What is a California homeschool charter school?
Scope: This article covers California only. If you live in another U.S. state, see homeschool laws by state, ESA and state funds for curriculum, and how to start homeschooling. Outside the U.S.? Read homeschooling outside the US.
A California "homeschool charter" is a public charter school that teaches most of its students through independent study. The California Department of Education (CDE) calls this kind of program nonclassroom-based: Education Code 47612.5 defines it as instruction such as independent study, home study and distance learning, and a charter counts as nonclassroom-based for funding when less than 80 percent of its attendance is classroom-based.
In plain English: your child is enrolled in a free public school, you do most of the teaching at home, and a credentialed teacher from the school oversees the work. CDE's own summary of independent study says it is voluntary, aligned to state content standards, and has the same course requirements as regular classes.
That is the trade. You get a budget, a teacher and a structure. In exchange you follow public school rules.
Where does the money come from?
California funds schools largely by average daily attendance (ADA). A charter that enrolls your child receives state funding for that student, and many independent study charters set aside part of it as an "instructional fund" or "educational budget" for each family. The Cottonwood School explains this on its FAQ page: the state funds charters based on ADA, and families on its home-study pathway get an instructional funds budget each year.
Two details matter more than the dollar figure:
- It is school money, not your money. Heartwood Charter School's FAQ puts it bluntly: instructional funds "are still considered school funds," and "no school funding is provided directly to parents or students for any purpose."
- The law forbids cash-style perks. Education Code 51747.3 says a charter may not claim state funding for an independent study student if it gives the family funds or anything of value that a school district could not legally give a similar student.
What can charter homeschool funds pay for?
Every school writes its own list, but the common categories look like this:
| Usually allowed (if the vendor is approved) | Usually not allowed |
|---|---|
| Secular curriculum and workbooks | Cash, gift cards or direct payments to parents |
| Printable or digital curriculum subscriptions | Religious (sectarian) curriculum or classes |
| Enrichment classes: art, music, coding, swim, martial arts | Items for the whole family, not the student |
| Tutoring from approved providers | Purchases from vendors that are not on the school's list |
| Science kits, lab supplies, manipulatives | Anything your teacher can't connect to the learning plan |
| Some technology, often on loan from the school | Items you want to keep forever (many must be returned) |
The "must be returned" part surprises people. Heartwood says all materials ordered are school property and must go back if the student withdraws, and Cottonwood says the same for non-consumable items. Consumables like workbooks and printable worksheet packets are usually the easiest category to get approved, because they get used up.
Why "nonsectarian" matters
Charter schools are public schools, so they must be nonsectarian. Cottonwood's FAQ says plainly that funds "may not be used for sectarian materials." If your family uses faith-based curriculum, you can still use it, but you'll pay for it yourself and use the budget for secular subjects.
Who can enroll?
Independent study comes with a residency rule that trips up a lot of families in rural counties. Under Education Code 51747.3(c), a school may only claim independent study attendance for students who live in the county where the school reports attendance, or in a county immediately next to it.
So if you live in Calaveras County, for example, you're looking at charters based in Calaveras or in a neighboring county such as Tuolumne, Amador, San Joaquin, Stanislaus or Alpine. A great school three counties away is usually not an option. Each charter's website lists the counties it serves; check that first.
Many popular charters also fill up. Cottonwood, for example, notes an open-enrollment period each spring and a lottery if more families apply than there are seats.
What do you agree to in return?
This is the part the Facebook groups skip. Independent study has real requirements:
- A written master agreement for each student. CDE's charter school training resources state that any program where students spend more than 20 percent of instructional time offsite is independent study and needs an independent study policy and a compliant master agreement for each enrolled student.
- A credentialed teacher of record. You are the daily teacher, but the school's teacher supervises, reviews work and signs off. Cottonwood describes meeting families at least once every 20 school days.
- Work samples and attendance. Expect to turn in samples of your child's work each learning period. This is one reason families like printable packets: a completed, dated packet with the answer key is an easy work sample.
