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Homeschool laws in Arkansas

Checked Oct 12, 2026 against 6 sources · General information, not legal advice.

Your Arkansas to-do

  1. File the notice of intent Every year
    Every school year by August 15 (accepted from June 1), with the superintendent of your resident school district.
  2. File the notice before withdrawing from public school If leaving a school
    When starting during the school year after August 15: file 5 school days before withdrawing the child from public school (the superintendent or school board may waive the wait).
  3. File the notice in your new district after moving Every year
    Within 30 calendar days of establishing residency in a new school district during the school year.

Homepen turns this into reminders and ready-to-send letters, and counts your days and hours.

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What Arkansas asks

Arkansas parents file a Notice of Intent to Home School with their resident school district every year, by August 15 (or 5 school days before withdrawing a child from public school during the year). The state sets no required days, hours, subjects, tests, records or parent qualifications for home schools.

School age: Ages 5–17. A child who turns 5 on or before August 1 must be enrolled in a public, private or parochial school or a home school, and must attend through age 17 (until age 18) unless state law's other conditions are met.

Home school (notice of intent)

Ark. Code §§ 6-15-503, 6-18-201; 6 CAR §§ 33-103, 33-104 · Level 2: Light

All the details, deadlines and notes
Notice
Every year: Every school year, at the beginning of the year and no later than August 15 (forms open June 1), to the superintendent of the resident school district, online or on paper. Starting during the school year: 5 school days before withdrawing the child from public school (the superintendent or school board may waive the wait). Moving to a new district during the year: file a copy of the current-year notice there within 30 calendar days.
The state's form
Time
No set number of days or hours
Subjects
No subjects listed in the law
Assessment
No assessment required
Portfolio
Not required
Reports
No reports to send
Records to keep
No records required by the law
Teacher
No qualification required

Deadlines

  • File the notice of intent: Every school year by August 15 (accepted from June 1), with the superintendent of your resident school district.
  • File the notice before withdrawing from public school: When starting during the school year after August 15: file 5 school days before withdrawing the child from public school (the superintendent or school board may waive the wait).
  • File the notice in your new district after moving: Within 30 calendar days of establishing residency in a new school district during the school year.
A public school student under disciplinary action (including for excessive unexcused absences) cannot start home school until the action ends, the semester ends, the child is expelled, or the district allows it.
DESE lists other cases where a child is not eligible for home school: an open truancy (FINS) case, a registered sex offender living in the home, or school property not returned.
Families in the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program must take a standardized test; this is a rule of that program, not of home schooling.
To enroll or re-enroll in public school, the student gives the school a transcript and a portfolio of progress (curricula, tests, lessons), so keeping them is useful.

How Homepen helps

Homepen counts your days and hours as you tick lessons, and makes: Notice-of-intent letter, filled in, Attendance & hours report, Portfolio and evaluator packet, Report card, High-school transcript.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Laws change: we check every source at least every 6 months and before each school year. If something looks wrong, tell us. The state agency for homeschooling questions is the Arkansas Department of Education, Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Keep your Arkansas records without the paperwork

Plan the week, tick lessons, and Homepen keeps the days, hours and portfolio Arkansas asks for.

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