High School Packets

General information · Not legal advice

California Private School Affidavit (PSA) basics

What a PSA is, where to file on the California Department of Education site, and how packet records can support a portfolio — without any guarantee or legal advice.

Quick answer

In California, one way to homeschool is to operate a home-based private school and file an annual Private School Affidavit (PSA). The form is on the California Department of Education website. A public article from HSLDA dated October 7, 2026, says the affidavit is filed with the California Superintendent of Public Instruction between October 1 and October 15 each school year, with special timing if you start before or after that window. This page is general information, not legal advice. Read the official CDE pages and follow the current rules. Families outside California must follow their own state’s law.

Start with the California Department of Education

These are the official CDE pages to read and use:

We link to those pages directly. Families should confirm dates, eligibility, and record-keeping duties there, because state instructions can change.

What public summaries say about the filing window

HSLDA’s public article How to Comply with California’s Homeschool Law (dated October 7, 2026) describes three private options, including a home-based private school. For that option it says:

  • File an annual private school affidavit with the California Superintendent of Public Instruction between October 1 and October 15 of each school year.
  • New private schools starting before October 1 can file after withdrawing the student (they are not required to do so until October 15).
  • New private schools starting after October 15 should file as soon as possible.
  • The affidavit may be accessed on the California Department of Education’s website.
  • Other listed duties for that path include maintaining an attendance register, instruction in English, capable instructors, courses commonly taught in the public schools, a list of courses of study, and a list of instructors.

HSLDA also describes other California paths, including a private school satellite program and a credentialed-tutor option that it says does not use a PSA. HSLDA’s California legal overview is another starting map. HSLDA notes its compliance article should not be taken as legal advice. Confirm everything on the CDE site.

PSA private home school vs a public charter

Filing a PSA to run a private home school is not the same thing as enrolling in a public independent-study or homeschool charter. On a charter path, the student is typically a public school student under that school’s rules and teacher of record. Charter instructional funds, if any, follow the charter’s policies. A PSA private home school does not automatically come with state instructional funds. If you are comparing those paths, read CDE’s pages and, for a careful funding overview, our ESA and charter funds guide.

How High School Packets can help with records — and what it cannot do

If you need an attendance register and a course record, High School Packets can give you raw material: a Day complete box each school day, dated weekly work, answer keys, a credit and hours log, and a quarterly parent-issued report card on your private gradebook. That can be a strong portfolio. It does not file the PSA for you, does not make High School Packets your private school of record, and does not guarantee that any official will accept your records. We do not issue official transcripts or diplomas, and we are not an accredited school.

More on attendance, report cards, and credits: features. Transcript walkthrough: how to make a homeschool high school transcript. Other states: requirements by state.

Questions

When is the California PSA usually filed?

HSLDA’s public compliance article dated October 7, 2026, says the affidavit is filed with the California Superintendent of Public Instruction between October 1 and October 15 each school year, with different timing if you start before or after that window. Confirm the current window and process on the California Department of Education’s official affidavit pages.

Does High School Packets file the PSA for my family?

No. We provide curriculum and records tools. You (or your private school administrator) file any affidavit or notice your state requires.

I don’t live in California. Does this apply to me?

Not as a filing requirement. Other states have their own notice, affidavit, or no-notice rules. Use your state department of education and a trusted legal overview such as HSLDA’s state map. Our packets are available to US families regardless of state.

Is this legal advice?

No. It is general public information with links to official sources. Talk to a qualified attorney or your state department of education if you need advice.