How do California's five homeschool pathways compare?
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The five legal ways to homeschool in California trade off cost, curriculum freedom, oversight, and public funding differently, none requires joining a charter, and all are equally legal ways to satisfy compulsory education law starting at age six.
| Pathway | Cost to family | Curriculum freedom | Secular requirement? | Credential required? | Public funding | Filing/enrollment | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private school affidavit (PSA) | Free (no tuition, no public funds) | Full, parent chooses everything | No | No | None | Self-file annually, Oct 1-15 (system open Aug 1-Jun 30) | EC 33190, 48222 |
| Private school satellite program (PSP) | Tuition set by each program (unconfirmed generally) | Varies by program (some prescribe curriculum, some don't) | No | No | None | Enroll with a specific program; program files its own PSA | EC 33190 (as a private school) |
| Public charter independent study | Free; typically includes a curriculum-funds allotment (amount set per charter) | Restricted to secular/approved options | Yes, must be nonsectarian | Supervising teacher must be credentialed (not the parent) | Public (charter apportionment) | Enroll via charter's own window/lottery | EC 47605, 47612.5, 51745-51749.6 |
| District independent study | Free; typically district-directed curriculum, usually no outside-purchase funds allotment | Restricted to secular/district-selected materials | Yes, must be nonsectarian | Supervising teacher must be credentialed (not the parent) | Public (district apportionment) | Enroll via home district (or inter-district transfer) | EC 51745-51749.6 |
| Private tutor | Cost of tutor (if not parent) + materials; no state fee | Full within required subjects | No | Yes, tutor (may be the parent) must hold a valid CA teaching credential for the grade taught | None | No filing; self-executing if requirements met | EC 48224 |
Cost and funding-amount figures that vary by specific school/program (e.g., a named charter's per-student funds allotment, a named PSP's tuition) are tracked per-listing in the directory, not in this table, per the brief's pricing rule (publish only what a program states publicly, dated + linked).
Is a charter required to homeschool legally in California?
No. All five pathways above are independently legal and sufficient on their own, a family never needs to join a charter school to homeschool lawfully in California. The PSA is the most common pathway precisely because it requires no enrollment anywhere. (source)
When does school become compulsory?
Age six. EC Section 48200 makes 'each person between the ages of 6 and 18 years' subject to compulsory full-time education unless exempted under one of these pathways (or another statutory exemption). There is no state requirement to enroll a child in kindergarten or any program before age six. (source)
Spot an error? Tell us. This is information, not legal advice, see the disclaimer.