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Homeschooling in Arizona: what the law requires and who pays

Arizona Revised Statutes 15-802(A) lets the parent choose a public, private or charter school or a homeschool, or sign an Arizona empowerment scholarship account contract. One state program pays toward a homeschooled student’s costs here, by its official source: Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA).

Quoted from official sources, read October 8, 2026. A law summary, not legal advice.

What Arizona’s law requires

The law that allows it

Arizona Revised Statutes 15-802(A) lets the parent choose a public, private or charter school or a homeschool, or sign an Arizona empowerment scholarship account contract.

“The person who has custody of the child shall choose a public, private or charter school or a homeschool as defined in this section to provide instruction or shall sign a contract to participate in an Arizona empowerment scholarship account pursuant to section 15-2402.” Arizona Revised Statutes 15-802, school instruction; exceptions (Arizona Legislature)

Telling the state or district

A homeschooling parent files an affidavit of intent with the county school superintendent stating that the child is being taught in a homeschool.

“file an affidavit of intent with the county school superintendent stating that the child is attending a regularly organized private school or is being provided with instruction in a homeschool” Arizona Revised Statutes 15-802, school instruction; exceptions (Arizona Legislature)

The affidavit is due within 30 days of starting homeschool and is not filed again unless homeschool stops and then resumes.

“An affidavit of intent shall be filed within thirty days from the time the child begins to attend a private school or homeschool and is not required thereafter unless the private school or the homeschool instruction is terminated and then resumed.” Arizona Revised Statutes 15-802, school instruction; exceptions (Arizona Legislature)

The parent must tell the county school superintendent within 30 days when homeschool instruction ends.

“The person who has custody of the child shall notify the county school superintendent within thirty days of the termination that the child is no longer being instructed at a private school or a homeschool.” Arizona Revised Statutes 15-802, school instruction; exceptions (Arizona Legislature)

What and how long to teach

Every child from 6 to 16 must be taught at least reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies and science.

“Every child between the ages of six and sixteen years shall attend a school and shall be provided instruction in at least the subjects of reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies and science.” Arizona Revised Statutes 15-802, school instruction; exceptions (Arizona Legislature)

Testing or evaluation

The state testing article does not require testing children while they are being homeschooled.

“This article shall not be construed to require the testing of children who are instructed in a homeschool program while they are receiving homeschool instruction.” Arizona Revised Statutes 15-745, homeschooled children; testing (Arizona Legislature)

A homeschooled child who enrolls in kindergarten or grades 1 to 12 is tested to set the right grade level.

“shall be tested pursuant to this article in order to determine the appropriate grade level for the educational placement of the child” Arizona Revised Statutes 15-745, homeschooled children; testing (Arizona Legislature)

Ages the law covers

Arizona's attendance law covers children from 6 to 16.

“It is unlawful for any child who is between six and sixteen years of age to fail to attend school during the hours school is in session” Arizona Revised Statutes 15-803, school attendance; exemptions (Arizona Legislature)

A parent of a child under 8 by September 1 who does not want to start home instruction yet files an affidavit saying so.

“If the child will attend homeschool, the child has not reached eight years of age by September 1 of the school year and the person who has custody of the child does not desire to begin home instruction until the child has reached eight years of age” Arizona Revised Statutes 15-802, school instruction; exceptions (Arizona Legislature)

State money for homeschoolers in Arizona

Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA)

The ESA is a separate option from homeschool under 15-802. A child in an ESA is educated outside any district or charter school, and the parent may, but does not have to, use a private school. (Arizona Revised Statutes 15-802, school instruction; exceptions (Arizona Legislature))

Programs that do not pay homeschoolers

Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA). To enroll in an ESA, the parent signs an agreement that includes not filing an affidavit of intent to homeschool. So a family cannot be a registered homeschool and an ESA family at the same time. (Arizona Revised Statutes 15-2402, Arizona empowerment scholarship accounts (Arizona Legislature))

Arizona ESA: amount and how to apply Private schools in Arizona

Which states pay homeschoolers, and how: Arizona next to every other state.

Questions parents ask

Do I have to tell anyone I am homeschooling in Arizona?

A homeschooling parent files an affidavit of intent with the county school superintendent stating that the child is being taught in a homeschool. The affidavit is due within 30 days of starting homeschool and is not filed again unless homeschool stops and then resumes. The parent must tell the county school superintendent within 30 days when homeschool instruction ends.

Do homeschoolers in Arizona have to take tests?

The state testing article does not require testing children while they are being homeschooled. A homeschooled child who enrolls in kindergarten or grades 1 to 12 is tested to set the right grade level.

Can a homeschooler in Arizona get state money?

Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA): The ESA is a separate option from homeschool under 15-802. A child in an ESA is educated outside any district or charter school, and the parent may, but does not have to, use a private school.

Every line above is our plain-English summary of the quoted text, which is copied from the official page named beside it. Laws change: the quoted page is the authority, and a lawyer or the state can answer questions about your family.

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