How to Start Homeschooling: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Deciding to homeschool can feel like standing at the bottom of a very tall staircase. There are laws to check, forms to file, curriculum catalogs the size of phone books and a lot of opinions from people who have never met your child. The good news is that the path is more orderly than it looks. Families start homeschooling every year, and they do it by working through a handful of steps in a sensible order.

This guide is the hub for everything we publish on starting out. It walks through the eight steps in order, explains what each one involves, and points you to a deeper guide for each. You can read it straight through or jump to the step you are stuck on using the contents list below.

• Is homeschooling right for your family?
• Step 1: Learn your state law
• Step 2: Withdraw from school the right way
• Step 3: Pick a homeschool style
• Step 4: Choose curriculum
• Step 5: Set a realistic budget
• Step 6: Build a daily and weekly rhythm
• Step 7: Keep records, attendance and portfolios
• Step 8: Find co-ops, friends and support
• Your first 30 days checklist and common first-year mistakes
• Frequently asked questions

Quick answer: to start homeschooling, (1) read your state’s homeschool law on the HSLDA state page and your state department of education site, (2) file any required notice before you withdraw your child, (3) choose a teaching style, (4) pick curriculum, (5) set a budget, (6) plan a simple daily rhythm, (7) start a records folder, and (8) find other homeschooling families. Requirements differ a great deal from state to state, so step 1 always comes first.

General information only, not legal advice. Homeschool law is set by each state and can change. Always confirm the current rules with your state department of education or a homeschool legal organization before you act.

Is Homeschooling Right for Your Family?

Before any paperwork, it helps to be honest about what you are signing up for. Homeschooling is not rare. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that about 3.4 percent of U.S. students ages 5 to 17 were homeschooled in the 2022-23 school year, based on its 2023 National Household Education Survey. That is a small share of all students, but it adds up to a large number of families who have worked it out.

Parents choose homeschooling for many reasons: a child who is struggling or bored, a safety or health concern, a flexible work or travel schedule, a wish to teach particular values, or simply a preference for learning at home. NCES asks parents about their reasons in each survey, and the answers are varied. There is no single homeschooling family, which is a comfort when you are trying to picture where you fit.

There are real trade-offs to weigh as well. Homeschooling usually puts a parent at home for much of the day, or requires a careful plan for who teaches when. It costs money, even when it is done frugally. It asks you to plan, to track and to keep going on the days when everyone would rather quit. And it changes your social life, because you will need to build community on purpose instead of getting it automatically through a school.

A few questions can help you decide. Who will be the main teacher, and what does the rest of that adult’s day look like? What does your child need that school is not providing, or what is school providing that you would need to replace? Can you absorb the cost of curriculum and activities? And how does your child feel about it? Older children in particular should have a voice in the decision.

If you are working part-time or full-time and still hoping to homeschool, it is possible, but it requires a different design. Our guide to time management for working moms covers the planning habits that matter most when your hours are limited.

Step 1: Learn Your State Law and File Notice if Required

Homeschooling is legal in every U.S. state, but the rules are made at the state level, and they differ a lot. HSLDA, a national homeschool legal organization, sorts states on its legal map into four groups: no notice and low regulation, low regulation, moderate regulation and high regulation. The groups reflect what a state asks of parents, from no notification at all to notice, testing or evaluation and sometimes curriculum approval or home visits.

The state pages on HSLDA include an “At a Glance” box that lists the compulsory school ages, whether notification is required, whether parents need teacher qualifications, whether subjects are mandated, whether assessment is required and whether immunization is required. Compare a few states and the gap is striking. HSLDA’s page for Texas lists notification as not required, while its pages for New York and Pennsylvania list notification as required. New York’s page also lists assessment requirements, and its forms list includes a notice of intent, an individualized home instruction plan and a quarterly report form. Pennsylvania’s page lists four options for homeschooling, and Florida’s lists three.

Which state’s law applies to you? HSLDA says to follow the law of the state where you are physically present, even if your legal residency is elsewhere. If you will be living in another state for longer than a month while its public schools are in session, HSLDA generally recommends complying with that state’s requirements.

For the rules in your state, use two sources side by side: the HSLDA state page, and your state department of education website. If they seem to disagree, trust the statute or the state agency. Our guide to homeschool laws by state shows how to find and read both, and what to do when the language is unclear.

Two habits will protect you. First, save a copy of the law or agency page you are relying on, with the date. Second, remember that a school district office sometimes asks for more than the law actually requires. HSLDA has reported on districts that add requirements for families switching to homeschooling. Knowing the exact wording of your state’s rules lets you answer politely and accurately.

Read the whole law, not just a summary. A state page may list one pathway where the law actually offers several, and the differences can matter. Pennsylvania, for example, is listed by HSLDA with four options for homeschooling and Florida with three, each with its own conditions. Knowing the options lets you choose the one that fits your family instead of defaulting to whichever the district office mentions first.

