Withdrawing your child from public school

You can start homeschooling at any point in the year; there is no rule that says you must wait for summer. The one thing that matters is doing the steps in the right order, so your child is never marked truant in the gap.

The right order of steps

1. Check your state’s requirement first. In notice states, file the notice of intent before or at the same time as the withdrawal, so home instruction is already legal the day your child stops attending. In no-notice states, the withdrawal letter is the only paperwork. Find yours: state-by-state requirements.
2. Send a written withdrawal letter. Date it, keep a copy, and send it so you have proof of delivery (email with a reply, or certified mail). Verbal withdrawal invites enrollment-record limbo.
3. Don’t stop attending before the paperwork is in. Until the school processes the withdrawal, absences accumulate against an enrolled student; that is how well-meaning families end up with truancy letters.
4. Request records. Report cards and any evaluations are useful for your homeschool file, and they are easier to get now than later.
5. Start your records the same week. Attendance, subjects, and hours from day one; future-you (and any evaluator) will be grateful.

Withdrawal letter template

[Today’s date]

[Principal’s name]
[School name and address]

RE: Withdrawal of [student name]

Dear [Principal’s name]:

This letter is formal notice that I am withdrawing my child,
[student name] ([grade level]), from [school name], effective
[date]. They will receive instruction under [your state]’s home
education law from that date forward.

Please update your enrollment records accordingly and let me know
if any school property needs to be returned. I request copies of
[student name]’s academic records at your convenience.

Sincerely,

[Parent/guardian name]
[Address / phone / email]

Special situations

Mid-semester: completely fine everywhere; grades in progress simply end. Ask for whatever partial records exist.
An IEP or special-education services: withdrawal generally ends the district’s obligation to provide services, though some states offer service access to homeschoolers; check your state page and consider timing.
A truancy case already open: withdrawing does not erase an existing case. Get the notice filed immediately and consider a consult with HSLDA or a local homeschool group before the next hearing.

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.

Private by design: your family’s records stay on your device.

Download on the App Store

Next: pick your state from the full list for its requirements and notice-of-intent template.

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.