Letter of Intent to Homeschool in New York: What to File and How

New York has some of the most detailed homeschool requirements in the country, and the "letter of intent" that works in other states will not satisfy New York law. What New York actually requires is a two-document process: a preliminary notice of intent followed by a comprehensive Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP). Understanding the difference between these documents and how they work together is essential before you pull your child from a New York public school.

New York's Regulatory Framework: Part 100.10

All home instruction in New York is governed by Part 100.10 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education. This regulation, adopted in 1988, is the primary authority that defines the annual filing cycle, the required content of your educational plan, and the quarterly reporting obligations that continue throughout the year.

Unlike states where a single letter withdraws your child and launches your homeschool, New York requires an ongoing administrative relationship with your local school district throughout the academic year.

Step 1: The Notice of Intent

The first document you file is a brief Notice of Intent. This must be submitted to the superintendent of your local school district by July 1 for the upcoming school year. If you are beginning homeschooling mid-year — withdrawing your child from school in the middle of the academic term — you must file the Notice of Intent within fourteen days of beginning home instruction.

The Notice of Intent is simple: it states your name, your child's name and grade, your address, and your intention to provide home instruction during the upcoming year. This short notice begins the clock for the more detailed filing that follows.

Step 2: The Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP)

Within four weeks of receiving the district's information and materials — or by August 15, whichever is later — you must submit a complete Individualized Home Instruction Plan. This is the substantive document and the one that most parents find overwhelming when they first encounter New York's requirements.

What the IHIP Must Include

Under Part 100.10, the IHIP must contain:

1. A list of instructional materials. Identify the textbooks, programs, and materials you will use for each subject. You do not need to use state-approved materials, but you must name what you will use.

2. A curriculum outline for each required subject. New York specifies required subjects by grade level. For grades 1-6, these include: arithmetic, reading, spelling, writing, English, geography, United States history, science, health education, music, visual arts, physical education, and bilingual or English as a second language instruction if indicated.

For grades 7-8, required subjects include English (2 units), history and geography (2 units), science (2 units), mathematics (2 units), physical education and health, art (one-half unit), music (one-half unit), and practical arts or library skills. New York and United States history and the state and federal constitutions must be covered within the first eight grades.

For grades 9-12, the required program includes English (4 units), social studies (4 units, including American history, government, and economics), mathematics (2 units), science (2 units), art or music (1 unit), health (one-half unit), physical education (2 units), and electives (3 units).

3. The instructional plan and annual hours. The IHIP does not require a weekly hour allocation for each subject. New York requires at least 900 hours of instruction per year for grades 1-6 and 990 hours per year for grades 7-12, delivered over at least 180 days.

4. A schedule of quarterly reporting dates. You must specify when you will submit your quarterly reports (see below).

5. The names of the instructors. New York does not require a teaching license for the parent providing instruction.

Quarterly Reports

After you begin homeschooling, you must submit four quarterly reports to the superintendent during the school year. Each quarterly report must describe:

• The materials used in each subject during the quarter
• A grade or narrative assessment of your child's progress in each subject
• The number of hours of instruction completed during the quarter
• An explanation if less than 80 percent of the planned instructional material was covered

The quarterly report is not an evaluation by the district — it is a self-report by the parent. The district reviews it to confirm you are covering the required subjects and meeting the hour minimums.

The Annual Assessment

At the end of each school year, New York requires a formal assessment of your child's educational progress. Part 100.10 allows several options:

Standardized testing: Using a commercially published standardized test in which your child scores at or above the 33rd percentile or demonstrates one year of academic growth. Common choices include the Iowa Assessments, the Stanford Achievement Test, or the California Achievement Tests.

Portfolio assessment: If the annual assessment does not show adequate academic progress, the program can be placed on probation and the parent must follow the remediation and assessment requirements in Part 100.10. A child does not automatically trigger a superintendent-appointed evaluation team after two below-33rd-percentile scores.

Alternative assessment methods: A certified teacher or other qualified person may evaluate the child and submit a written narrative to the superintendent. This option requires prior agreement with the district.

Most New York homeschoolers use standardized testing, which gives families control over the process and avoids involving the district in a subjective portfolio review.

