Information on What is Required of NY Homeschoolers
Contents
If you want to homeschool in New York, there are laws that you need to follow. New York has some rigid guidelines to adhere to, so get the heads up on what is expected.
Home School Parent Education Requirements
Homeschooling your child is legal in the state of New York. In order for a parent to run his or her own home school, that parent must be deemed as “competent.” Basically, if parents follow all of the state regulations they will be considered competent.
Forms and Paperwork Required
Annual notice of intent must be submitted to the local superintendent by July 1 of each year. If homeschooling will be started in the middle of a school year, then this notice must be filed within 14 days of starting the home school. An “Individualized Home Instruction Plan” must also be submitted on a form that is provided by the local school district. This form must be filed by August 15th, or within four weeks of receiving it from the district, whichever is later. This form includes such information as the child’s name, grade level, and age, as well as a list of the syllabi, curriculum materials, and textbooks that will be used.
The dates that quarterly reports will be turned in are also necessary, as are the names of any individuals that will be providing any instruction in your home school. The quarterly reports include the actual number of instruction hours that took place in that quarter, a description of all material covered in any subject, and a grade or narrative evaluation for every subject that was covered in that quarter. The narrative evaluation needs to be completed by either a certified teacher or a home instruction peer group review panel. Attendance records should also be maintained, but only need to be turned in at the request of the superintendent.
Kindergarten Home School Requirements
A child does not have to start attending school until the age of six years old, so kindergarten in a home school environment is not necessary.
New York Testing Requirements
Standardized testing results must be submitted to the local superintendent every other year in grades 4-8, and every year in grades 9-12, along with the last quarter information. The testing results must be submitted by June 30. The results must be above the 33rd percentile or show the student’s average yearly progress in each academic area, or the home school will be placed on probation.
Several national standardized tests are acceptable to use. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), the California Achievement Test (CAT), the Metropolitan Achievement Test (MAT), the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS), the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT), or a State Education Department Test are all plausible options to use. The New York PEP test is not required to be taken by homeschool students.
Other Useful Information
All subjects and topics that New York public schools are required to teach are expected to be taught in all home schools as well. The extensive required list can be obtained at the State Department of Education website. The Loving Education at Home organization may be of help to you in your homeschool endeavors as well. Always be sure to check the latest homeschool requirements for New York at the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA).
