Homeschooling in New York

Compulsory education generally covers children from age six through the end of the school year in which the child turns sixteen. A child turning six by December 1 begins that September. Districts may extend compulsory attendance through the year a minor turns seventeen, which New York City applies.

Parents must send written notice of intent to the resident superintendent by July 1 annually. For families starting home instruction later or moving into a district, notice must be sent within 14 days of beginning instruction in the district.

Parents must submit an IHIP within four weeks of receiving materials from the district or by August 15, whichever is later. The plan must identify the child, grade level, instructional resources or syllabus for required subjects, instructors, and evenly spaced quarterly report dates.

Parents must provide 180 days of instruction per year, totaling at least 900 hours annually in grades 1–6 and 990 hours in grades 7–12. Attendance records must be maintained.

Instruction must follow Part 100.10 subject lists by grade band. Grades 1–6 cover literacy, English, arithmetic, geography, US history, science, health, music, visual arts, and physical education. Grades 7–8 and 9–12 require specified cumulative unit counts in English, social studies, math, science, art, music, health, and physical education, along with history, constitutions, citizenship, and safety topics.

Parents must file quarterly reports noting hours of instruction, material covered in each planned subject, and a grade or narrative evaluation. An explanation is required for any subject in which less than 80 percent of planned quarterly material was covered.

An annual assessment must be filed with the fourth quarterly report. Grades 1–3 may use an approved test or permitted narrative evaluation; grades 4–8 require testing at least every other year; and grades 9–12 require annual testing. Norm-referenced tests require a composite score above the 33rd national percentile or evidence of one academic year of growth.

Parents must request services in writing by June 1 preceding the relevant school year to receive an individualized education services program through the district Committee on Special Education (CSE).