Withdrawing from a New York Public School

If your child is currently enrolled in a New York public school and you are transitioning to homeschooling, begin with written notice addressed to the district superintendent. This notice should state:

• Your child's full name and grade
• The effective date of withdrawal
• That you intend to provide home instruction under Part 100.10

Send it by certified mail. You do not need the school's permission to withdraw. The school should update your child's enrollment status to "home instruction."

Within fourteen days of beginning home instruction (even if you filed the withdrawal letter at the same time), file your Notice of Intent with the superintendent.

Do not attempt to simply stop sending your child to school without completing both the withdrawal and the Notice of Intent. Absences without formal documentation are truancy under New York law, which carries real consequences for parents.

What New York Cannot Require

Even within New York's detailed regulatory framework, there are limits on what the district can demand:

The district cannot reject your IHIP because it disagrees with your curriculum choices. As long as you cover the required subjects and meet the hour requirements, your curriculum is your own business. The superintendent reviews for compliance, not for agreement.

The district cannot require you to use state-approved textbooks. You may use religious curriculum, classical education programs, online courses, or self-designed materials.

The district cannot require an ordinary home visit. Part 100.10 permits a home visit only while a program is on probation, with at least three days' written notice. Some districts attempt to request visits outside that setting; you are not required to agree.

The district cannot require a teaching certificate from the parent. New York only requires that the person providing instruction be "competent" to teach the subjects, which is not defined as a credential requirement.

What Happens If the District Doesn't Respond

The district must notify you within ten business days of receiving the IHIP or by August 31, whichever is later. If the district identifies a deficiency, you have 15 days — or until September 15, whichever is later — to revise the IHIP.

Keep copies of all correspondence and submit any corrections in a way that leaves reliable delivery evidence.

Comparing New York to Other States

New York's requirements are among the most detailed in the country. The comparison to Missouri is stark: Missouri requires no state homeschool registration, curriculum approval, quarterly reports, or standardized testing. But when a child is enrolled in a resident public school, current RSMo §167.042 requires written notification of intent to pursue other educational options under §167.031 and a request for prompt removal from the district's rolls.

New York requires:

• Annual Notice of Intent
• Detailed IHIP with subject outlines, materials lists, and quarterly report dates
• Four quarterly progress reports per year
• Annual standardized assessment or portfolio review

This level of oversight is not typical nationwide. Most states fall somewhere between New York's administrative intensity and Missouri's near-complete deference to parents. Understanding where your state falls on that spectrum before you begin is essential.

Special Considerations for IEP Families in New York

If your child has an IEP and you are withdrawing them from a New York public school to homeschool, the IEP does not follow them. The district's obligation to provide special education services generally ends when you formally withdraw to homeschool.

However, under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the district must still spend a proportionate share of its IDEA funds on parentally placed private school students, which includes homeschoolers. You can negotiate with the district to receive specific services — speech therapy, occupational therapy, psychological evaluations — through a Services Plan. These services are not equivalent to an IEP and the district has significant discretion over what is offered, but they are worth requesting if your child has significant needs.

High School and College Admissions

New York does not issue a state homeschool diploma. Parents issue diplomas and transcripts directly. State University of New York (SUNY) campuses have established processes for homeschool applicants, generally requiring a parent-issued transcript, standardized test scores, and sometimes letters of recommendation.

For the Regents diploma (the standard New York high school credential), homeschooled students can take individual Regents exams at their local public high school as independent candidates. Some families pursue this to give their transcript a recognized credential alongside the parent-issued diploma.

Getting the Withdrawal Right

For families starting out in New York, the fourteen-day window from beginning instruction to filing the Notice of Intent is tight. The best approach is to send your withdrawal letter from the public school and your Notice of Intent on the same day, then work immediately on your IHIP so you can submit it within four weeks of receiving the district's materials or by August 15, whichever is later.

For a broader overview of how homeschool letter of intent and notice of intent processes work across different states, the post on homeschool letter of intent covers the core elements.

If you are also navigating withdrawal in Missouri — a dramatically simpler process — the Missouri Legal Withdrawal Blueprint covers the full process under RSMo §§167.031, 167.012, and 167.042 in one complete guide.

See more Missouri guides →