2. If the child will attend a private school or homeschool, file an affidavit of intent with the county school superintendent stating that the child is attending a regularly organized private school or is being provided with instruction in a homeschool. The affidavit of intent shall include:

(a) The child’s name.

(b) The child’s date of birth.

(d) The names, telephone numbers and addresses of the persons who currently have custody of the child.

3. If the child will attend homeschool, the child has not reached eight years of age by September 1 of the school year and the person who has custody of the child does not desire to begin home instruction until the child has reached eight years of age, file an affidavit of intent pursuant to paragraph 2 of this subsection stating that the person who has custody of the child does not desire to begin homeschool instruction.

C. An affidavit of intent shall be filed within thirty days from the time the child begins to attend a private school or homeschool and is not required thereafter unless the private school or the homeschool instruction is terminated and then resumed. The person who has custody of the child shall notify the county school superintendent within thirty days of the termination that the child is no longer being instructed at a private school or a homeschool. If the private school or homeschool instruction is resumed, the person who has custody of the child shall file another affidavit of intent with the county school superintendent within thirty days.

D. A person is excused from the duties prescribed by subsection A or B of this section if any of the following is shown to the satisfaction of the school principal or the school principal’s designee:

1. The child is in such physical or mental condition that instruction is inexpedient or impracticable.

2. The child has completed the high school course of study necessary for completion of grade ten as prescribed by the state board of education.

3. The child has presented reasons for nonattendance at a public school that are satisfactory to the school principal or the school principal’s designee. For the purposes of this paragraph, the principal’s designee may be the school district governing board.

4. The child is over fourteen years of age and is employed, with the consent of the person who has custody of the child, at some lawful wage earning occupation.

5. The child is enrolled in a work training, career education, career and technical education, vocational education or manual training program that meets the educational standards established and approved by the department of education.

6. The child was either:

(a) Suspended and not directed to participate in an alternative education program.

(b) Expelled from a public school as provided in article 3 of this chapter.

7. The child is enrolled in an education program provided by a state educational or other institution.

E. Unless otherwise exempted in this section or section 15-803, a parent of a child between six and sixteen years of age or a person who has custody of a child, who does not provide instruction in a homeschool and who fails to enroll or fails to ensure that the child attends a public, private or charter school pursuant to this section or fails to sign a contract to participate in an empowerment scholarship account pursuant to section 15-2402 is guilty of a class 3 misdemeanor. A parent who fails to comply with the duty to file an affidavit of intent to provide instruction in a homeschool is guilty of a petty offense.

F. If a child will be educated pursuant to an empowerment scholarship account pursuant to section 15-2402, the department of education shall provide a list of students participating in empowerment scholarship accounts to the school superintendent of the county where the pupil resides.

G. For the purposes of this section:

1. ” Educated pursuant to an empowerment scholarship account” means a child whose parent has signed a contract pursuant to section 15-2402 to educate the child outside of any school district or charter school and in which the parent may but is not required to enroll the child in a private school or to educate the child through any of the methods specified in section 15-2402.

2. ” Homeschool” means a nonpublic school conducted primarily by the parent, guardian or other person who has custody of the child or nonpublic instruction provided in the child’s home.

3. ” Private school” means a nonpublic institution, other than the child’s home, where academic instruction is provided for at least the same number of days and hours each year as a public school.

Homeschool interscholastic activities

Section 1. Section 15-802.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

Children instructed at home; participation in interscholastic activities

A. Notwithstanding any other law, a child who resides within the attendance area of a public school and who is homeschooled shall be allowed to try out for interscholastic activities on behalf of the public school in the same manner as a pupil who is enrolled in that public school. Registration, age eligibility requirements, fees, insurance, transportation, physical condition, qualifications, responsibilities, event schedules, standards of behavior and performance policies for homeschooled students shall be consistent with those policies established for students enrolled in that public school. The individual providing the primary instruction of a child who is homeschooled shall submit written verification that provides:

1. Whether the student is receiving a passing grade in each course or subject being taught.

2. Whether the student is maintaining satisfactory progress towards advancement or promotion.

B. A child who is homeschooled and who was previously enrolled in a public, private or charter school shall be ineligible to participate in interscholastic activities for the remainder of the school year during which the child was enrolled in a school.

C. A school district shall not contract with any private entity that supervises interscholastic activities if the private entity prohibits the participation of homeschooled children in interscholastic activities at public, private or charter schools.

APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR APRIL 4, 1997.

FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE APRIL 4, 1997.

1997 Arizona State Board of Education

Rules for homeschool participation in interscholastic athletic competition

R7-2-810. Procedures for the participation of children instructed at home in interscholastic activities

A. Definitions. The following definitions shall apply when used in this rule:

1. “Children instructed at home” and “Student” means children who are not enrolled full time in a public or private educational institution and whose parent or guardian has an Affidavit of Intent to Home School on file with the County School Superintendent.

2. ” Interscholastic activities” are all activities involving more than one school which are of a competitive nature and which are coordinated through and governed by an interscholastic organization or association.

3. “Participate” means having been selected to represent a school and taking part in an interscholastic activity as a member of a team, squad of group which has been organized for the purpose of interscholastic contests.

B. Opportunity to demonstrate skill and proficiency in an interscholastic activity shall be afforded to students as a prerequisite to acceptance onto a team, squad or group in a manner consistent with that established for students enrolled in the school.

