Homeschooling In Nys: Traveling Abroad (2024)

Homeschooling is legal in all fifty states, but each state has its own regulations. In New York State, parents of students aged 6-16 (or 6-17 in New York City, Brockport, and Buffalo) must file homeschooling paperwork with their local school district. This includes a notice of intent to homeschool, an Individualized Home Instruction plan, and quarterly reports. While New York has regulations on the subjects to be taught, parents have a lot of flexibility in what they cover and can choose their own curriculum. Homeschooling in New York has become increasingly popular in recent years, with a 65% increase in the number of homeschoolers statewide since the 2019-2020 school year. As for travelling abroad, there are a number of study abroad programs that accept homeschool students, although specific requirements may vary depending on the country and program.

Homeschooling paperwork

Requirements for Homeschooling in NYS:

Firstly, it is important to understand the requirements for homeschooling in NYS. While New York state law does not mandate teaching credentials for parents, there are several key requirements to follow:

• File a notice of intent to homeschool within 14 days of starting and resend it by July 1 each year thereafter.
• Provide an Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP) to the District Superintendent within 30 business days of submitting your letter of intent. The IHIP includes a syllabus of textbooks or materials, a list of dates for quarterly reports, and the name(s) of instructors.
• Maintain attendance records.
• Complete 900 hours of school instruction per year for grades 1-6 and 990 hours for grades 7-12.
• Submit quarterly reports to the District Superintendent, including hours of instruction, descriptions of material covered, and grades or evaluations.
• Submit an annual assessment with your final quarterly report, which can be a norm-referenced achievement test or a written evaluation, depending on the grade level.

Organising Your Paperwork:

Now, let's get into the details of organising your homeschooling paperwork:

• Create a Homeschool Portfolio: A homeschool portfolio is a great way to document your child's educational progress. It can be a physical binder or a digital folder. Include a table of contents, learning objectives, logs of activities, lists of books and educational resources, field trip memorabilia, photos of projects and assignments, writing samples, and any legal documents required by your state.
• Maintain Records: Keep track of your child's attendance, grades, and evaluations. You can use printable forms or online software specifically designed for homeschool record-keeping.
• Collect Field Trip Memorabilia: Save brochures, ticket stubs, flyers, and other memorabilia from field trips. These can be added to your homeschool portfolio to showcase the variety of learning experiences your child has had.
• Keep Writing Samples: Collect writing samples such as handwriting booklets, essays, and other writing projects. This will help demonstrate your child's progress in language arts.
• Track Achievements: Make a list of your child's achievements, including awards, certificates, and community service recognition. This will be valuable when applying to colleges or other educational programs.
• Stay Organised: Use dividers, folders, or digital folders to stay organised. Label and date your documents clearly, so you can easily find what you need.

Remember, the specific requirements for homeschooling paperwork may vary from state to state, so always refer to the latest information from the NY Department of Education to ensure you are complying with the regulations.

Annual assessments

Homeschooling in New York requires parents to submit written reports and students to take standardised tests. Annual assessments are a key part of this process.

At the end of each year, parents must submit one of two forms of assessment: a written narrative or a standardised test. The written narrative can be a one-line statement that the student has "made adequate academic progress according to the requirements of Regulation 100.10". In most districts, parents can write this evaluation themselves. This option is available every year until fourth grade, and on alternate years until eighth grade.

In other years, students must take a standardised test. The list of acceptable tests includes the PASS test, which can be administered by parents at home. Parents are not required to submit the test score, only a report that the score was in the 33rd percentile or above, or showed a year's growth over the previous year's test. Alternatively, students can take the test at their local public school or a private school.

From fourth grade onwards, a nationally approved achievement test is required every other year as the year-end assessment. From 9th to 12th grade, this test is required annually. Examples of approved tests include the Iowa Basics Skills Test, the California Achievement Test, the PASS test, and the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills.

