New York homeschool requirements
New York is one of the strictest states. File an IHIP, submit four quarterly reports and an annual assessment to your district, and provide 900/990 hours. The assessment form varies by grade band.
Last reviewed June 5, 2026 · corrected September 19, 2026 · Sources below
New York homeschool requirements at a glance
- Notice
- RequiredWhere it goes: Local school district superintendent. When: By July 1, or within 14 days of starting; the IHIP is returned within 4 weeks of receipt.
- Required subjects
- English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies/History, Geography, U.S. History, New York State History, U.S. and New York State Constitutions, Health, Physical Education, Art, Music, Patriotism and Citizenship, Alcohol, Drug and Tobacco Misuse, Highway and Bicycle Safety, Fire and Arson Prevention and Safety
- Instruction time
- 900–990 hours by grade900 hours/year (grades 1–6); 990 hours/year (grades 7–12).
- Testing or evaluation
- Yes — annualAnnual assessment, but the form varies by grade band: grades 1–3 may use a narrative every year; grades 4–8 require a standardized test in alternate years (narrative between); grades 9–12 require a test every year. Below the 33rd percentile triggers a remedial plan.
- Records
- Yes — plan, progress reports, assessment results
- Parent qualifications
- Not required
- Compulsory attendance ages
- 6–16
- Ways to homeschool
- Independent (letter of intent + IHIP + quarterly reports)
- Law
- 8 NYCRR § 100.10
- Official source
- nysed.gov ↗
Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in New York?
Yes. New York requires homeschooling families to file a notice. Where it goes: Local school district superintendent. How: Written letter of intent → the district sends an IHIP form to complete. When: By July 1, or within 14 days of starting; the IHIP is returned within 4 weeks of receipt. School year runs Jul 1–Jun 30; the IHIP identifies materials and objectives by subject for each child. A child who turns 16 between July 1 and June 30 is of compulsory age for that entire school year. Compulsory attendance ends at 16 statewide (Education Law § 3205(1)(a)), but a district board may require minors who are not employed to attend until the last day of session in the school year they turn 17 (§ 3205(3)); NYSED names New York City as a district that has done so. Confirm your own district's rule before you stop filing the IHIP, quarterly reports and annual assessment.
What subjects does New York require homeschoolers to teach?
New York requires instruction in English/Language Arts; Mathematics; Science; Social Studies/History; Geography; U.S. History; New York State History; U.S. and New York State Constitutions; Health; Physical Education; Art; Music; Patriotism and Citizenship; Alcohol, Drug and Tobacco Misuse; Highway and Bicycle Safety; and Fire and Arson Prevention and Safety. 8 NYCRR § 100.10(e) sets these by grade band: grades 7–8 add practical arts and library skills, and grades 9–12 are counted in units, including a half unit each of participation in government and economics. U.S. history, New York State history and the U.S. and New York State constitutions must be taught at least once during grades 1–8. Patriotism and citizenship, health education on alcohol, drug and tobacco misuse, highway safety including bicycle safety, and fire and arson prevention must be covered somewhere in grades K–12 (Education Law §§ 801, 804, 806 and 808). Instruction is given in English.
How many days or hours of instruction does New York require?
New York's rule: 900 hours/year (grades 1–6); 990 hours/year (grades 7–12).
Is standardized testing required to homeschool in New York?
Yes. New York requires a test or another accepted form of evaluation. How often: Annual. Accepted options: commercial norm-referenced standardized test (≥33rd percentile or one year's growth); Grades 1–3: a written narrative by a certified teacher / peer panel / qualified reviewer (allowed every year); Grades 4–8: a written narrative is allowed only in alternate years; and Grades 9–12: a standardized test is required every year. Annual assessment, but the form varies by grade band: grades 1–3 may use a narrative every year; grades 4–8 require a standardized test in alternate years (narrative between); grades 9–12 require a test every year. Below the 33rd percentile triggers a remedial plan.
What records do I need to keep to homeschool in New York?
New York requires these records: IHIP, four quarterly progress reports/year, annual assessment results, and hours/attendance records. Quarterly reports are filed on the dates set in the IHIP and show progress + hours per subject.
Do parents need a teaching certificate or other qualification to homeschool in New York?
No. New York does not set a general qualification for homeschooling parents. No credential required; a parent or 'competent instructor' may teach.
What ages does New York's compulsory attendance law cover?
New York's compulsory attendance law covers children from age 6 to age 16.
What are the ways to homeschool in New York?
In New York, families homeschool under this pathway: independent (letter of intent + IHIP + quarterly reports).
Is homeschooling legal in New York?
Yes. Homeschooling is legal in New York, as it is in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. New York is one of the strictest states. File an IHIP, submit four quarterly reports and an annual assessment to your district, and provide 900/990 hours. The assessment form varies by grade band.
How to get started in New York
Recent homeschool law changes in New York
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Every requirement above comes from our review of New York’s rules, checked against these sources on June 5, 2026 and corrected on September 19, 2026 after re-reading the official source for what changed. Homeschool law changes, and a state can amend its rules between our reviews — read the official source before you file anything or rely on a date here. How we review state requirements.
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