Finally, write your own one-page summary: the compulsory ages, what you must file and by when, what subjects are required, what records you must keep, and whether any testing or evaluation is needed. Pin it where you can find it. When a question comes up three months later, you will not have to hunt for the source again.

Step 2: Withdraw Your Child From School the Right Way

If your child is enrolled in a public or private school, there is a right order of operations. In states that require a notice of intent or a similar filing, parents generally file with the district or state, and then tell the school the child is leaving. In states with no notice requirement, a short written withdrawal letter to the school is the usual route. HSLDA publishes a “How to Withdraw Your Child from School” article for each state, which spells out the specifics.

Do not simply stop sending your child. Unexplained absences can trigger truancy letters, and a school can follow up on its own if it does not know your plan. Put the date in writing, keep a copy, and ask for a copy of your child’s records if you want them. Do the paperwork in the order your state requires, not the order that feels natural.

Our step-by-step guide on how to withdraw your child from public school to homeschool covers the letter, the records request, mid-year withdrawals and what to do if the school pushes back. If your child is not yet in school, you may only need to look at the compulsory age in your state, since that is when the law starts to apply.

Step 3: Pick a Homeschool Style

Homeschool style is simply the way you approach teaching. Some of the common ones are classical, Charlotte Mason, Montessori-inspired, unit studies, project-based learning, unschooling, school-at-home and eclectic. The names come with their own histories. Charlotte Mason was a British educator who emphasized short lessons, “living books” and time outdoors. Classical education follows a pattern of stages often called the trivium. Unschooling was popularized by educator John Holt and lets a child’s interests lead.

You do not have to choose a style on day one, and you definitely do not have to follow it perfectly. Many families start with something structured, notice what works and slowly mix in other approaches. That is how so many end up calling themselves eclectic. A good test is to watch your child for a week: do they thrive with checklists, or with open time and a stack of library books?

Our explainer on homeschool styles, including eclectic, classical, Charlotte Mason and unschooling, compares them side by side so you can see where your family leans.

Step 4: Choose Curriculum

Curriculum is the plan and the materials for what your child learns. There are three broad ways to get it. You can enroll in an online program, buy a boxed or packaged curriculum, or assemble your own from books, library resources and free materials. Each has a different mix of cost, parent time and flexibility, and none is automatically better than the others.

Online programs deliver lessons through a screen and often track progress for you. Boxed curricula arrive as books and a schedule, usually organized by grade. DIY approaches give the most freedom and ask the most planning from you. We lay out the trade-offs in online programs vs boxed curriculum vs DIY.

One online option families often ask about is Miacademy. Its website describes a K-8 curriculum with courses in math, reading, science, social studies, electives and world languages, along with progress and attendance tracking. We cover what it offers and who it may suit in our guide to Miacademy for homeschool. It is one choice among many.

For a closer look at comparing individual programs and materials, our sister site Luminary Post has a detailed homeschool curriculum guide. Start there if you want product-by-product comparisons, and keep reading here for the family-life side of starting out.

Whatever you choose, plan to start small. Many families begin with math and reading, which build on themselves, and add science, history and electives as the routine settles. Buying an entire year of everything on the first day is a classic beginner mistake.

Step 5: Set a Realistic Budget

Homeschooling can cost very little or quite a lot, depending on your choices. The main cost categories are curriculum, supplies, technology, activities and outings, testing or evaluation fees where required, and the indirect cost of reduced work hours. Your state’s requirements may add costs. For example, states that require an assessment or evaluation may involve fees for a test or an evaluator.

Start by writing down what you can spend per month and per year, and work backward. Libraries, used book sales, secondhand curriculum, free online courses and museum or park programs can stretch a budget a long way. We do not quote an “average cost” here, because the figures floating around the internet are rarely sourced and vary with grade level, number of children and choices. Our guide to what homeschooling costs shows how to build your own budget by category and grade level, including free and low-cost resources.

Step 6: Build a Daily and Weekly Rhythm

A schedule is what turns a pile of materials into a homeschool. It does not need to copy a school day. In many states the law sets a number of instructional days or hours, so check that first, and then design the rhythm that suits your family. Some families use a clock-based timetable, others a looser routine of “first this, then that” with no fixed times.

Start with anchors: a regular wake-up and breakfast, a block for the core subjects, a break, a block for reading or projects, and a clear end to the school day. Keep lessons short for younger children, since attention spans are limited, and leave room for outside time and chores. A block schedule printable is an easy way to see the week at a glance, and our guide on how stay-at-home moms organize their day shows how to fit household tasks around lessons.

See what a full day can look like in a sample homeschool day for preschool, elementary and middle school. If you work outside the home, read about part-time and flexible approaches in our guide to homeschooling while working.