C. If chosen as a member of team, squad or group, the student may participate in an interscholastic activity on behalf of a public school within the attendance area where the student resides. If a school declines to allow a student to participate in an interscholastic activity, the student may be allowed to participate in the interscholastic activity on behalf of any other school.

D. Eligibility.

1. If a student reaches the age of 15 on or before September 1 of the school year, the student shall not be eligible to participate at the seventh and eighth grade levels.

2. If a student reaches the age of 19 on or before September 1 of the school year, the student shall not be eligible to participate at the ninth through twelfth grade levels.

3. A student shall be required to earn a passing grade in each course or subject in which the student is instructed and maintain satisfactory progress toward advancement, promotion or graduation.

E. Ineligibility.

1. When it is determined that a student has failed to meet the requirements specified for eligibility, the student shall be declared ineligible to participate and shall remain ineligible until the requirements of eligibility are met.

2. If a student had been enrolled in a public school on a full-time basis, the student shall not be eligible to participate in interscholastic activities as a home schooled student until an Affidavit of Intent to Home School has been filed with the County School Superintendent and 30 days has elapsed since the filing of the affidavit.

3. Students who were previously enrolled in a school shall be ineligible to participate in interscholastic activities on behalf of a different school to the remainder of the school year during which the student was enrolled in a school.

F. At least every nine weeks, or more frequently as determined by the school, and consistent with the policies established for students enrolled in the school, the individual providing the primary instruction of a student shall submit a notarized affidavit which provides:

1. That the affidavit is being submitted under penalty of perjury;

2. Whether the student is receiving a passing grade in each course or subject being taught;

3. Whether the student is maintaining satisfactory progress towards advancement or promotion.

G. School policies related to transportation, insurance, physical condition, fee uniforms, practice requirements and event schedules shall be consistent with policies established for students enrolled in the school and shall be available to parents and guardians upon request.

1. Students shall register and pay fees established by the school for participation in interscholastic activities and meet all qualifications, responsibilities and standards of behavior and performance, including those related to demonstration of skill and proficiency, practice requirements, physical prerequisites and acceptance unto the team, squad or group. Registration, fees, qualifications, responsibilities and standards of behavior and performance for home schooled students shall be consistent with the fees, qualifications, responsibilities and standards of behavior and performance established for students enrolled in the school.

15-828 . Birth certificate; school records; exception

A. On enrollment of a pupil for the first time in a particular school district or private school offering instruction to pupils in any kindergarten programs or grades one through twelve, that school or school district shall notify the person enrolling the pupil in writing that within thirty days the person must provide one of the following:

1. A certified copy of the pupil’s birth certificate.

2. Other reliable proof of the pupil’s identity and age, including the pupil’s baptismal certificate, an application for a social security number or original school registration records and an affidavit explaining the inability to provide a copy of the birth certificate.

3. A letter from the authorized representative of an agency having custody of the pupil pursuant to title 8, chapter 2 certifying that the pupil has been placed in the custody of the agency as prescribed by law.

B. If a child is instructed at home pursuant to section 15-802, the person who has custody of the child shall, within thirty days after the home instruction begins, provide to the county school superintendent of the county in which the child resides one of the following:

1. A certified copy of the child’s birth certificate.

2. Other reliable proof of the child’s identity and age, including the child’s baptismal certificate, an application for a social security number or original school registration records and an affidavit explaining the inability to provide a copy of the birth certificate.

C. On presentation of a document pursuant to this section, a photocopy of the document shall be placed in the pupil’s file and the document that is presented shall be returned.

D. A pupil shall be enrolled in the school or school district, or the county school superintendent shall record the pupil’s name, using the name that is printed on the birth certificate, other reliable proof of the pupil’s identity, or letter from an agency having custody of the pupil provided pursuant to this section. This subsection does not prohibit a school or school district from calling a pupil by any name the pupil’s parent or guardian wishes the pupil to be called.

E. On the failure of a person enrolling a pupil or instructing a child at home to comply with subsection A or B of this section, the school, school district or county school superintendent shall notify that person in writing that, unless the person complies within ten days, the case shall be referred to the local law enforcement agency for investigation. If compliance is not obtained within the ten day period, the school, school district or county school superintendent shall refer the case to the local law enforcement agency.

F. The school, school district or county school superintendent shall immediately report to the local law enforcement agency any affidavit received pursuant to this section which appears inaccurate or suspicious in form or content.

G. Within five school days after enrolling a transfer pupil from a private school or another school district, a school shall request directly from the pupil’s previous school a certified copy of the pupil’s record. The requesting school shall exercise due diligence in obtaining the copy of the record requested. Notwithstanding any financial debt owed by the pupil, any school requested to forward a copy of a transferring pupil’s record to the new school shall comply and forward the record within ten school days after receipt of the request unless the record has been flagged pursuant to section 15-829. If the record has been flagged, the requested school shall not forward the copy and shall notify the local law enforcement agency of the request. School districts shall include in the educational records required by this subsection data collected pursuant to sections 15-741 and 15-766, as prescribed by the state board of education.

H. Any disclosure of educational records by the school district or charter school shall comply with the family educational rights and privacy act of 1974 (20 United States Code section 1232g).

I. The provisions of this section do not apply to homeless pupils as defined in section 15-824, subsection C.

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