Parents unhappy with the public school options in their neighborhood may consider homeschooling their child. Before you consider this option you will need to educate yourself about the specific laws and procedures governing home instruction.

The New York City Department of Education allows parents to homeschool their children under the rules set out in Part 100.10 of the New York State Commissioner of Education regulations. Residents of New York City should familiarize themselves with Part 100.10 and contact the Department of Education's Division of Youth Development, which coordinates and oversees the homeschooling of New York City children.

Parents must provide annual written notice to the superintendent in charge of the school district in which they reside and submit an individualized home instruction plan (IHIP) for each child of compulsory school age who is going to be homeschooled. Among other requirements, the IHIP must contain the syllabi, curriculum materials, textbooks or plan of instruction that is to be used in each of the required subjects. You can review specific requirements including required courses on the state's Department of Education website. But, if you are thinking about homeschooling, keep in mind the following key points that are not written in the regulations, but are highlighted on the state website.

• Students instructed at home are not awarded a high school diploma.
• Homeschooled students are not eligible to participate in interscholastic sports. However, a district may allow home-instructed students to participate in intramural or other school-sponsored activities.
• Districts are not required to loan textbooks to homeschool students. However, a school district may, if it wishes to, provide textbooks and other materials to these students for use in home-instruction.
• As of January, 2008 New York State no longer allows districts to provide special education services to homeschooled students with disabilities. If your homeschooled child is receiving services under an Individualized Education Program (IEP) you will need to revise the IHIP to address how you will provide the special services on your own.
• Homeschooled children with disabilities are still entitled to be evaluated by their district for special services if the parent consents. The district must develop an IEP for the child, if the evaluation indicates such is necessary, so that a free and appropriate education is available to the student if the parent chooses to enroll his child in a public school.
• State law does not require any specific credentials for the person(s) providing home instruction.
• Annual assessments must be taken by all children who are home-schooled. These tests can be either commercially published tests approved by the State Education Department or an approved alternative.
• If the child's annual assessment falls short of specified standards, the home instruction program will be placed on probation for up to two school years.
For further information contact your borough's Integrated Service Center and ask for the homeschool coordinator. Also try the director of homeschooling at the Department of Education's Office of School and Youth Development at (917) 339 -1748.

BACK TO TOP