How to Start Homeschooling in New York

Yes. Homeschooling is legal in New York. It has been formally regulated since 1988.

The New York homeschool laws rest on three state statutes. NY Education Law Section 3210 says parents must ensure their children get instruction. Section 3204 sets instruction standards. Section 3212 covers compulsory attendance. The Commissioner's regulations in 100.10 tie them together into a clear framework for home instruction.

The good news: you do not need a teaching certificate. Under 8 NYCRR 100.10(a), the parent or guardian provides instruction. No degree needed. No credential needed. If you pick the alternative evaluation for your child's yearly assessment, the evaluator must be a NYS-certified teacher. That is the evaluator, not you.

New York is a high-regulation state. You file paperwork each year. You submit quarterly progress reports. You complete a yearly assessment. Your local school district superintendent has an oversight role. But districts cannot add rules beyond 100.10. Some try. Common examples: demanding home visits, requiring parents to hold a college degree, mandating specific textbooks, or refusing alternative evaluations when they are allowed. None of these are in the regulation. If your district oversteps, cite 100.10 directly. If the issue is not resolved, file an appeal to the Commissioner of Education under Education Law Section 310.

Children in New York must receive instruction from age 6 through age 16. This comes from Education Law Section 3212. A child turning 6 on or before December 1 generally must start that school year.

Kindergarten is not required under state law. If your child is 4 or 5, take your time. You do not need to file anything yet.

One important exception: New York City. In all five boroughs, compulsory education extends to age 17, not 16.

Here is how to start homeschooling in New York, step by step.

Step 1: File your Letter of Intent (LOI). Write a letter to the superintendent of your local school district. Here is what to include: your child's name, age, and grade level; your name and address; and a statement that you intend to educate your child at home under Section 100.10. That is it. No curriculum details needed yet. Send it by certified mail with return receipt. Keep your receipt as proof.

The LOI is due by July 1 for the upcoming school year. Starting mid-year? File within 14 days of beginning home instruction. Put July 1 on your calendar now so you never miss the annual renewal.

Step 2: Submit your IHIP. After the district responds to your LOI, you have four weeks to send your Individualized Home Instruction Plan. Think of the IHIP as your family's learning roadmap for the year. It lists the curriculum, textbooks, and materials for each required subject. It includes the four dates you will submit quarterly reports. And it states how your child will be assessed.

The district checks that your IHIP meets the basic requirements of 100.10. If changes are needed, you get at least 15 days to revise. One thing most guides skip: the IHIP is not a contract. You can adjust your curriculum during the year. Just let the district know about major changes.

Step 3: Teach. Cover all required subjects for your child's grade level. Meet the hour minimums: 900 hours per year for grades 1-6 and 990 hours per year for grades 7-12. Track your hours in a simple log. You will report them each quarter.

Step 4: Submit quarterly reports. Four times a year, on the dates you listed in your IHIP, send a report to the superintendent. Most families propose dates around November 15, January 31, April 15, and June 30. Each report needs three things: hours of instruction that quarter, what you covered in each subject, and a grade or written evaluation of your child's progress. If a report is late, the superintendent must notify you in writing and give you reasonable time to submit it. You do not lose your homeschool status over one late report.

Step 5: Complete the annual assessment. Your fourth quarterly report must include the yearly assessment. Either a standardized test or, in eligible years, an alternative evaluation by a NYS-certified teacher. Details are in the testing section below.

Step 6: Renew every year. File a new LOI by July 1. Submit a new IHIP when the district responds. Same cycle, every year.

Moving between districts? File a new LOI with your new district's superintendent within 14 days of establishing residency. Bring copies of your records from the previous district.

Two documents each year: the Letter of Intent (LOI) and the Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP). Both go to your local school district superintendent.

The LOI is a short letter. Write it yourself. Include your child's name, age, and grade. Your name and address. A statement that you intend to provide New York home instruction under Section 100.10. The district should respond with a copy of the regulations and instructions for your IHIP.

The IHIP is more detailed. List the syllabi, curriculum, textbooks, and materials for each required subject. Include your four quarterly report dates. State your chosen assessment method. The district reviews it for what the regulation calls "substantial compliance." If something is missing, they tell you in writing and give you time to fix it.

No state form exists for either document. Free-form letters work under 100.10(b) and (c). Send everything by certified mail with return receipt so you have proof of delivery.

In New York City, send all filings to the NYC DOE's Office of Home Schooling. This office handles home instruction for all five boroughs and tends to move slower due to volume.

Pulling your child out of school to homeschool? Here is what to do.

First, write and send your LOI to the district superintendent within 14 days of your child's last day at school. This is required under 8 NYCRR 100.10(b)(1). Use certified mail.

Second, write the school a letter saying your child is transferring to home instruction. This is not strictly required by regulation, but it prevents the school from reporting your child as truant. The school cannot refuse to release your child once you file proper notice.

Your IHIP is due within four weeks after the district responds to your LOI.

