October 2026 · Legal
How to Start Homeschooling in New York: Notice, IHIP and Quarterly Reports
To start homeschooling in New York, send your school district superintendent a written notice of intent (by July 1, or within 14 days of starting mid-year). The district then sends you an Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP) form, which you return within four weeks or by August 15, whichever is later. During the year you file four quarterly reports and, at the end, one annual assessment. It's the most paperwork of any state we cover, but every step is a form, not an approval of your parenting.
If that list made your stomach drop, it's okay. Thousands of New York families do this every year, and once the IHIP is in, the rest is a routine.
New York Homeschool Law at a Glance
Notify the district?
Yes, every year
Deadline: By July 1, or within 14 days of starting mid-year (8 NYCRR §100.10(b))
The district must reply within 10 business days with the regulation and an IHIP form. You don't have to register your child in the public school or meet with officials.
Instruction time
900 or 990 hours
Hours: 900 hours a year in grades 1–6, 990 in grades 7–12 (§100.10(f))
You can teach evenings or weekends; total weekly time should be generally comparable to public school.
Teacher credentials?
None
Records you must keep: Attendance records
NYSED says state law requires no specific credentials for whoever provides home instruction.
Step by Step: Starting Homeschool in New York
1. Send your notice of intent
A short signed letter to the superintendent of your district of residence saying you intend to educate your child at home. Annual families send it by July 1; if you start during the year or move in, send it within 14 days of starting. If your child is enrolled now, this letter is how the district learns you're withdrawing.
2. Submit your IHIP
Within 10 business days the district sends an IHIP form. Return it within four weeks or by August 15, whichever is later. For each required subject it lists the syllabi, curriculum materials, textbooks or plan of instruction you'll use, plus your quarterly report dates and the names of anyone instructing. The district then has 10 business days to tell you it complies or what's missing.
3. Teach the required subjects
The required subjects depend on grade level and are listed in §100.10(e). For example, every grade includes physical education and health education, and the elementary years include arithmetic, reading, spelling, writing, English, geography, U.S. history, science, music and visual arts. A second language isn't required.
4. File quarterly reports
Four times a year, on the dates in your IHIP, send a short report with the hours of instruction that quarter, what was covered in each subject and a grade or narrative of progress. New York City's DOE suggests about 225 hours a quarter for grades 1–6 and 247.5 for grades 7–12. Our printable workbook has tracking pages that make these quick to fill in.
5. Complete the annual assessment
At year end, submit either a standardized achievement test or, in the years the regulation allows it, a written narrative evaluation by a qualified person (such as a certified teacher or a peer review panel the district consents to). NYSED's Q&A notes the narrative option can be used every other year in grades 4–8. A program is placed on probation only if a test composite is below the 33rd percentile (or shows less than a year's growth) or the evaluator certifies inadequate progress.
Common New York Questions, Answered
- Can my homeschooler get a New York diploma? Not from the state or district. NYSED says diplomas go only to students of registered schools. Colleges set their own admission rules; NYSED lists options such as a portfolio, SAT/ACT scores, Regents exam scores or a superintendent's letter.
- Can my child join school sports? Interscholastic sports require public school enrollment under NYSED rules; clubs may be open to homeschoolers depending on district policy.
- Do I have to meet with the district? No. Officials may ask, but they can't deny home instruction if you decline. Home visits can be required only if a program is on probation.
- Other states? See our state-by-state overview.
Want the Whole First Month Mapped Out?
The Homeschool Starter Guide ($19) walks you through choosing an approach, planning your year, selecting curriculum, scheduling and record-keeping, and includes a state-by-state legal reference.
Sources We Used
- NYSED: Home Instruction Questions and Answers
- 8 NYCRR §100.10 Home instruction (Commissioner's Regulations, via Cornell LII)
- NYC Public Schools: Home Schooling steps and quarterly reports
- HSLDA: New York Homeschool Law
This is general information, not legal advice. We last checked these rules against the sources below in October 2026. Laws change, so confirm with the official sources before you file anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Next steps for your homeschool
Ready to go deeper? Get The Homeschool Starter Guidefor the complete step-by-step roadmap, or book a 1-on-1 consultationand we'll build a plan together for your family.
