Homeschooling in Arizona.

Getting started

File a one-time affidavit of intent with your county school superintendent within 30 days of beginning home instruction (A.R.S. § 15-802(B)(2), (C)). The affidavit lists the child's name, the child's date of birth, the current address of the school the child is attending (for home instruction, your home), and the names, telephone numbers and addresses of the persons who currently have custody of the child. Some county offices request notarization on their form — that's practice, not statute. No annual re-filing.

Proof of identity

Within 30 days after home instruction begins, provide proof of your child's identity to your county school superintendent (A.R.S. § 15-828(B)) — a certified copy of the birth certificate, or a statutory substitute document together with an affidavit explaining why the birth certificate isn't available (the two are required together). A letter from an agency that has custody of the child is its own standalone option.

If your child is 6 or 7

One narrow extra case (A.R.S. § 15-802(B)(3)): if your child won't be eight by September 1 and you plan to homeschool but don't wish to begin until age eight, Arizona still asks for an affidavit — one stating that you don't intend to begin home instruction yet. It's a different declaration from the standard affidavit above, filed the same way, so the county knows your plan.

Good to know

If the identity documents aren't provided, the county school superintendent sends a written notice — and if they're still missing ten days later, the statute directs referral to the local law enforcement agency for investigation (A.R.S. § 15-828(E)). Separately, not filing the required affidavit of intent is a petty offense under A.R.S. § 15-802(E). Both are easily avoided: file the affidavit, include the identity proof, and you're done.

Subjects

at least the subjects of reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies and science (A.R.S. § 15-802(A)).

Who it covers

Compulsory attendance applies to children between the ages of 6 and 16.

What Arizona doesn’t require

No testing. No assessments. No annual paperwork. No teaching qualifications. No mandated recordkeeping. (We still think a gentle record of your year is a gift to your future self — RubyLou keeps one for you.)

If you stop or move

Let the county superintendent know within 30 days; file a fresh affidavit if you resume or move counties.

Funding note

Arizona offers the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program (A.R.S. § 15-2402), administered by the Arizona Department of Education. Families choose between the homeschool affidavit path described above and the ESA — an ESA contract takes the place of the affidavit, not in addition to it (§ 15-2402(B)(5), (I)). Two doors, both legitimate. Details at azed.gov/esa.