Can a child being taught by a parent at home be exempt from the compulsory education laws?
Yes. If the Private School Affidavit is properly filed, and the school meets the criteria for a full-time private school, a local school district can allow an exemption. EC Section 48200 requires all children between ages 6 and 18 to attend public, full-time day school, and requires the parent or guardian to send the child unless the child is exempt. Public school officials have an obligation to ascertain whether a child not in public school is truant or being privately educated in accordance with an exemption from the compulsory education law. EC Section 48222 says that children may be exempt from compulsory public education if they are attending a private full-time day school. EC Section 33190 requires such schools to file the Private School Affidavit annually with CDE. For families schooling at home, filing the Affidavit is a required first step toward an exemption from compulsory school attendance. The exemption has two parts: first, parents or guardians schooling their student(s)
