Even though home schooling is legal in Texas, at times confusion arises within government and state agencies as to how to respond to home schoolers. For this reason, many agencies have authored agency directives to inform their employees and others as to the proper treatment of home schoolers.
Read the Directives:
Texas Education Agency
Commissioner of Education Mike Morath’s 2016 letter to school districts with guidelines for dealing with home school students.
Commissioner Morath’s Home School Information Letter for Parents
Higher Education Commissioner Paredes memo to Texas public institutions of higher education clarifying that graduates of nontraditional high schools should be treated equally with public school graduates.
Letter from Commissioner Neeley to Senator Barrientos clarifying her position that it is not the state’s responsibility to regulate home schools.
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
Letter from Joyce James, Deputy Commissioner – A response to inquiry on an child care licensing exemption determination for home school support groups and/or co-ops working with homeschooling students
2012 CPS Memorandum on Homeschooling – Regarding lack of CPS authority over home schooling
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services – Confirms that CPS workers have no jurisdiction in home education, truancy or compulsory school attendance matters
Letter from Kristine Hopkins Mohajer of Texas Department of Family and Protective Services – Clarifies that CPS does not consider home schooling as a risk factor in determining the safety of a child
CPS Memorandum: Gates Case – August 22, 2008 – The Gates case sets out a new standard that will require DFPS to obtain a court order prior to removal in a much larger proportion of our cases and affects whether we can transport or enter a home.
Department of Public Safety
Department of Public Safety Memo from Chief Judy E. Brown regarding the acceptance of Verification of Enrollment Forms from individuals in a home school program.
Department of Public Safety Letter concerning requirements of their identification policy and proof of enrollment for home schoolers.
Texas Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice
Letter from the Director of Education and Training for the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement regarding academy applicants that are home schooled
Texas Department of Criminal Justice selection criteria for correctional officer applicants (See last paragraph of page 5.)
