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Alabama homeschool law

Notice, days or hours, subjects, testing and records, in plain words, with the source for each.

This is general information, not legal advice; check your state's own page. Laws change, and Alabama's own statute and education department are the final word. The links below go straight to them.

Checked on against the sources linked on this page.

What to file in Alabama

File
On the church school route: an enrollment and attendance form, countersigned by the church school. §
To
Local public school superintendent (county or city). §
By
The law gives no date. §
Keep
An attendance register showing enrollment and every absence of half a day or more. §
Test
None found for church schools. §
Starting this year
  • When your child starts: On the church school route, file your child's enrollment and attendance with the local public school superintendent on the form the superintendent provides; the church school's administrator countersigns it and you return it. The law gives no date.
Leaving a school mid-year

If a child stops attending the church school, the parent directs the school (agreed at enrollment) to tell the local public school superintendent that the child is no longer enrolled.

Open your attendance recordStart the Tap Clock, if you want to

What Alabama's law asks you to keep, as tools: Attendance. The same rows for every state: what to file, by state.

Checked . § = source: Code of Alabama 16-28-7 Report of enrollment (legislature); Code of Alabama 16-28-8 Reports required (legislature). Information, not legal advice.

Quick answers

Notice
Depends on the routeThis describes the church school route, which the law lets a home program use. The parent files the child's enrollment and attendance with the local public school superintendent on a form the superintendent provides; the church school's administrator countersigns it and the parent returns it. The law gives no date and does not say whether to refile each year. Church schools do not file the weekly reports other schools do. Tutors and private schools file differently (see routes). Checked October 27, 2026. Source: Code of Alabama 16-28-7 Report of enrollment (legislature)
Days or hours
No number givenThe law sets no number of days or hours for a church school. A private tutor (another route) must teach at least three hours a day for 140 days each calendar year, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Checked October 27, 2026. Source: Code of Alabama 16-28-7 Report of enrollment (legislature), Code of Alabama 16-28-5 Private tutor (legislature)
Subjects
The law does not name required subjects for a church school, and it says the State Board and Department of Education may not license or regulate church schools. A private tutor must teach the several branches of study required in public schools. Checked October 27, 2026. Source: Code of Alabama 16-28-7 Report of enrollment (legislature)
Testing or evaluation
No testing requiredWe found no state testing or evaluation rule for church schools in the Code of Alabama, and the Code bars the State Board and Department of Education from licensing or regulating them. Checked October 27, 2026. Source: Code of Alabama 16-28-7 Report of enrollment (legislature)
Records
The principal teacher of each church school keeps an attendance register showing enrollment and every absence of half a day or more on each school day of the year. Church schools are excused from the reports other schools and tutors must furnish to the superintendent. Checked October 27, 2026. Source: Code of Alabama 16-28-8 Reports required (legislature)
Who must attend school
Every child between the ages of six and 17 must attend a public school, private school or church school, or be taught by a competent private tutor (Code of Alabama 16-28-3). A parent may opt out of enrolling a six-year-old by telling the local school board in writing that the child will not be enrolled until age seven. Source: Code of Alabama 16-28-3 Ages; church school exemption (legislature)
Education savings accounts and vouchers
A program is open to homeschool familiesThe CHOOSE Act (run by the Alabama Department of Revenue) gives education savings accounts: $2,000 per student in a home education program (individual or group program, homeschool, co-op), capped at $4,000 per family. For 2026-2027 household income could not exceed 300 percent of the federal poverty level, the 2026-2027 application portals closed March 31, 2026, and from 2027-2028 on the income limit is lifted. We did not find the state saying the account changes a family's school status. CHOOSE Act Alabama. What taking the money changes, in full. Source: Code of Alabama 16-6J-3 CHOOSE Act tax credit (legislature), Alabama Department of Revenue: The CHOOSE Act, CHOOSE Act Alabama program site (ClassWallet, linked by the Department of Revenue), CHOOSE Act Alabama parent guide 2026–27 (ClassWallet program site, PDF)

What to do first

  1. Read Alabama's own pages, linked under each row below, so you know what applies to your situation.
  2. Notice: This describes the church school route, which the law lets a home program use. The parent files the child's enrollment and attendance with the local public school superintendent on a form the superintendent provides; the church school's administrator countersigns it and the parent returns it. The law gives no date and does not say whether to refile each year. Church schools do not file the weekly reports other schools do. Tutors and private schools file differently (see routes). To: Local public school superintendent (county or city).
  3. If your child is in school now: If a child stops attending the church school, the parent directs the school (agreed at enrollment) to tell the local public school superintendent that the child is no longer enrolled.
  4. Plan the year around the days or hours and the subjects below.
  5. Start your records on day one: a simple attendance log, a list of books read and a work sample or two for each subject.

Other legal routes in Alabama

  • Church school. A school that offers instruction in grades K-12, through on-site or home programs, operated as a ministry of a local church, group of churches, denomination or association of churches that does not receive state or federal funding. Children are exempt from the attendance law before their 16th birthday if they comply with the enrollment form in 16-28-7.
  • Private tutor. A person with a certificate from the State Superintendent of Education who teaches the branches of study required in public schools for at least three hours a day for 140 days each calendar year, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., in English. The tutor files a statement of children, subjects and period with the superintendent first, keeps a daily register and makes reports the State Board requires.
  • Private school. A school established, conducted and supported by a nongovernmental entity that offers K-12 instruction, including through home programs. Its principal teacher reports enrolled children to the superintendent by the fifth day of public school and then at least weekly on absences.

Records to keep

The principal teacher of each church school keeps an attendance register showing enrollment and every absence of half a day or more on each school day of the year. Church schools are excused from the reports other schools and tutors must furnish to the superintendent. Whatever the law asks, many families also keep a simple attendance log, a list of books read and a few work samples for each subject; they cost nothing and help if you move or return to school.

Good to know

  • The church school exemption is worded in the statute as applying to a child before the child's 16th birthday (16-28-3). The same section sets the attendance ages as six to 17.
  • A church school must be operated as a ministry of a church or group of churches and receive no state or federal funding, so a family using this route needs to be enrolled in such a school (16-28-1).
  • A person under 19 who is on track to graduate from public school may not be denied admission to public school solely because of age (16-28-3).

Where this comes from

Checked on October 27, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice; check your state's own page, and confirm with your school district or the department before you rely on a date. Something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.