Homeschooling in Arkansas

The homeschool rules in Arkansas, from official sources: your options, any notice, what to teach and record, testing, official forms, the law and who to contact.

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Last checked: October 25, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice – check your state’s official page: Arkansas official page.

Broad level: Low regulation – our own rough summary, what the levels mean.

Your options

(1) Home school: parent files an annual Notice of Intent (NOI). (2) Education Freedom Account (EFA) under the LEARNS Act; it adds testing and an SSN requirement. (3) Private school.

Notice or letter of intent

Annual written NOI to the local district superintendent by August 15 (opens June 1), online at noihs.ade.arkansas.gov or on paper at the district. If a currently enrolled child files after 15 Aug, there is a 5-school-day wait unless the superintendent or board waives it. If you move district, give written notice to the new superintendent within 30 days.

Need a letter? See our letter of intent and withdrawal letter templates – but use the official form below if there is one.

Subjects, time, assessment and records

Subjects: None required by the state.
Days or hours: None stated.
Testing or assessment: Non-EFA homeschoolers: no standardised test required. EFA participants must take a standardised test. Optional state-funded PSAT (10th), ACT (11th) and ATLAS (grades 3-10 from 2025-26).
Records: None stated for parents.

Parent qualifications

None ('no educational requirements for parents' – DESE memo COM-25-076).

Other rules

A child is ineligible to file while under disciplinary action, with an open FINS/truancy case, living with a registered sex offender, or with unreturned school property. Parent must be an Arkansas resident.

Official forms

NOI 2026-27 form: dese.ade.arkansas.gov/… (Spanish: dese.ade.arkansas.gov/…); online NOI: https://noihs.ade.arkansas.gov

The law

Ark. Code Ann. 6-15-501 et seq. (NOI 6-15-503); 5-day wait 6-15-201

Who to contact

Arkansas Department of Education, Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) – Home School Office, Office of School Choice & Parent Empowerment[email protected] · 501-683-3162 · Official pageWho handles notices: Both

Special education and public school classes and sports

Eligible homeschoolers may try out for interscholastic activities with the resident district (or another district with superintendent permission). Conditions include notice to the principal, a qualifying test score and enrolling in at least one period or zero-hour activity. Grades 7-12: contact the Arkansas Activities Association, 501-955-2500.

Federal rules on Child Find and evaluations apply in every state – see special education.

Going back to public school in Arkansas

To enroll your child in a public school in Arkansas, contact the enrollment or registration office of your local school district or public school. Ask how it decides grade placement and whether it accepts credits from homeschooling before your child starts, and bring the records you choose to share. We didn’t find a state rule on this for Arkansas in the official sources we checked – see the Arkansas official page and ask the district.

See going back to school after homeschooling for what to bring, placement, credits and special education.

Last checked: October 25, 2026. Report a change to this page

Official sources

Last checked against these sources: October 25, 2026.

This is general information, not legal advice – check your state’s official page. This page sums up official sources in our own words. Homeschool laws differ from state to state and can change. Check your state’s official page and your local school district’s guidance, and get qualified advice for your situation. Classfern is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education, any state education agency, school district, College Board, ACT, the GED Testing Service, HiSET, CLT or the Common App.