All 50 states → Glossary

Notice of intent (NOI)

The letter or form telling your state or district you are homeschooling. Some states require it annually, some once, and some not at all. Also called a declaration or notification of intent.

Compulsory attendance age

The age range during which state law requires a child to be in some form of schooling. Outside this range (commonly about 6 to 17), no homeschool requirements apply at all.

Homeschool statute

A law that regulates homeschooling specifically, as opposed to states where families homeschool by operating as a small private school under the private-school laws.

Private school option

The legal route in states like California and Texas, where a homeschool is legally a very small private school; the paperwork (like California’s PSA) follows private-school rules.

Umbrella school

A private school or organization that enrolls homeschoolers and handles compliance (records, sometimes evaluations) on their behalf. Called a church school in Alabama and a cover school in some states.

Portfolio

A collection of a student’s work samples, reading lists, and records kept over the year. Some states require one; everywhere else it is still the easiest defensible record of what you actually did.

Portfolio evaluation

A review of the portfolio by a qualified person (often a certified teacher) who attests the student progressed. In several states it satisfies the assessment requirement instead of a standardized test.

Nationally normed standardized test

A test whose scores compare your student to a national sample: Stanford, Iowa (ITBS), CAT, TerraNova, MAP Growth. This phrase in a statute means a recognized commercial test, not a state exam.

Certified teacher evaluation

An assessment option where a licensed teacher reviews progress (through a portfolio or interview) rather than administering a test.

Scope and sequence

An outline of what topics a curriculum covers (scope) and in what order (sequence). A few states ask for one with the notice of intent.

Carnegie unit

The standard high-school credit measure: roughly 120 to 150 hours of work in one subject equals one credit. The backbone of any homeschool transcript.

Transcript

The one-page record of high-school courses, credits, grades, and GPA that colleges and employers accept from homeschool graduates. Parent-issued transcripts are legitimate everywhere.

Dual enrollment

Taking community-college courses while homeschooling high school. Earns college credit, validates the transcript with outside grades, and is often discounted or free for high schoolers.

Co-op

A group of homeschool families sharing teaching: parents rotate subjects, or the co-op hires teachers for group classes. Great for labs, foreign languages, and group projects.

Deschooling

The adjustment period after leaving classroom school, when a child (and parent) decompresses before formal homeschooling ramps up. A common rule of thumb is one week per year spent in school.

Unschooling

A child-led homeschool philosophy built around interests rather than curriculum. Legal in every state; families in regulated states still document how activities map to required subjects.

Education savings account (ESA)

A state program giving families public funds for approved education expenses. Some ESAs are open to homeschoolers, but taking the money usually adds reporting requirements; read the fine print.

Competent private instruction (CPI)

Iowa’s name for its reported homeschool route (Form A, assessment, records), as opposed to its unreported independent private instruction option.

Withdrawal letter

The written notice to a public school that your child is leaving to homeschool. Prevents the truancy limbo of an enrolled-but-absent student.

HSLDA

The Home School Legal Defense Association: a membership legal organization whose free state-law summaries are among the most current secondary sources on homeschool requirements.

Track your state’s requirements automatically

Homeschool Wizard logs your school days, hours, and subjects against your state’s rules and turns them into portfolio PDFs, transcripts, and report cards when you need them. Free for one student.

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Not legal advice. This data is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Homeschool laws change frequently. Always verify requirements with your state's Department of Education or a qualified homeschool legal organization before making compliance decisions. Requirements shown were last verified 2026-09.