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Homeschool laws · State guide

Homeschooling in Arkansas

Arkansas requires an annual Notice of Intent to the local superintendent by August 15; the statute sets no testing, subject or hour requirements.

Last checkedAgainst Statute + state sources

Arkansas at a glanceLevel: Low

Notice to the state
Yes
File a Notice of Intent with the local superintendent each school year by August 15 (or 5 school days before withdrawing a public school student; within 30 days of moving in) (Ark. Code §6-15-503).
Testing
No
None required (Ark. Code §6-15-503), and the state and district may not add criteria. A norm-referenced score may be used for grade placement if the student later enrolls in public school (6 CAR Part 33).
Record-keeping
Not required
None ongoing. To enroll or re-enroll in public school, a student submits a transcript and a portfolio of academic progress, unless the school waives this by agreement with the parent (6 CAR §33-105).
Immunization
Not required
Immunization rules cover admission to public or private schools, not homeschooling (6 CAR §520-202). Homeschool families do not have to submit immunization records.
Required subjects
None specified
Instruction time
Not specified
Parent qualifications
None stated
Compulsory school age
5–17
kindergarten may be waived with a signed form if the child will not be 6 by the enrollment cutoff; Ark. Code §6-18-201

Ways to homeschool here: Home school (Notice of Intent)

Choice Homeschool works hard to keep every state guide accurate and up to date, but laws change. If something here has changed or is missing, please let us know, ideally with a link to the official source, and we’ll recheck it.

Overview

Arkansas families homeschool by filing a Notice of Intent to Home School (NOI) with their local school district each year. DESE describes the NOI as the document ‘required by law each academic year’ and notes that by filing it parents assume full responsibility for their children’s education. NOIs for a new school year are accepted from June 1; forms filed after August 15 for a child currently in public school trigger a 5-school-day waiting period that the superintendent or local board can waive.

  • Home school under Ark. Code §6-15-501 et seq. (annual Notice of Intent).
  • Private or parochial school attendance also satisfies the compulsory attendance law, but is separate from home schooling (§6-18-201; §6-15-501).

Requirements at a glance

  • Notice: Written Notice of Intent to the local school district superintendent each school year by August 15 (or 5 school days before withdrawing a public school student; within 30 days of moving into a district). Lists each child’s name, sex, date of birth, grade and last school, the home school’s address and phone, the parent’s name, plans for interscholastic activities and a high school equivalency diploma, and the parent’s signature. May be given by email, mail or in person; DESE also offers an online NOI system. (Ark. Code §6-15-503; DESE)
  • Testing or assessment: None required by §6-15-503; the statute bars the state and district from adding criteria beyond that section. A norm-referenced score may be used for grade placement if the student later enrolls in public school (6 CAR Part 33).
  • Records: No ongoing records requirement in §6-15-503. To enroll or re-enroll in public school, a home-schooled student submits a transcript and a portfolio of indicators of academic progress, unless the school waives these requirements by agreement with the parent (6 CAR §33-105).
  • Subjects: None specified
  • Instruction time: Not specified
  • Parent/teacher qualifications: None stated
  • Compulsory attendance ages: 5–17 (kindergarten may be waived with a signed form if the child will not be 6 by the enrollment cutoff; Ark. Code §6-18-201)

A public school student under disciplinary action generally may not move to home school until the action is completed or the semester ends, unless the superintendent or board allows it or the student has been expelled (§6-15-503(d)).

Sources

This page summarizes the statutes and official pages listed in the sources block, as read on the last-checked date. It is general information, not legal advice; confirm current requirements with your state or local education agency.

Statute text was read on Justia; the official Arkansas Code is hosted by a third-party publisher and was not fetched.