5 Things to Know Before You Homeschool in New York State

Many people within the homeschool community contend that New York State is one of the most difficult states to homeschool. And although I agree that NY is not the most homeschool-friendly state, I think that the bark about New York is much worse than the bite. This guide will show you FIVE things you need to know to start homeschooling in NY in 2022.

Why We Chose to Homeschool in NY State

Before our daughter was born, my husband and I had no intention to homeschool our child(ren). But, alas! we lived in Brooklyn at the time 🤦🏾‍♀️.. When your closest subway station is across the street from a New York City Public High School, you see things you wish you hadn’t. Kids fighting, cursing, and worse, in handcuffs by the end of the school day. Suffice it to say that after four years, my husband and I had seen enough. That ‘ratchetness’ was not going to be a part of our lives.

Do you have a similar story? I can’t wait to read about it.

Anyway, I digress. Let’s get to the meat of the matter. Here’s how you start to homeschool in NY in 2022.

Child’s Age

According to the New York State Education Department, a parent has no responsibility to report to their local school district for any child less than 6-years-old or older than 18 years old. However, the school district must be notified of your intention to homeschool any child between the ages of 6 and 17. In other words, New York State does not allow off-the-books homeschooling. And the school district must be notified every single year that you homeschool in NY.

Homeschool in NY Requirements: Letter of Intent

This is the letter that informs your local school district of your intention to homeschool your soon-to-be first grader. By July 1st of the academic year that your child turns/will turn 6-years old, you must submit a letter to your school district letting them know that you plan to homeschool. This letter can be a simple three-sentence letter. No overthinking required. Desist from thinking too hard about what you’ll write.

P.S. If you are in NYC, the New York City Board of Education (BOE) provides a template here.
If you are not in NYC, you may consider using this sample to write your Letter of Intent.

Homeschool in NY Requirements: IHIP

Six weeks after submitting your Letter of Intent, by August 15th, you must submit an Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP). This is a summary of the materials you plan to use to homeschool. Again, do not overthink here – it is a summary; simply a list of the books and/or curriculums you plan to use. NYC has made it easy by providing a template here. Although NYC encourages electronic submissions; some school districts prefer snail mail or even drop-off submissions. So be sure to check your local school district to determine which they prefer. In any case, here is a sample IHIP in case you prefer not to use the NYC template.

Obviously, it is important to consider the subjects you will teach your child. Check here for the subjects you will need to teach for each grade. “

Homeschool in NY Requirements: Quarterly Reports

Every Quarter, NY State requires a report that details the number of hours you teach and the material you teach. Some school districts give deadline dates for submitting the reports, while others do not. Both NYC and my local school district suggest submitting them on or about 11/15, 1/30, 4/15, and 6/20 each school year, given that you start the school year around the first week of September. NYC provides a template for the Quarterly Reports as well.

If you’re not in NYC, here is the first page of a sample quarterly report

HOMESCHOOL CURRICULA

“Which curriculum should I use?” This question is very common. However, homeschooling and curricula is definitely not one-size-fits-all. In our experience, homeschooling does not necessarily work (well) by simply buying the curriculum a friend or family member suggested. Your best bet is to do your best to purchase a curriculum that might suit your child’s learning style. And you may not get this right in the first year or two of homeschool. That’s fine! Once you recognize the type of schooling that best suits your child, don’t be afraid to change curriculums.

Our Curriculum Story

When we first started homeschooling, I used Abeka‘s Homeschool Curriculum because all my homeschool friends used it at the time. And, to be honest, it was great for teaching my then 3-year-old daughter how to to read quickly and easily. But we ultimately found the curriculum too repetitive, too rigid, and no fun at all for her. By the next year, my daughter grew tired of Abeka’s ‘rote-memorization’ type schooling. When she started to tell people about how much she hated school, I knew that the problem was not me, it was the curriculum.

I knew she enjoyed great books, so we switched to Sonlight‘s literature-based curriculum. Oh the joy of snuggling up on the couch with an epic read-aloud. In any case, my advice is that you choose the curriculum that works best for your child’s learning style and for your schedule. Sonlight will not work for everyone, especially people who have little time to read-aloud (although audio books are a good alternative).

Finding Your Curriculum

In any case, the best place I know to get curriculum reviews is Cathy Duffy’s Revew Website.   Search and read, read and search until you think you find something that you would like to try. And be aware that it is totally okay to use different curriculums for different subjects. I have mastered the art of using Sonlight for some subjects, Singapore Math for (well) Math, Bible Study Guide for all Ages for Bible, etc, etc. Don’t feel locked into ordering an entire package from one company. And definitely don’t feel locked into using the same curriculum for the 12+ years you homeschool.

There is so much more to say about homeschooling, but I’ll end the blogpost here. I’ll have to continue my thoughts in a few more posts, so be sure that you are receiving my emails, so you’ll be in the loop. Happy Homeschooling Mamas!!!!