New York Homeschool Requirements Checklist
Everything you need to do to homeschool legally in New York, based on 8 NYCRR 100.10. New York is classified as High regulation.
This is the general checklist for Home Instruction Under Commissioner's Regulations. Our free wizard customizes this for your family, including grade, pathway, enrollment status, and IEP.
Your compliance checklist
Do first
File your Letter of Intent & instructional plan
Submit to superintendent of the local school district. Deadline: By July 1 annually, or within 14 days of commencing home instruction mid-year.
Deadline: By July 1 annually, or within 14 days of commencing home instruction mid-year
More details
Include: child's name, child's age, child's grade level, list of subjects to be taught, educational plan or objectives
Send a withdrawal letter
If your child is currently enrolled in school, send a withdrawal letter to superintendent of the local school district.
Deadline: Before you start (if enrolled)
Ongoing
Required subjects (varies by grade)
Grades 1–6: arithmetic/mathematics, reading, spelling, writing, English/language arts, geography, United States history, science, health education, music, visual arts, physical education, bilingual education and/or ENL (when applicable). Grades 7–8: all subjects required for grades 1-6, American history (in-depth), New York State history and government, civics/government, library skills/information literacy, career development/occupational education, home and career skills. Grades 9–12: English (4 units), social studies (4 units, including American history, participation in government (0.5 unit), and economics (0.5 unit)), mathematics (at least 2 units), science (at least 2 units), art and/or music (1 unit), health education (1/2 unit), physical education (2 units), electives to complete a full course load
Meet instructional time requirements
Minimum: 900 hours/year. You must track and document hours.
Show your child's progress
Standardized test or Teacher evaluation — annually. Minimum: Composite score above the 33rd percentile on national norms, OR one academic year of growth compared to a prior year's test.
More details
Process: Student placed on probation for up to two school years; remediation plan submitted with IHIP. Timeline: Standardized test required at end of probationary year regardless of normal alternating schedule; probation removed when student progresses to level specified in remediation plan. Consequence: Superintendent may require enrollment in public or private school; parent may appeal to board of education, then to Commissioner of Education
Keep basic records
You must maintain: attendance records, grades or evaluations. Records may be reviewed by the district.
Submit quarterly progress reports
Submit quarterly progress reports to superintendent of the local school district. Annual renewal also required by July 1 annually (LOI and subsequently IHIP).
More details
Submit: attendance records, progress report, standardized test results.
Filing requirements
- What to file
- detailed plan
- Send to
- superintendent of the local school district
- Deadline
- By July 1 annually, or within 14 days of commencing home instruction mid-year
- How often
- annual
Your notice must include:
- •child's name
- •child's age
- •child's grade level
- •list of subjects to be taught
- •educational plan or objectives
8 NYCRR 100.10(b) (notice of intent); 8 NYCRR 100.10(c) (IHIP submission)
Ongoing requirements
Required subjects
- ✓arithmetic/mathematics
- ✓reading
- ✓spelling
- ✓writing
- ✓English/language arts
- ✓geography
- ✓United States history
- ✓science
- ✓health education
- ✓music
- ✓visual arts
- ✓physical education
8 NYCRR 100.10(e); NY Education Law Section 3204(3) (required subjects by grade level)
Detailed requirements by grade
Grades 1–6
- ✓arithmetic/mathematics
- ✓reading
- ✓spelling
- ✓writing
- ✓English/language arts
- ✓geography
- ✓United States history
- ✓science
- ✓health education
- ✓music
- ✓visual arts
- ✓physical education
- ✓bilingual education and/or ENL (when applicable)
Grades 7–8
- ✓all subjects required for grades 1-6
- ✓American history (in-depth)
- ✓New York State history and government
- ✓civics/government
- ✓library skills/information literacy
- ✓career development/occupational education
- ✓home and career skills
Grades 9–12
- ✓English (4 units)
- ✓social studies (4 units, including American history, participation in government (0.5 unit), and economics (0.5 unit))
- ✓mathematics (at least 2 units)
- ✓science (at least 2 units)
- ✓art and/or music (1 unit)
- ✓health education (1/2 unit)
- ✓physical education (2 units)
- ✓electives to complete a full course load
Instructional time
- Hours per year:
- 900
8 NYCRR 100.10(f) (900 hours grades 1-6; 990 hours grades 7-12)
Testing and assessment
- Accepted types
- Standardized test, Teacher evaluation
- Frequency
- annually
- Minimum score
- Composite score above the 33rd percentile on national norms, OR one academic year of growth compared to a prior year's test
If scores fall short:
- Process: Student placed on probation for up to two school years; remediation plan submitted with IHIP
- Timeline: Standardized test required at end of probationary year regardless of normal alternating schedule; probation removed when student progresses to level specified in remediation plan
- Consequence: Superintendent may require enrollment in public or private school; parent may appeal to board of education, then to Commissioner of Education
See our full assessment guide for New York for details.
8 NYCRR 100.10(g) (annual assessment requirements, testing schedule, minimum scores)
Recordkeeping
- ✓Attendance records
- ✓Grades or evaluations
Records may be reviewed by the district.
8 NYCRR 100.10(f) (quarterly report content including hours and grades); 8 NYCRR 100.10(h) (superintendent review of records)
Reporting
- Progress reports
- quarterly reports to superintendent of the local school district
- Annual renewal
- Required by July 1 annually (LOI and subsequently IHIP)
8 NYCRR 100.10(f) (quarterly reports); 8 NYCRR 100.10(b) (annual LOI renewal)
Get your personalized checklist
This is the general checklist for the most common pathway. The wizard customizes it for your family's specific situation, including grade, pathway, and IEP status.
Get your New York checklistRequirements sourced from 8 NYCRR 100.10. Verified against primary legal sources. Last verified: March 2026