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Whole house
Send your school district a short letter by July 1 every year.Fill in the plan form the district sends back.Send a short report four times a year.Once a year, add a test or a written review.
Your year
The state says. New York asks for close to the same as 180 school days a year.In grades 1 to 6, that is 900 hours.In grades 7 to 12, it is 990 hours.
You do. Keep a log of each child's hours or days as you go.Your quarterly reports need the total.
The Lesson Planner makes this easy.
It counts the days and hours you teach, for each child. It prints the record for you.
The state says. New York has one way to home school.You file it with your school district's superintendent.That is the head of your school district.
You do. Start with the letter called a "notice of intent".There is no route to pick.
The state says. School age is 6 to 16.A child who turns 6 by December 1 starts that September.Some 16 year olds are not working.A district may keep them in school through the year they turn 17.New York City uses 17.
You do. 1.Put each child in that age range in a school or in your home school.2.Ask your district which top age counts where you live.
The state says. Yes. First, send a letter to your school district's superintendent. It is called a "notice of intent".Next, the district sends you a plan form to fill out. It is called the "Individualized Home Instruction Plan", or IHIP.
You do. 1.Send your notice by July 1 each year.If you start mid-year, send it within 14 days of starting.2.Send back the IHIP within four weeks of getting it, or by August 15.Use whichever date is later.
Where. Step 1 of Do the steps
Proof of compliance makes this easy.
It prints one page that shows what you did, step by step, with the dates.
The state says. You don't need a teaching license.New York law asks for a teacher who is "competent", or able.
You do. Write each teacher's name on the IHIP.
The state says. Yes. New York lists the subjects for each group of grades.They include English, math, science, history and health.They also include topics like preventing fires and arson, and highway safety.Arson is setting a fire on purpose.
You do. Match your lessons to the subject list on your IHIP.The Academic Planner shows the subjects for each grade.
The Academic Planner makes this easy.
It lays out every subject, every year, for each child.
The state says. Yes. Send your district a report four times a year, called a "quarterly report".Once a year, send one yearly check, called an "assessment".Grades 1 to 3 may use a written review, called a "narrative evaluation".Grades 4 to 8 need a standardized test at least every other year.In the years between, a written review is allowed.Grades 9 to 12 need a standardized test every year.
You do. 1.Send each quarterly report on the dates in your IHIP.2.Send the yearly assessment with the fourth report.
Where. Step 2 of Do the steps
Standardized Testing makes this easy.
It picks the right test and keeps each child's score.
The state says. No. The state says the school rule for proof of shots does not apply to children taught at home.It can apply if your child goes into a school building for a test or an activity.
You do. 1.Leave the shot record out of your home school papers.2.Keep it handy for any test or event in a school building.
Read it from the state
Every fact above comes from these pages.
Checked against New York's own law on October 19, 2026.
Something changed in New York? . You will hear it before we do.
This is a summary of public law, not legal advice. Requirements change, so always confirm with your state before you file.