To homeschool your child in New York City, you must inform the Central Office of Home Schooling by sending in a letter of intent--by mail only. The deadline is July 1 for the upcoming school year. Once your letter of intention is received, you will be sent a package of forms, a list of deadlines and resources within 10 days. By Aug. 15, or within a month of receiving a packet, you must turn in an individualized home instruction plan for the school year.
Correspondence can be sent to:
Central Office of Home Schooling
333 Seventh Ave., 12th Floor
New York, NY 10001
(917) 339-1748
Quarterly reports must be sent to the Central Office of Home Schooling four times a year. This agency recommends sending the reports on Nov. 15, Jan. 31, April 15 and June 30. An annual assessment must sent to the office by June 30.
You have greater flexibility when you instruct your child at home in New York City--you don't have to provide instruction, for example, just when city schools are in session. You can offer instruction at night or on weekends, if desired, as long as the total time is comparable to that of the city’s public schools. In New York, you do not need any special credentials to homeschool your child, but you will need to maintain attendance records.
If you submit an achievement test for your child that falls below the 33rd percentile or the score does not reflect an entire academic year, your home instruction program will be put on probation. Also, if you turn in a written narrative, your home instruction program can be put on probation if an evaluator determines your child has not made satisfactory academic progress.
While under probation, the NYC school district may request a home visit, but three days’ written notice is needed. The school district may ask to visit your home at other times, but you are not obligated to consent to the visit if you are not on probation.