New York IHIP: complete guide for homeschool families 2026

1. NY Education Law §100.10

Section 100.10 of the NY Commissioner's Regulations (often called “the homeschool regulation”) is the primary rule governing home instruction in New York. It was promulgated in 1988 and has been amended since. Key provisions:

• Annual IHIP: Every homeschooling family must file an IHIP with their local school district by August 15 each year (or within 14 days of starting mid-year).
• Required subjects: The IHIP must cover the subjects prescribed for the child's grade level (see Section 3 below).
• Instructional hours: The IHIP must specify the number of instructional hours planned. The minimum is 900 hours per year for Grades 1–6 and 990 hours for Grades 7–12.
• Quarterly reports: Four quarterly reports must be submitted showing actual hours taught and a progress assessment.
• Annual assessment: Each year, the student must be assessed — by standardized test, portfolio review, or other approved method.
• Instructor qualifications: No teaching certificate is required. A parent with a high school diploma (or equivalent) can instruct any grade level. For grades 9–12, at least one parent should have education or experience in each subject, or the family must use a qualified instructor or accredited curriculum for that subject.

2. Writing your IHIP

Your IHIP is submitted to your local school district superintendent. Most districts accept a written document (no prescribed form, though some districts have their own form). A complete IHIP should include:

1. Student information — name, age, grade level.
2. Instructor(s) — name(s) and a brief statement of qualifications.
3. Planned subjects — list each required subject for the grade level (see Section 3).
4. Materials and methods — for each subject, briefly describe the curriculum, textbook, program, or approach you will use.
5. Planned instructional hours — total hours per year and approximate hours per subject.
6. Assessment plan — how you will assess progress at year end (standardized test, portfolio, or certified evaluator review).
7. Parent signature — the document must be signed by the parent or guardian.

The district has 10 business days to review your IHIP and notify you if it is incomplete. If they request revisions, you have 15 days to respond.

3. Required subjects by grade

NY §100.10 specifies different required subjects for three grade bands:

4. Quarterly reports

NY §100.10 requires four quarterly progress reports each school year. Each report must include:

• Hours of instruction provided per subject during the quarter.
• A narrative progress assessment for each subject (2–4 sentences per subject is standard; no prescribed format).
• Identification of any standardized test results if given during that quarter.

Quarterly report due dates are set by your school district but typically fall around October 15, January 15, April 15, and June 30. Confirm exact dates with your district at the start of each year.

If you miss a quarterly report, the district can flag your family for educational neglect. Set calendar reminders and use Docent's automated report generator to avoid missing deadlines.

5. Annual assessment

Each year, NY §100.10 requires an annual assessment of the student's progress. Families may choose one of the following:

• Standardized achievement test: Must be administered by a qualified person (not the parent). Common options include the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Stanford Achievement Test, or Comprehensive Testing Program IV. Results are submitted to the district.
• Portfolio review by a certified teacher: A NY-certified teacher reviews a portfolio of the student's work and provides a written assessment of whether the student made adequate progress. The review must be submitted to the district.
• Other assessment approved by the superintendent: Some districts accept alternative assessments on a case-by-case basis.

The annual assessment result is submitted to the district along with (or as part of) the fourth quarterly report. If a student is assessed as “not making adequate progress” two years in a row, the district can require the student to re-enrol in school.

6. How Docent generates your NY IHIP

Docent tracks instructional hours and subject coverage during every voice tutoring session. Because the platform maps each session to a specific subject and content strand, generating your IHIP and quarterly reports is automatic.

7. Frequently asked questions

What is an IHIP in New York?

The Individualized Home Instruction Plan is the annual curriculum plan that NY Ed Law §100.10 requires homeschooling families to file with their school district. It specifies the subjects to be taught, materials to be used, planned instructional hours, and the method of annual assessment.

When is the IHIP filing deadline in New York?

August 15 each year (or within 14 days of starting home instruction if beginning mid-year). Missing this deadline can trigger an educational neglect referral, so file early.

What subjects are required in the NY IHIP?

Required subjects vary by grade band. Grades 1–6 must cover arithmetic, reading, writing, spelling, English, geography, US history, science, health, music, visual arts, library skills, and PE. Grades 7–8 and 9–12 have their own subject lists. See the full breakdown in Section 3 of this guide.

What are the quarterly reporting requirements in New York?

Four quarterly reports per year, each showing hours taught per subject and a narrative progress assessment. Typically due in October, January, April, and June — confirm exact dates with your district.

How does Docent generate the NY IHIP?

Docent tracks instructional hours and subject coverage during every AI tutoring session. Its compliance generator produces a complete IHIP document for the August 15 filing and quarterly reports at each quarter end — both as PDFs with a telemetry hash verifying the data.

Generate your NY IHIP with Docent

File by August 15. Docent tracks your instructional hours and generates your IHIP, quarterly reports, and portfolio evidence automatically.