How to Homeschool in Arizona (2025 Guide)

Step-by-step Arizona homeschooling laws, graduation rules, testing, and how the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) can fund your homeschool.

Disclaimer: Regulations change. Verify the most current laws on the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) sites:
• Homeschool requirements — azed.gov/homeschooling
• Empowerment Scholarship Account program — azed.gov/esa
This article is for informational purposes and isn’t legal advice.

Arizona Homeschooling Laws & Options

Quick snapshot

Requirement Arizona Rule
Notice File an Affidavit of Intent to Homeschool with your county school superintendent within 30 days of starting (or of moving to Arizona).
Parent qualifications None. No teaching certificate or minimum-education level required.
Required subjects Reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies, and science.
Record-keeping Not legally required, but keeping a portfolio, high-school transcript, and attendance log is strongly recommended for college, sports, or public-school re-entry.
Standardized testing Not mandatory (details below).

Arizona Revised Statutes § 15-802 defines a homeschool as instruction provided primarily by the parent or guardian after filing the affidavit.

Your structural options

Option What it means Best for
Traditional Independent Homeschool File the affidavit, teach the five subjects, full parental control, no state testing. Families wanting maximum autonomy and zero red tape.
ESA-Funded Education (no affidavit) Sign an Empowerment Scholarship Account contract and educate your child with ESA funds. ESA students are legally not homeschoolers but “private school” students, so you skip the affidavit yet keep full instructional freedom. Families who want state funds (~$7–9 k/yr) and are comfortable with purchase audits and approved-expense rules.
Public Virtual Charter Enroll in a full-time online charter; the school controls curriculum and administers AZ statewide tests. Families wanting tuition-free curriculum plus certified teachers while remaining in the public system.

Arizona High-School Graduation & Diploma Requirements

Arizona does not award homeschool diplomas. Parents issue the diploma and create a transcript. Most families choose one of two tracks:

  1. Parent-designed plan — Customize credits to fit trades, entrepreneurship, or early career goals.
  2. Public-school mirror (22-credit template) — Eases college admissions:
    • 4 credits English
    • 4 credits Math (Alg I, Geometry, Alg II + advanced)
    • 3 credits Science (lab sciences)
    • 3 credits Social Studies (including U.S./AZ History, Gov/Econ)
    • 1 credit Fine Arts/Career & Tech Ed
    • 7 elective credits

Parents sign and date the diploma; some families have it notarized. Arizona universities accept parent-issued diplomas plus transcripts, SAT/ACT scores, or community-college dual-credit as proof of completion.

Standardized Test Requirements for Arizona Homeschoolers

None. Independent homeschoolers are not required to take statewide tests such as AASA or AZSci.

Why you might still test

  • Track academic growth with IOWA, CAT 5, or Stanford
  • Qualify for dual enrollment (many community colleges use ACCUPLACER or SAT/ACT)
  • Compete for scholarships tied to PSAT/NMSQT or CLT

Public-school re-entry: Districts may give placement tests or require credit-by-exam.

Using an ESA for Homeschool Financial Aid in Arizona

Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account (Universal ESA)

Feature Details
Eligibility Every Arizona K-12 student not simultaneously enrolled in a public school; application is year-round.
Funding level Roughly $7,000–$9,000 per student per year (varies by grade and special-needs status).
Allowed expenses Curriculum, tutoring, online courses, AP/ACT/SAT fees, therapies, educational technology, extracurricular lessons, and more (see ADE’s approved list).
Compliance Quarterly receipt uploads; random audits; renewal each school year. ESA students do not file the homeschool affidavit and are legally categorized as private-school students.
Testing No state testing mandate, but many families use a nationally norm-referenced exam to track progress.

Key consideration: Accepting ESA money brings spending oversight and paperwork but can dramatically offset curriculum, tutoring, and special-needs therapy costs.

Key Takeaways

  1. Simple paperwork: One affidavit (or ESA contract) starts your homeschool journey.
  2. Five core subjects only: Reading, grammar, math, social studies, science.
  3. Parent-issued diploma: You set graduation standards; mirror public-school credits if college-bound.
  4. Testing is optional unless you enroll in a virtual charter.
  5. Universal ESA: A generous funding path—but trade-offs include audits and purchase rules.