High school graduation requirements

Homeschooling is legal in all fifty states, but each state has its own approach to regulating it. Homeschool students in New York State (NYS) are not bound by the graduation requirements of their home state, but if they plan to go on to college or university, it is a good idea to follow the public school's suggested courses for graduation.

New York is one of the few states that require homeschool graduates to provide proof of high school completion. While most colleges in the U.S. will accept a diploma provided by a homeschool, New York colleges and universities will not. The most common ways for homeschool students in New York to demonstrate eligibility for state college are:

• Requesting a "Letter of Substantial Equivalency" from the local district superintendent, stating that the student has received the substantial equivalent of a high school education.
• Obtaining a high school equivalency diploma called the "TASC".
• Taking a specific sequence of 24-credit classes at a community college.

New York homeschool law also requires that all homeschooling high school students take specific courses to complete their education. These include:

• 4 units of high school English instruction
• 4 units of high school social studies instruction, including 1 unit of American history, 1/2 unit of government, and 1/2 unit of economics
• 2 units of high school science instruction
• 1 unit of art and/or music instruction
• 1/2 unit of health education instruction
• 2 units of physical education instruction
• 3 units of high school electives

Parents of homeschoolers should keep accurate records of all coursework taken throughout high school to help create the student's high school transcript.

Returning to public school

If you are considering a return to public school after homeschooling in New York, there are a few things you should know. Firstly, you will need to register with the public school your child will be attending. You can provide records of your homeschooling work to help the school understand what level your child is working at, but ultimately, it is the school principal who will determine what grade level your child will be placed into upon their return. It is also up to the individual school to decide whether to accept your assessments and standardised tests or require additional placement testing upon registration.

Public and private schools often test or evaluate homeschooled children entering or re-entering their school. These tests are used to determine grade placement and decide whether credit should be given for work done while homeschooling. Homeschooled children of any age or grade level may be tested, but early elementary and high school-aged children are the most likely to be tested. Some school divisions may routinely test or evaluate all incoming homeschooling children, regardless of age, grade, or ability level.

Before enrolling your child in school, you will also need to provide proof of immunisation. Homeschooled students are subject to the same laws concerning vaccinations as public and private school students. Religious or medical exemptions may apply in certain cases.

If your child is transferring to high school, school divisions are required by law to accommodate transfer students from home instruction. However, each school division decides how to evaluate coursework completed during homeschooling years. Some school divisions are more flexible about accepting certain types of homeschool transfer credits than others. School divisions have the right to interview the parent and student, ask to see curriculum materials, or request that the student take an exam before granting transfer credits.

Homeschool curriculum

Homeschooling is a great option for students who want a more flexible and personalized education. In the state of New York, there are specific requirements that parents must follow to ensure their child receives a well-rounded education. These include filing a notice of intent to homeschool, providing an Individualized Home Instruction plan, maintaining attendance records, and completing the required number of hours of school instruction per year.

When creating a homeschool curriculum, it is important to consider the student's grade level and the subjects that need to be covered. For high school students in New York, the following courses are required:

• 4 units of English instruction
• 4 units of social studies instruction, including 1 unit of American history, 1/2 unit of government, and 1/2 unit of economics
• 2 units of science instruction
• 1 unit of art and/or music instruction
• 1/2 unit of health education instruction
• 2 units of physical education instruction
• 3 units of electives

Parents can choose from a variety of homeschool curriculum options to meet these requirements. One popular option is Sonlight, a literature-based Christian homeschool curriculum. Sonlight offers a flexible, fully-planned curriculum with all the materials needed, including lesson plans and notes. Another option is Time4Learning, which provides online curriculum coverage for PreK-12th grade with automated grading and reporting.

In addition to academic subjects, homeschooled students can benefit from studying abroad programs, which offer a unique opportunity to gain independence, confidence, and language skills. Studying abroad can be a great complement to a homeschool education, allowing students to experience life in a different country and culture. However, it is important to note that some study abroad programs may have specific requirements for transcripts and prior education, so it is important to research individual programs and their eligibility criteria.

Frequently asked questions