Homeschool laws in California (2026)
A plain-English overview of what California requires of homeschool families — plus the automatic tracking Rosie’sHQ handles so you never have to build a portfolio the night before an evaluation.
California at a glance
No state mandateWhat the law says: Most CA homeschoolers file an annual Private School Affidavit (R-4) under Cal. Educ. Code § 33190 (filing window Oct 1–15). The PSA route sets no statutory day or hour count — the school just must operate as a "full-time private day school" and cover the branches of study required in public schools. A separate private-tutor route under Cal. Educ. Code § 48224 requires 175 days at 3 hrs/day.
Source: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
How Rosie’sHQ helps California families
- Daily attendance in one tapLog a school day in a single tap and Rosie'sHQ keeps a running attendance record for California — even if the state doesn’t set a fixed day count.
- Automatic hour talliesEvery lesson you log rolls up into per-subject and per-year hour totals — no spreadsheet required.
- One-click portfolio PDFTurn your logged lessons, assessments, and worksheets into an audit-ready portfolio PDF the moment an evaluator asks.
- Notice of Intent generatorGenerate a California-specific Notice of Intent PDF pre-filled with your child’s information — ready to sign and mail.
Recommended homeschool checklist for California
Everything a California homeschool family should do across a typical school year, grouped so you can tick items off as you go. Every step is tailored to California’s actual rules — low-regulation states get a shorter list; states with mandatory portfolios or standardized tests get the full sequence.
1Before the school year begins in California
- File your California Notice of Intent (or equivalent)
California is one of the lower-regulation states, so many families do not have to submit a formal Notice of Intent. Even so, we recommend keeping a dated, one-page declaration on file (name of parent-teacher, name and grade of each child, home address) so you can produce it if a district ever asks. Rosie’sHQ generates a 1-click NOI PDF pre-filled with your info.
- Set your target hours and days in Rosie’sHQ
California does not publish a fixed day or hour count, but keeping a clean daily record still matters if a district ever asks or if your child transfers schools. Rosie’sHQ logs every activity in one tap so you always have the paper trail.
2Every school day
- Log attendance in one tap
Use Rosie’sHQ’s Quick-Log to mark the school day “present” in a single tap. The system will roll it into your California year-to-date attendance count.
- Record each subject you teach today
Log every subject you cover — even quick ones like read-alouds or nature study. Rosie’sHQ preserves the daily record so you can prove instructional time to any California evaluator, cover school, or umbrella supervisor.
3Every month or quarter
- Review your California compliance dashboard
Open the Compliance tab to review the audit trail for the past month. Even in a low-regulation state like California, a monthly review keeps records clean for future transfers, college applications, or optional evaluator reviews.
4At the end of the school year
- Generate the year-end PDF the state expects
Export a year-end PDF snapshot even though California does not require one. A tidy record makes district transfers, umbrella-school enrollment, and future college applications dramatically easier.
- Keep records for the state-recommended retention period
Store the year-end PDF plus any raw logs for at least 2 years after graduation. California districts and colleges occasionally request historical records; Rosie’sHQ preserves your archive so you never have to reconstruct a year from memory.
Frequently asked questions
How many days and hours must California homeschoolers log per year?+
California has been verified as having no state-wide day-count or hour-count mandate — the state does not tell you how many days or hours you must teach. You still, however, need to follow the state’s notification and recordkeeping procedures. Rosie'sHQ logs everything so if the rules ever tighten you already have the data.
What subjects must be taught to California homeschoolers?+
California does not enumerate a strict list of required subjects statewide. Most families still cover reading, math, science, and social studies. Rosie'sHQ lets you configure whichever subject mix your curriculum uses.
How does Rosie'sHQ help California homeschool families stay compliant?+
Rosie'sHQ logs daily attendance, tallies instructional hours by subject, generates a Notice of Intent, produces a year-end portfolio PDF, and stores every worksheet or assessment your child completes so an evaluator or state official can be answered in minutes rather than hours.