June Paperwork for the NYCDOE

Quite a lot of paperwork is due in June for current NYC homeschool students.  First up is the…

Quarterly Report #4

This is the final of the quarterly reports.  Quarterly reports document the hours you have logged in your homeschool.  In NYC homeschoolers in elementary school must clock 225 hours.  You must also document the materials you have covered this quarter in each subject area.  This can be as simple as stating you covered “25% of the material listed in the child’s IHIP.” Or you can list what you covered in each area.  I always opt for the latter.  I do not love filling out NYCDOE paperwork so I also make sure to think of it as record keeping and accountability for myself as well.  I like to have a log of what we have completed each quarter.

All paperwork is to be filed electronically now because of coronavirus.  You can email your report to:  homeschool@schools.nyc.gov

Per the NYCDOE website, you can submit a picture of a handwritten document or a file in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF.

You can use this link to download a Quarterly Report Form:

https://www.schools.nyc.gov/docs/default-source/default-document-library/home-schooling-quarterly-report-2019-2020

Or, you can create your own form.  You do not have to use the NYCDOE form, but I always choose to go with their format.

Next Up is the…

Annual Assessment

For students in Grades 1-3 – you can simply write your own Annual Assessment and email a picture of your handwritten document or a copy in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF to homeschool@schools.nyc.gov.

Your Annual Assessment can be as simple as a letter with your child’s name, birthdate, NYCID, grade level and sentence stating that the child has met or surpassed all of the goals set forth in his/her IHIP for the current school year, 20XX-20XX. And then simply sign the letter.

For students in Grades 4 -8  – The Annual Assessment can be a standardized test administered by you every other year alternating with a written narrative.  This year,  because of coronavirus, no standardized testing is required and you can instead submit a written narrative (even if you submitted one last year).

And don’t forget about your Letter of Intent for next year due July 1!

Please always go straight to the source for up-to-date homeschool information provided by the NYCDOE at https://www.schools.nyc.gov/enrollment/enrollment-help/home-schooling.  This post is just meant to summarize their requirements as well as offer my own personal experience.

How has your experience been submitting paperwork?  Before I started, I was nervous but find now that it’s not so bad!

 

Considering Homeschool this Upcoming Fall?

I have read many articles recently about the possibility of many more families planning to homeschool next year due to coronavirus.  I considered linking some of those articles here but honestly, there are too many to link.  Google, “planning to homeschool in the fall because of coronavirus” and you will see what I mean. 

Some families are worried schools will not open in the fall and are unhappy with the prospect of continuing online school.  Some continue to worry about their child contracting COVID should there be a resurgence of germs this fall/ winter.  Others have taken a hard look at the education their children were receiving at school since they are now watching the lessons online with their children at home.  Some have enjoyed having more time together as a family and want to try something new.

Do you fall into one of these categories?  Are you one of these families in NYC?  Do you have any questions about how to homeschool?  I’m happy to answer any questions in the comments or you can contact me via email.  Here is an old post detailing how to tell the NYCDOE you plan to homeschool.  The first step is a short and simple email.        

I look forward to hearing from you and hope to be helpful!

 

 

Quarterly Reports

Soon it will be time to file the 4th and final quarterly report in NYC.  The quarterly reports are how the NYCDOE monitors attendance and the progress of homeschooled students throughout the year, similar to report cards in traditional school.

You report the subjects and material covered and then issue a “grade” or written evaluation.

This year I reported on the subjects of :  Arithmetic, English Language Arts, Science, Social Studies/ History, Physical/ Health Education, Visual Arts and Music.  Personally I provided a brief written evaluation as opposed to a letter grade.

As the year went on I found it helpful to set a reminder in my calendar two weeks before the report was due to write it, then the week before it was due to mail it.  I also mailed everything via Certified Mail so I could have a record that the report was delivered.

You do not receive anything in return from the NYCDOE that they have received or approved your Quarterly Report but I’m assuming they would reach out if there was a problem!

 

 

Update from the NYCDOE

I previously blogged about how I filed my first Letter of Intent with the NYC Department of Education for my son, Ethan, who has a 2012 birthday.  A few weeks after filing, I received a package in the mail from the NYCDOE.

Included in the package were:

• the Regulations for Home Instruction in NY State (all 20 pages)
• a letter with information specific to this 2018-2019 school year
• a list of compliance items and due dates

The next compliance item for us is the Individualized Home Instruction Plan or IHIP and it is due on 8/15.  I’m currently working on ours and will post more when it’s complete.  Legally we have to submit 4 Quarterly Reports and an Annual Assessment.  That’s a lot of paperwork!

What are the homeschool regulations like where you live?  Do you have to submit a lot of paperwork?  I’ve read that New York has some of the strictest regulations for homeschooling .  For anyone who lives in NY, this is probably not surprising!  It is exciting to be inching our way towards becoming official NYC homeschoolers.

Photo by Lukas Kloeppel on Pexels.com

Filing the Letter of Intent in NYC

As you might imagine, some of the heaviest regulations for homeschoolers are found right here in New York.  This week I took the first step to register my son as an official homeschooler.  Here in NYC, you do not have to register until the year your child turns 6 years old.  This is the year your child would be in 1st grade in public school.  The cut-off date for school is December 31st so if your child will be 6 this calendar year, he or she must be registered.

This is the first year you can file your “letter of intent” electronically.  I simply sent an email to letterofintent@schools.nyc.gov.  The letter must include:

• your name
• your child’s name
• child’s date of birth
• home address

The next step is to submit the Individualized Home Instruction Plan, otherwise known as IHIP.  It is due on August 15, so stay tuned for more information on that paperwork.

If you are looking for more information about homeschooling in NYC, check out this link:

http://schools.nyc.gov/StudentSupport/GuidanceandCounseling/HomeSchooling/default.htm