Anchor Homeschooling in California
low regulation
What California requires
- Notice to authorities: Yes. File R-4 Private School Affidavit annually between October 1-15 with the CA Department of Education, OR enroll under a Private Satellite Program (PSP), OR use a credentialed private tutor (Option 3 requires 175 days, 3+ hours/day). No state-mandated testing, portfolio, or evaluator.
- Instructional days: 175 per year
- Portfolio: Not required.
- Standardized testing: Not required.
- Annual evaluator: Not required.
- Quarterly reports: Not required.
- Filing deadline: October 1-15 annually
- Legal paths: r4 affidavit, psp enrollment, independent study program
How to start homeschooling in California
- File your notice with the state. File a Private School Affidavit (R-4) online with the California Department of Education between October 1–15 each year. File online with the state →
- Plan your school year. California expects 175 instructional days per year — set your calendar before you start so the count takes care of itself.
- Keep records from your first day. Attendance, samples of work, and any test or evaluation results — every requirement above is answered from these three, and they're painless to keep daily and miserable to reconstruct in May.
How Anchor helps
Anchor logs every day automatically when you make an activity entry. It builds the portfolio your state expects, generates the attendance PDF, and reminds you about evaluations before they're due.
Common questions about homeschooling in California
Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in California?
Yes. California requires notice to the authorities before you begin home education. File R-4 Private School Affidavit annually between October 1-15 with the CA Department of Education, OR enroll under a Private Satellite Program (PSP), OR use a credentialed private tutor (Option 3 requires 175 days, 3+ hours/day). No state-mandated testing, portfolio, or evaluator.
How many days or hours of school does California require?
California requires 175 instructional days per year. Anchor counts each day for you as you log activities, and shows how many you have left.
Does California require a portfolio or standardized testing?
No. California does not require a portfolio or standardized testing for homeschoolers.
Does California require an annual evaluation?
No. California does not require an annual evaluator review.
What records should I keep to homeschool in California?
Keep attendance for every school day, samples of your student's work, and any test or evaluation results California asks for. Homeschool Anchor builds all three from your daily logs and turns this state's rules into dated checkpoints, so nothing is reconstructed at the deadline.
Stay compliant without the paperwork
Free for 1 student. $8/month for the full family with PDF exports, photo activity logging, and AI-assisted summaries.
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Sources: HSLDA — California · California Department of Education · last verified 2026-08-08 · Always verify with your state homeschool association before relying on this.