Arkansas homeschool requirements, in plain English.
Five things every Arkansas homeschool family should know: whether you file a notice, which subjects to cover, how much instruction time is expected, what evaluations look like, and which records to keep.
Notice & registration
File a written Notice of Intent with your local school district superintendent each year by August 15 (or 5 school days before withdrawing mid-year).
Ark. Code 6-15-503 requires an annual Notice of Intent listing each child's name, sex, date of birth, grade level, last school attended, the home school's address and phone, and the parent's name and signature. It can be filed online (noihs.ade.arkansas.gov), by email, by mail, or in person. Families moving into a district mid-year file within 30 days of establishing residency. Districts cannot require anything beyond what the statute lists.
Required subjects
Verification in progress — see sources below.
Instruction time (hours or days)
Arkansas sets no minimum hours or days for homeschool instruction.
Evaluations & assessments
No testing or evaluation is required for regular homeschoolers in Arkansas; annual testing applies only to students participating in the Education Freedom Account program.
- EFA participants: any ADE-approved norm-referenced test covering at least math and literacy, with results submitted to ADE by about June 30
Record keeping
No records are legally required beyond the annual Notice of Intent; EFA participants should keep itemized receipts for every program purchase.
Common questions
What do I have to file to homeschool in Arkansas?
One form: a Notice of Intent to Homeschool, filed with your local school district superintendent every year by August 15. If you are pulling a child out of public school mid-year, file it five school days before withdrawing. You can submit it online through the state's NOI portal, by email, by mail, or in person.
Does Arkansas require specific subjects, hours, or tests for homeschoolers?
No. Arkansas law leaves curriculum, schedule, and evaluation entirely up to the parent. There is no required subject list, no minimum hours or days, and no testing requirement for regular homeschoolers. The one exception: families who join the Education Freedom Account program agree to annual testing as a program condition.
Can homeschoolers get Education Freedom Account money?
Yes. Arkansas EFAs are open to every K-12 student, and the program has a specific homeschool path. Your child stays legally a homeschooler — you keep filing the annual Notice of Intent — and the state verifies that notice before releasing funds. In exchange, you agree to program rules like annual testing and spending through approved vendors.
How much is an Arkansas EFA worth?
For the 2025-26 school year, each approved student receives $6,864, paid in quarterly deposits of $1,716 to the family's ClassWallet account. News reports indicate about $7,208 for 2026-27, but that figure is not yet confirmed on a state page — the amount is recalculated each year, so check the current program handbook for the exact number.
Can EFA funds pay for an online curriculum subscription?
Yes. The state's family handbook lists online course subscriptions, curriculum packages, and online educational subscriptions among allowed expenses, purchased through approved vendors in ClassWallet or reimbursed with an itemized receipt. Confirm a specific product is from an approved provider before buying.
What deadlines matter for Arkansas EFA families?
Apply or renew each spring — for 2026-27, priority windows ran March 9 through June 1, and families needed to finish by June 1 to secure a spot. Homeschool participants also file their Notice of Intent by August 15 and submit annual test results by about June 30. Renewal is required every year, so mark the spring window on your calendar.
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Sources
- Ark. Code § 6-15-503 (2024) — Prerequisites to home schooling (accessed 2026-07-03)
- ADE DESE — Home School Rules and Laws (incl. 2026-27 NOI forms) (accessed 2026-07-03)
- ADE DESE — EFA Information for Families (2025-26 amounts, windows, ClassWallet) (accessed 2026-07-03)
- ADE — Arkansas EFA Family Handbook 2025-26 (homeschool path, expenses, testing) (accessed 2026-07-03)
- ADE DESE — EFA Information for Service Providers (vendor approval) (accessed 2026-07-03)
- HSLDA — Arkansas (cross-check: no subjects, no assessment) (accessed 2026-07-03)
- NWA Democrat-Gazette — 2026-27 EFA amount $7,208 (secondary) (accessed 2026-07-03)
- EdChoice — AR EFA program summary (statute range, secondary) (accessed 2026-07-03)
This page is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements with your state before acting on them.