NY State Homeschool Requirements

Homeschooling is fully legal in New York State, but it comes with a few required steps and paperwork to stay in compliance with state education regulations (NYSED Part 100.10). web

Even though homeschooling allows you to personalize your child’s education, the state requires documentation and periodic reporting so that your child’s instruction is recognized as fulfilling compulsory education requirements. web

📌 1. Submit a Letter of Intent (LOI)

Before your child begins homeschooling, a parent or legal guardian must file a Letter of Intent to Homeschool with your local school district. This letter notifies the district of your plan to educate your child at home for the upcoming school year.

📌 2. Create and File an IHIP

Within 28 days of starting homeschool, you must submit an Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP). This document outlines:

  • Your child’s grade level and age

  • What subjects you plan to teach

  • What curriculum or materials you will use

  • Target dates for quarterly reporting

You can use the IHIP template provided by the school district or create your own, as long as it includes required components.

📌 3. Quarterly Reports

Over the course of the school year, you submit four quarterly reports. Each report describes:

  • Instructional hours completed

  • What was taught in each subject

  • Your child’s progress (narrative or other record)

These are spaced throughout the year based on the schedule you set in your IHIP.

📌 4. Annual Assessment

By the end of the school year (typically June 30), you must submit an annual assessment showing your child’s educational progress. This can be:

  • A standardized test (required each year for grades 9–12)

  • A written narrative evaluation summarizing growth and goals

  • A combination of test results and narrative, depending on grade level and needs

📌 Who Must Comply?

  • Children ages 6 through 16 must be homeschooled or attend school.

  • Homeschooling is considered valid education under New York regulations when these steps are followed.

📍 Where to Learn More & Access Official Forms

For full details, requirements, and downloadable forms (LOI, IHIP templates, quarterly report templates, annual assessment guides), visit the official New York City Department of Education homeschool page:

👉 Homeschooling Information & Forms — NYSED
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/enrollment/enrollment-help/home-schooling web

Helpful Tips

  • You can begin teaching before your IHIP is approved — but it must be submitted within the first month.

  • Many districts allow you to email required documents to the homeschool office.

  • You are not required to have teaching credentials to homeschool in New York.