The subject list is one of the New York homeschool requirements parents ask about most. New York lists required subjects by grade band in 8 NYCRR 100.10(e) and Education Law Section 3204(3). Each higher grade adds to the list below it.

Grades 1-6: Math, reading, spelling, writing, English and language arts, geography, US history, science, health, music, visual arts, and physical education. If your child is an English Language Learner, add bilingual education or ENL instruction.

Grades 7-8: Everything above, plus deeper American history, New York State history and government, civics, library skills and information literacy, career development, and home and career skills.

Grades 9-12: English (4 units), social studies (4 units, including American history, economics, and government), math (at least 2 units), science (at least 2 units), art or music (1 unit), health (half a unit), physical education every year, and electives to complete a full course load. A "unit" equals one school year of study.

Your program must be "substantially equivalent" to local public school instruction. But you do not need to copy Regents diploma requirements. You pick the curriculum. You pick the textbooks. You decide how to teach each subject.

New York measures instruction in hours, not days. The minimums under 100.10(f): 900 hours per year for grades 1-6. 990 hours per year for grades 7-12.

No minimum number of school days is required. Public schools use 180 days. Homeschools are measured only by hours. Spread 990 hours across 180 days and that is about 5.5 hours a day. Most families cover more ground at home in less time.

Track your hours in a notebook or spreadsheet. You report them in each quarterly report. Instructional time counts broadly. Field trips, hands-on projects, educational outings, and real-world learning all count. Just be ready to describe what your child did if asked.

Every homeschooled student in New York needs a yearly assessment. Submit it with your fourth quarterly report to the district superintendent. You have two options under 100.10(g).

Option A: Standardized test. Pick a norm-referenced achievement test. Accepted tests include the Iowa Assessments (ITBS), Stanford Achievement Test (SAT-10), CAT, PIAT, and Woodcock-Johnson. You choose the test, not the district. Your child needs a composite score above the 33rd percentile on national norms. Or they can show one year of growth from the prior year's test. Either one counts.

Option B: Alternative evaluation. A written narrative by a NYS-certified teacher who reviews your child's work and may observe the child. This option is not available every year at every grade level.

Here is the schedule. Grades 1-3: either option any year. Grades 4-8: standardized test every other year, alternative evaluation in between. Grades 9-12: standardized test required every year. No alternative option in high school.

What if scores are low? Your child goes on probation for up to two school years. This is rare and designed to help, not punish. During probation, submit a remediation plan with your IHIP. A standardized test is required at the end of the probationary year no matter what. Probation ends when your child reaches the level in the remediation plan. If progress is still not adequate after probation, the superintendent may require enrollment in a public or private school. You can appeal first to the board of education, then to the Commissioner of Education.

A few things every family should know when learning how to homeschool in NY.

Districts vary a lot. Some are helpful and relaxed. Others are strict. No district can add rules beyond 100.10. Common overreach: demanding home visits, requiring parent degrees, mandating specific curricula, or making your child attend public school for certain classes. If yours oversteps, cite 100.10. If that does not work, file an appeal under Education Law Section 310.

NYC works differently. The NYC DOE has its own Office of Home Schooling for all five boroughs. It tends to be more paperwork-heavy due to volume. Compulsory education in NYC extends to age 17.

Co-ops need care. If a hired tutor provides more than 50 percent of your child's instruction, that setup may be classified as a private school under New York law. Co-op classes that supplement your teaching are fine. Social and enrichment co-ops are on safe ground. Making a co-op the majority of your program crosses a line.

Special needs protections are among the strongest in the country. Your child's IEP becomes an IESP (Individualized Education Services Program) with equivalent content under Education Law 3602-c. The IESP is developed the same way as an IEP and has the same contents. To request services, write a letter to your local Committee on Special Education (CSE) by June 1 before the school year. Speech, occupational, and behavioral therapy may all be available. IESP services run September 1 through June 30.

No religious exemption exists. You follow the same 100.10 process regardless of your reason for homeschooling. Religious curriculum materials are fine as long as all required subjects are covered.

You issue the diploma. New York does not give homeschoolers a public school diploma. Create your own diploma and transcript. Include detailed course descriptions for college admissions. SUNY and CUNY have specific homeschool admissions processes. A High School Equivalency (HSE) Diploma is available through the GED exam. Some districts may let homeschoolers sit for Regents exams at superintendent discretion. But passing Regents exams does not earn a Regents diploma.

Community college courses. Homeschooled students are generally not eligible for dual enrollment in public school courses, except for special education services. However, students may independently enroll in community college courses. Contact individual institutions for availability.

Keep every record. Save every LOI, IHIP, quarterly report, and assessment result. Keep certified mail receipts. No official retention period exists, but keep records until your child turns 21. The superintendent can request to review your records at any time.

Extracurriculars are not guaranteed. No statewide law requires districts to let homeschoolers join public school sports or activities. Access depends on your district.