How to Start Homeschooling in Arkansas with Education Alliance

Updated

Education Alliance (arkansashomeschool.org) lays out a four-step path for Arkansas families: meet the basic requirements, obtain the Notice of Intent (NOI), download the Beginner's Packet ($5), and find a local support group. This guide follows that structure and points you to the pages on the site where each step lives.

Step 1: Basic Requirements

Before filing anything, confirm you meet Arkansas's basic homeschool requirements. Education Alliance keeps this under Start Home Schooling → Step 1: Basic Requirements, alongside its State Laws and Free Info pages.

The site treats this step as the foundation — you check the legal baseline first, then move to paperwork. If you are unsure whether your situation qualifies, review the State Laws section before proceeding.

Step 2: Get the NOI (Notice of Intent)

The NOI is the core filing step in the Education Alliance sequence. The site places it at Start Home Schooling → Step 2: Get the NOI.

  • The NOI is the notice Arkansas uses to record your intent to homeschool.
  • Education Alliance provides the NOI as part of its Start Home Schooling flow rather than sending you elsewhere.
  • Complete this step after confirming the basic requirements in Step 1.

Step 3: Download the Beginner's Packet ($5)

Education Alliance offers a Beginner's Packet for $5, listed as Step 3: Download Our Beginner's Packet ($5).

Because the site lists a price, treat this as a paid item — it is not described as free. The packet is positioned as the resource that walks new homeschoolers through getting started, so it pairs naturally with Steps 1 and 2.

Step 4: Find a Local Support Group

The final step is Step 4: Find a Local Support Group. Education Alliance maintains a Local Support Groups page, and this is where you connect with other Arkansas homeschooling families.

Support groups matter for questions the site's static pages can't answer — local co-ops, activities, and day-to-day guidance.

Services and Resources Beyond the Four Steps

Once you're set up, Education Alliance offers services that continue through the homeschool years:

Service What it covers
High School Transcript Transcript support for high schoolers
Home Educator Card Card for home educators
Student ID Card Student identification
Graduation & Diplomas Order a Diploma; Searcy and Northwest Arkansas graduation registration
Honor Society Membership for qualifying students
Classified Ads Buy/sell and submit ads
Government Relations / Consulting Advocacy and consulting services
The Home School Foundation Foundation support

Curriculum, Testing, and Special Situations

Education Alliance groups these under Curriculum & Resources and related pages:

  • Curriculum & Resources and a High School Reading List
  • Home School Testing
  • Extracurricular Activities and the 'Tim Tebow' Law
  • Special Needs Students, including pages on struggling learners, sensory integration issues, focus/attention, processing dysfunction, and right brain vs. left brain characteristics
  • Driver's License guidance
  • Colleges in Arkansas and National Organizations

FAQ and Staying Connected

The site's FAQ page answers common questions, and Join! plus Update My Current Info let you register with Education Alliance or keep your record current. Contact and Donate round out the site.

Quick Recap

  1. Check Basic Requirements and State Laws.
  2. Get the NOI.
  3. Download the Beginner's Packet ($5).
  4. Join a Local Support Group.

Then use the transcript, ID card, graduation, and testing services as your student progresses.