- Live contact. Education Code 51747 sets out live-interaction and synchronous-instruction requirements for independent study; for grades 4 through 8 it calls for opportunities for daily live interaction and at least weekly synchronous instruction. Ask each school how it meets this, because the answer shapes your week.
- State testing. Charter students are public school students and take part in state assessments.
- Grade-level standards. Your child works toward California standards, even if you choose the materials.
None of this is unreasonable. It just means a charter is a partnership with a public school, not a check in the mail.
Charter school vs. homeschool in California: which is right for you?
California gives families several legal routes. CDE's Private School Affidavit page covers the private routes; its independent study page covers the public ones.
| Independent study charter | Private home school (PSA) | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Public school student | Private school student |
| Cost | Free | You pay for everything |
| Funds for materials | Often yes, spent by the school | None |
| Curriculum choice | Wide, but secular and approved | Completely yours |
| Oversight | Teacher of record, work samples | None from the state |
| Paperwork | Master agreement, learning logs | File the PSA each year (October 1–15) and keep attendance and records |
| State testing | Yes | No |
Choose the charter if you want a budget, outside accountability and a teacher to ask for help. Choose the affidavit route if you want total freedom, religious curriculum, or less paperwork. CDE's homeschooling guidance letter explains that families who file the affidavit acknowledge under penalty of perjury that their home school meets the requirements of a full-time private school, including attendance records and instruction.
How do you actually spend the budget?
The process is similar at most schools:
- Make a learning plan with your teacher. Most schools want purchases tied to the plan.
- Check the vendor list. Search the school's approved-vendor portal for the curriculum or class you want.
- Submit a purchase request. The teacher reviews it, then the school's vendor or business office approves and orders.
- Wait for the order. Turnaround varies, so plan a few weeks ahead for the start of each semester.
- Track the balance. Unused funds usually do not roll over to the next school year. Heartwood says funds may only be used during the year they were allotted.
What if the vendor you want isn't approved?
Ask. Most schools have a process for new vendors, and a vendor can usually send the paperwork the school needs (a W-9, insurance information, a description of the product and the standards it covers). It takes time, so start early.
Questions to ask a charter before you enroll
Email these to every school on your shortlist and compare the answers side by side:
- What is the instructional budget per student this year, and is it prorated if we enroll mid-year?
- Is it split by semester? Does any of it roll over?
- How do we request a new vendor, and how long does approval take?
- Which counties do you serve?
- How often do we meet with the teacher of record, and is it in person or online?
- How do you meet the live-interaction and synchronous-instruction requirements for my child's grade?
- What work samples do you need each learning period?
- Which state tests will my child take, and where?
- Do non-consumable materials have to be returned if we leave?
- Is there a waitlist or lottery for next year?
How Homeschool Packets fits in
Homeschool Packets are printable, secular worksheet packets for grades K–8, aligned to California standards and Common Core. Each one carries your child's first name, opens with a Max & Nib comic strip, includes a full answer key, and builds on the packet before it. Plans are $7/month for one subject, $25/month for any four, or $40/month for all eight subjects (see plans).
If you're in a California charter, ask your teacher whether Homeschool Packets can be added to the approved vendor list. Approval is up to each school, and we can't promise it, but we're happy to send your teacher a product description, standards alignment and anything else they ask for. Completed packets also make tidy work samples.
Already know what you want? Tell us about your learner and we'll build their first packet. Planning the rest of the year? Read our 7th grade homeschool curriculum guide and our middle school homeschool schedule. Comparing California to other states? Use the ESA funding overview and the any-state startup guide.
Sources
- California Department of Education, Charter Schools quarterly training resources (Feb. 2026)
- California Department of Education, Independent Study
- California Department of Education, Private School Affidavit and Homeschooling guidance letter
- California Education Code § 51747 and § 51747.3
- The Cottonwood School FAQ and Heartwood Charter School FAQ (examples of how individual schools describe their funds)
This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules change and every charter sets its own policies, so confirm details with the school.