Plan for flexibility inside the structure. A rhythm works best when it can bend. Sick days, field trips and family visits will happen, and a plan that collapses when one thing slips will not last. Many families set weekly goals instead of rigid daily ones, so a missed Tuesday can be made up on Thursday without guilt. Check whether your state counts days or hours, and keep a simple tally so that flexibility never turns into a surprise at the end of the year.

Step 7: Keep Records, Attendance and Portfolios

Records protect you and help you teach. Depending on your state, you may need to keep attendance, a list of subjects covered, work samples, test results or a portfolio that an evaluator reviews. HSLDA publishes a recordkeeping article for each state, which is a good first stop. Even where nothing is required, a simple folder is smart. It shows what you covered, makes it easier to enroll in a school later and gives you the material for a high school transcript.

A basic system has four parts: a daily or weekly log of what was done, a few work samples from each subject each term, a reading list and a place for any official letters and test results. Our guide to homeschool records, attendance, portfolios and report cards explains each one in detail. A set of printable daily planners can double as an attendance log.

Step 8: Find Co-ops, Friends and Support

The first question most relatives ask is about socialization, and it is a fair one. The answer is that you will need to plan it. Homeschoolers meet through co-ops, which are groups of families who share classes or activities, through park days, library programs, sports leagues, scouting, faith groups, volunteering and classes at community centers.

Parents need community too. Local and state homeschool groups share information about laws, testing, field trips and used curriculum. Joining one before you start can answer many of the questions in this guide. Our guide to homeschool co-ops and socialization covers how to find a group and how to judge whether one fits your family.

Some states let homeschooled students take part in public school classes or sports. HSLDA lists a “Public School Access for Homeschoolers” article on each state page, and the rules vary widely. Check yours if that is something you want.

Your First 30 Days Checklist and Common First-Year Mistakes

Here is a simple 30-day plan. It is a suggested order of work, not a legal requirement, so adjust it to your state and your child.

1. Week 1: Read your state’s homeschool law on HSLDA and your state department of education site. Write down what you must file, when and with whom.
2. Also in week 1, file any required notice, then send a written withdrawal to the school if your child is enrolled, and request a copy of the records you want.
3. In week 2, decide on a rough style, even if you expect to change it. Talk with your child about what they enjoy and where they struggle.
4. Also in week 2, pick a starting set of curriculum for math and reading, and borrow library books for everything else.
5. By week 3, set a daily rhythm and a budget. Try the rhythm for a week and adjust it.
6. During week 3, start your records folder with a log, a reading list and a few work samples.
7. In week 4, join a local homeschool group or co-op and put at least one outing on the calendar.
8. Finish the month with a review of what is working, what is not and what to change next month.

Some mistakes show up again and again among new homeschoolers. Buying too much curriculum before you know your child’s needs is the most common. Trying to recreate a full school day at home is another, since one-on-one teaching is much faster than teaching a class. Skipping the legal homework is the riskiest, and it is the one this guide puts first for a reason. Others include comparing your first month to someone else’s fifth year, ignoring your own need for breaks and waiting to find community until you feel isolated.

Many families also go through an adjustment period after leaving school, sometimes called deschooling, where children and parents unwind from the school routine before settling into a new one. There is no official length. Give yourselves some grace, keep the days short and gentle at first and build up as the habits form.

If daily meals are a stumbling block, our post on homeschool lunch ideas has simple ideas that make midday easier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is homeschooling legal in every state?

Yes. Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, but each state sets its own requirements. They range from no notification to notice, assessment and other conditions. Check your state’s HSLDA page and department of education site.

Do I need to be a certified teacher?

Not generally. HSLDA’s state pages have a “Teacher Qualifications” line in the At a Glance box, and many states list no requirement for parents, though some options in some states do. Check yours.

Do I have to follow a state curriculum?

It depends on the state. Some states list mandated subjects and some do not. HSLDA’s state pages list whether subjects are mandated, and your state department of education can give the details.

Can I start in the middle of the school year?

Often yes. The usual steps are to file any required notice, withdraw your child in writing and begin. Your state may have specific timing rules, so confirm them first.

How much does it cost to homeschool?

It varies widely with your choices, the number of children and your state’s requirements. Build a budget by category rather than relying on an average figure.

Will my child be able to go to college?

Colleges evaluate applicants in different ways, so check the admissions pages of schools your child may be interested in, and keep good records and a transcript. Our records guide explains what to keep.

Sources and further reading: HSLDA, “Homeschool Laws by State” and individual state pages (hslda.org/legal), including the At a Glance details for Texas, New York, Pennsylvania and Florida; National Center for Education Statistics, Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey 2023 (3.4 percent of students ages 5 to 17 homeschooled in 2022-23); Miacademy website (miacademy.com) for program details. State law changes, so verify requirements with your state department of education. This article is general information and not legal advice.