New York Homeschool Requirements and Deadlines

A calm walkthrough of New York’s home instruction framework—what families typically file, what to keep, and which dates tend to matter—so you can plan the year without the scramble.

Not legal advice. Confirm current expectations with your local school district and official NYSED materials.

Who this is for

This guide is for New York parents and caregivers who are:

Starting home instruction for the first time
Returning for another July–June school year
Switching mid-year and wondering what changes
Looking for a clear picture of new york homeschool requirements, the NY letter of intent, NY IHIP, homeschool quarterly report NY expectations, and common new york homeschool deadlines

You do not need to master regulation language. You need a steady habit: notice the district, plan the year, keep simple records, and file what your IHIP promises.

Notice / filing basics (high-level only)

New York’s home instruction framework is set out in Commissioner’s Regulations Part 100.10. Most families work with their local school district of residence (in New York City, through NYC Public Schools’ homeschool office).

NY’s home instruction framework typically includes:

A written letter of intent (notice of intention)
Each year, parents notify the superintendent of their school district in writing that they intend to educate their child at home. For a full-year start, that notice is generally due by July 1. The home instruction school year runs July 1 through June 30.
If you begin (or move into the district) after the year has started
Many families file the letter of intent within 14 days of beginning home instruction in the district.
District response and the IHIP form
After receiving your notice, the district generally has 10 business days to send a copy of Part 100.10 and an Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP) form for each compulsory-age child.
Your completed NY IHIP
Parents typically submit the completed IHIP within four weeks of receiving those materials, or by August 15, whichever is later (NYC’s parent page frames this as within 28 days of starting—follow your local office). The IHIP usually includes the child’s name, age, and grade level; syllabi, curriculum materials, textbooks, or a plan of instruction for required subjects; dates for quarterly reports spaced in even, logical periods; and the names of people providing instruction.
Quarterly reports and an annual assessment
On the dates listed in your IHIP, you furnish quarterly reports. With the fourth report, New York’s framework also calls for an annual assessment (standardized testing options or, in certain grades and years, an alternative written narrative—rules vary by grade band).

Districts review IHIPs for compliance with the regulation. Forms and submission portals can vary by district. When in doubt, follow your superintendent’s office (or NYC’s published steps) and Part 100.10.

Required subjects and hour expectations also differ by grade band—for example, cumulative targets of 900 hours for grades 1–6 and 990 hours for grades 7–12, plus the substantial equivalent of 180 days of instruction. Map those details for your child in the IHIP and district materials.

Recordkeeping that sticks

Paperwork feels lighter when records grow quietly in the background.

What New York's framework requires parents to maintain

Attendance records for each student, available to the district upon request (about 180 days; cumulative hour targets of 900 for grades 1–6 and 990 for grades 7–12)
The homeschool quarterly report NY filings themselves: hours of instruction that quarter, material covered in each IHIP subject, and either a grade or a short narrative of progress
A brief written explanation if you covered less than 80% of the course materials planned for that quarter in any subject
The annual assessment filed with the fourth quarterly report (test results or narrative evaluation, as allowed for the grade)

What NYSED guidance recommends keeping (not a broader legal checklist)

NYSED’s Q&A notes that while attendance must be kept, there is no separate legal obligation to maintain other records—but keeping evidence of your program and achievement, plus district correspondence, is wise.

Copies of the letter of intent, IHIP, district correspondence, and each quarterly report
Simple notes or photos of projects, field trips, and books finished—especially helpful for narrative or portfolio-style evaluation
A running total of instructional hours so June is not a surprise

You do not need a perfect binder on day one. Log what happened, keep dates honest, and file what you promised on the IHIP.

Deadlines parents worry about

Some dates are statewide in Part 100.10. Quarterly due dates are the ones you set on your IHIP (some districts also publish suggested windows).

Milestone	What many families plan for
Letter of intent	By July 1 for the coming school year; or within 14 days if you start mid-year / after moving
District sends Part 100.10 + IHIP form	Within 10 business days of receiving your notice
Completed IHIP due	Within four weeks of receiving materials, or by August 15, whichever is later
IHIP compliance / deficiency notice	District typically responds within 10 business days of receiving the IHIP (or by August 31, whichever is later)
Revised IHIP (if needed)	Often within 15 days of a deficiency notice (or by September 15, whichever is later)
District decision on revised IHIP	Typically within 15 days of the revised plan (or by September 30, whichever is later)
Appeal (if needed)	Families who disagree with a district determination may have a path to appeal to the Commissioner—confirm current process and timing with official materials
Quarterly reports	On the four dates you list in the IHIP, spaced evenly through the year
Annual assessment	Filed with the fourth quarterly report

About quarterly dates: statewide, you choose even, logical dates on the IHIP. NYC public guidance often suggests mid-November, end of January, mid-April, and June 30 (with the annual assessment alongside the fourth report)—a useful model, not a universal statewide calendar.

If you begin partway through the year, NYSED guidance notes that the number of quarterly reports should be proportional to the remaining period of instruction. When a deadline feels fuzzy, ask your district and keep a copy of your IHIP—those are the dates you are accountable to.

How Bloomfolio helps

Bloomfolio is a homeschool portfolio and docs product built to lower paperwork anxiety—not to replace your judgment or your district relationship.

For New York families, that can look like:

AI activity logging — Capture learning in ordinary language after a nature walk, co-op day, or kitchen science session, so hours and subjects are easier to reconstruct when a quarterly report is due
PDF docs — Generate clean, shareable documents you can download and submit the way your district prefers
Sage companion — A calm helper alongside the work: gentle prompts when you are staring at a blank quarterly report or wondering what to log next
New York is supported — Bloomfolio covers 32 states, New York among them. State-aware framing keeps letter of intent / IHIP / quarterly rhythms visible.

Plans: Free is $0: up to 3 students and 20 Sage messages to start, +5 every day, for tracking and logging. Essential is $8/mo: it generates your documents, with a much bigger Sage pool. Family is $15/mo. 14-day free trial. Upgrade when you want the documents generated, not because Free hid the hero.

Soft CTA

If New York’s filing calendar has been living in a sticky-note pile, you are not alone. A quieter system—log a little, generate the PDF when the date approaches, keep copies—often beats a perfect system you cannot maintain.

Start free when you are ready. Bring your own pace. Keep teaching.

Footer disclaimer

Not legal advice — verify current NY rules with your district/state.

Requirements can change, and local districts may publish forms, portals, or suggested dates that differ in presentation from the statewide regulation. This page is a parent-facing overview for Bloomfolio (bloomfolio.app). It does not create an attorney–client relationship. Confirm details with your school district superintendent’s office (or NYC Public Schools’ Office of Homeschooling, if applicable) and with current New York State Education Department materials before filing.