Homeschool Regulations and Paperwork

Welcome to your homeschooling journey. There is a lot of information out there but I want to streamline it right here for you to not only make your life easier but also to give your everything you need to know, especially in terms of paperwork. All paperwork will have a template you can use linked, there is also a guide I created which covers the same. Feel free to use multiple years. There are also templates on our Facebook group if you loose or forget, or just want to pass on the information. 

How-to-Homeschool-in-New-YorkDownload

In New York, the school year runs between July 1st to June 30th. You can choose to homeschool at any point of the year. The ages run 6-16 unless specified otherwise in a district. A child will turn 6 by December 1st in the school year to start reporting. When your child is 16, you will finish out the school year. You can continue reporting and request a letter of completion from the superintendent (or homeschooling office). 

As a homeschooler, you are required to cover the following paperwork for the year, which includes Letter of Intent (LOI), Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP), four quarterlies, and a written assessment or test assessment. All paperwork will go to your local district’s superintendent unless you are in the 5 boroughs of New York City, in which case will go to the homeschooling office.  New York State divides the regulations into three areas, Grades 1-6, Grades 7& 8, Grades 9-12. I will go over each regulated area with the templates but first here is the Letter of Intent (LOI).

Letter-of-Intent-TemplateDownload

Grades 1- 6

Kindergarten is not mandatory in New York but you can choose to do it, or not. Reporting is based on grade, Kindergarten will follow the same regulations. 900 hours within 180 days will be covered. This calculates to 225 hours per every 45 days for the quarterlies. The following subjects must be covered, how much time you spend on each is up to you. 

  • arithmetic
  • reading
  • spelling
  • writing
  • the English language
  • geography
  • United States history
    • New York History
    • Constitution
    • Patriotism and citizenship
  • science
  • health education
    • *alcohol, drug and tobaco misuse
  • music
  • visual arts
  • physical education
  • bilingual education and/or English as a second language where the need is indicated. (this is optional)
  • *Highway and Traffic Safety
  • *Fire Safety and Prevention
  • notes this will be covered yearly from Grades 1-12.
  • New York History, Constitution, Patriotism and Citizenship needs to be covered once between Grades 1-8 but it is always suggested to add to the IHIP yearly during this time, since previous paperwork doesn’t get checked. 

The next two pages will be the IHIP template and the Quarterly template. On the IHIP, you will choose a few topics and resources or add the curriculum, you plan on using. You can always change it later and note the change on the quarterly. You can also change the quarterly dates. As long as there is a minimum of 45 days between them and they all between July 1st and June 30th. Below are the suggestive dates.

Quarterly 1- November 15th

Quarterly 2 – January 31st

Quarterly 3 – April 15th

Quarterly 4 – June 30th

Grades-1-6-IHIP-TemplateDownload
Quarterly-grades-1-6Download

Grades 7 & 8

In Grades 7 & 8, regulations change. 990 hours are now needed between 180 days, which calculates to 247.5 hours per each 45 days. In these grades, it is noted that units are needed. Each unit is 108 hours. Grades 7 and 8 is cumulative, meaning you can decide how you split the units in both years, as long as its complete by the end of 8th. 

  • English (two units)
  • history and geography (two units)
    • New York History
    • Patriotism and Citizenship
    • Constitution 
  • science (two units)
  • mathematics (two units)
  • physical education (on a regular basis)
  • health education (on a regular basis)
    • *alcohol, drug and tobacco misuse
  • art (one-half unit)
  • music (one-half unit)
  • practical arts (on a regular basis)
  • library skills (on a regular basis)
  • *Highway and Traffic Safety
  • *Fire Safety and Prevention

*These subjects are needed yearly from grades 1-12.

*Practical Arts refers to Cooking, cleaning, wood working sewing and more home economics. 

  • New York History, Constitution, Patriotism and Citizenship needs to be covered once between Grades 1-8 but it is always suggested to add to the IHIP yearly during this time, since previous paperwork doesn’t get checked. 

The next two pages will be the IHIP template and the Quarterly template. On the IHIP, you will choose a few topics and resources or add the curriculum, you plan on using. You can always change it later and note the change on the quarterly. You can also change the quarterly dates. As long as there is a minimum of 45 days between them and they all between July 1st and June 30th. Below are the suggestive dates.

Quarterly 1- November 15th

Quarterly 2 – January 31st

Quarterly 3 – April 15th

Quarterly 4 – June 30th

IHIP-Grades-7-8-TemplateDownload
Quarterly-7-8-Download

Grades 9-12

In Grades 9-12, regulations change. 990 hours are now needed between 180 days, which calculates to 247.5 hours per each 45 days. In these grades, it is noted that units are needed. Each unit is 108 hours. Grades 9-12 is cumulative, meaning you can decide how you split the units in these years, as long as its complete by the end of 12th, or choose to age out. 

  • English (four units)
  • social studies (four units)
    • one unit of American history
    • one-half unit in participation in government
    • one-half unit economics
  • mathematics (two units)
  • science (two units)
  • art and/or music (one unit)
  • health education (one-half unit)
    • *alcohol, drug and tobacco misuse
  • physical education (two units)
  • three units of electives.
  • *Highway and Traffic Safety
  • *Fire Safety and Prevention

*These subjects are needed yearly from grades 1-12.

The next two pages will be the IHIP template and the Quarterly template. On the IHIP, you will choose a few topics and resources or add the curriculum, you plan on using. You can always change it later and note the change on the quarterly. You can also change the quarterly dates. As long as there is a minimum of 45 days between them and they all between July 1st and June 30th. Below are the suggestive dates.

Quarterly 1- November 15th

Quarterly 2 – January 31st

Quarterly 3 – April 15th

Quarterly 4 – June 30th

Starting in 10th grade, your child can do a dual enrollment with college. This means that they can not only satisfy the homeschooling hours, but also earn college credit. 

IHIP-Grades-9-12-TemplateDownload
Quarterly-9-12Download

Written and Test Assessments

Assessments must be in by June 30th. 

Grades 1-3 are a written narrative, the template will be the following page.

Grades 4-8 will have an assessment test every other year. Non testing years will have a written assessment. So grades 4,6,8 or grades 5,7.

Grades 9-12 will have an assessment test yearly from the list below. 

  • Iowa Test of Basic Skills
  • the California Achievement Test
  • the Stanford Achievement Test
  • the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills
  • the Metropolitan Achievement Test
  • a State Education Department Test
  • the Personalized Achievement Summary System (PASS) test
  • Regents
  • SAT, PSAT, ACT

For state testing you will need permission from the school. Some will not give it. Regents are not needed as homeschoolers and it will not give you a diploma as a homeschooler. Best to choose from the top 3. The California Achievement Test (CAT) has an online, untimed version. 

You will note on your 3rd quarter which you choose and who will facilitate. A parent can give it but some districts may give you trouble. 

Written-AssessmentDownload