The Short Answer
To withdraw your child from public school in Texas, send a written letter of withdrawal to the school stating that your child is now being educated in a private school (your home school). Texas requires no notice to the state or the district to homeschool, no approval, and no testing. Keep a dated copy of your letter and request any records you want. You can withdraw at any point in the year. Compulsory attendance applies from age 6 to 19. Confirm your district's records process with the school office.
Verified June 2026 against Texas Education Code and the Leeper v. Arlington ISD decision recognizing home schools as private schools. Confirm current district withdrawal procedures with your school before relying on this for legal decisions.
Texas Withdrawal at a Glance
| Step 1: Write the letter | A short written withdrawal letter stating your child now attends a private school |
|---|---|
| Step 2: Deliver it | Send or hand it to the school office; keep a dated copy |
| Step 3: Request records | Ask for immunization records, transcripts, or other documents you want |
| State or district filing | None required |
| Approval needed | None |
| Timing | Any time during the year |
| Compulsory age | 6 to 19 |
How Withdrawal Works in Texas
Texas recognizes home schools as private schools, which is why withdrawal is so light. You do not register with the state, you do not notify the district that you are homeschooling, and you do not seek approval. To withdraw your child from public school, you send a written letter stating your child is now enrolled in a private school. The school updates its records, and the move is complete.
The legal foundation is the 1994 Texas Supreme Court ruling in Leeper v. Arlington ISD, which confirmed that home education qualifies as private school instruction under Texas Education Code Section 25.086. That ruling is what makes the process so clean. The district has no authority to require proof of your teaching qualifications, demand a curriculum plan, or approve your decision to withdraw. The letter is a notice, not a request.
If your child has never been enrolled in a Texas public school, no withdrawal step is needed at all. You choose your curriculum and begin teaching. The withdrawal letter is only required when your child is currently enrolled in a public school and you are transitioning out.
Step 1: Write the Withdrawal Letter
The withdrawal letter is the one document you need. Keep it short and factual: state your child's name, that you are withdrawing the child from the public school effective on a given date, and that the child will be educated in a private school in accordance with Texas law. You do not need to describe your curriculum, name your home school, or prove anything. The letter is a notice, not an application.
Address it to the principal or the school's attendance or registrar office. There is no required format. A single paragraph is enough. The letter does not need to be notarized, signed by both parents, or submitted on any particular form. Write it, date it, and deliver it.
The full legal basis for this process, including the Leeper decision that recognizes Texas home schools as private schools, is covered in our Texas homeschooling guide. Before you start teaching, the free reading assessment gives you a clear picture of where your child stands so you can choose materials that fit from day one.
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Step 2: Deliver It and Keep a Copy
Deliver the letter to the school office in person, by email, or by mail. Delivering it in person and asking for acknowledgment, or sending it by a method that confirms receipt, gives you a record that the school received it. Keep a dated copy for your files.
That copy is your protection. Because Texas asks for no state or district filing, your withdrawal letter is the document that shows when and how you removed your child from the public system. Schools sometimes process changes slowly. If the school later sends an attendance or truancy notice by mistake, your dated letter with proof of delivery resolves it quickly. One piece of paper clears it up.
Do not skip the delivery confirmation step. Handing a letter to the front desk without getting acknowledgment can leave you in a gray area if the school claims it never received it. Email is clean because you have a time-stamped record automatically. Certified mail gives you a tracking number. Either works.
Step 3: Request Records
While you are at the school or in communication with the office, ask for any records you want to keep: immunization records, report cards, and transcripts. These are useful later for things like sports programs, college applications, or a future return to public school. The school should provide them on request.
You are not required to gather these, but it is far easier to collect them at withdrawal than to track them down years later. Schools are required to maintain records, but access becomes harder to arrange once the enrollment relationship ends. Grab what you need while the conversation is open.
Once you have the records and the letter is delivered, you can begin homeschooling the same day. There is no waiting period in Texas. Your child is enrolled in a private school the moment you send the letter. The Guide covers building a teaching plan from scratch, which is the practical next step after the withdrawal is done.
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Timing, Special Education, and Common Snags
You can withdraw at any time during the school year in Texas; there is no window to wait for. Mid-year withdrawals work exactly the same way as withdrawals at the start of a year. Write the letter, deliver it, keep a copy, and begin teaching. The calendar does not change any part of the process.
The most common snag is a truancy or attendance call that happens when a school processes the withdrawal slowly, which is exactly why the dated letter and proof of delivery matter. Once the school records the change to private school enrollment, attendance tracking for your child ends on the district side.
If your child has an Individualized Education Program, the special education services provided through the public school end when you withdraw to a private home school. Texas districts may offer limited services to private school students, but the public school IEP entitlement does not carry over. Contact the district's special education office before withdrawing if services are in place. Getting clarity on what changes before the withdrawal is final saves a lot of difficulty later.
A Note from Homeschool Teacher Guide: What This Really Means for You
Texas withdrawal is about as easy as it gets, and the only mistake we see families make is overthinking it. There is no state form, no district approval, and no waiting period. You write a short letter saying your child now attends a private school, you deliver it in a way you can prove, and you keep a dated copy. That copy is the one thing we would not skip, because it is what clears up any stray attendance notice in minutes.
Grab your child's records on the way out, and then turn your attention to the part that matters most, which is building a good year of learning. Our Texas homeschooling guide covers everything that comes after the letter.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Withdraw My Child From Public School in Texas?
Send a written withdrawal letter to the school stating that your child is now enrolled in a private school. Texas requires no state or district filing and no approval to homeschool.
Do I Have to Notify the State of Texas?
No. Texas treats home schools as private schools, so there is no notice to the state or district and no registration to homeschool.
Can I Withdraw at Any Time?
Yes. There is no window to wait for. You can withdraw at any point during the school year.
What Should the Withdrawal Letter Say?
Your child's name, the effective date of withdrawal, and that the child will be educated in a private school in accordance with Texas law. Keep it short; it is a notice, not an application.
What Happens to My Child's IEP?
Public school special education services end when you withdraw to a private home school. Districts may offer limited services to private school students, but the IEP entitlement does not carry over. Contact the special education office before withdrawing.