Creating your IHIP (Individualized Home Instruction Plan) for the NYCDOE

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It’s almost time for NYC homeschoolers to send in their Individualized Home Instruction Plan or IHIP.  The IHIP is due on August 15, or 2 weeks after you send in your Letter Of Intent if you decide to homeschool mid-year.

This year will be my 3rd year submitting an IHIP for Ethan and my first year for Lillian.  It will be my first year for submitting 2 IHIPs!

Here is how I have approached the writing process:

Since all forms are to be submitted electronically either as a Word or PDF attachment or typed in the body of the email, I open a blank email for each child.  I title the email:

2020-2021 IHIP of (insert child’s name here)  NYCID XXXXXXXXX

Since Lillian does not yet have a NYCID, I only titled hers 2020-2021 IHIP of (name).

In the body of the email I include the necessary personal information that can be found on this form:

https://www.schools.nyc.gov/docs/default-source/default-document-library/individualized-home-instruction-plan-ihip-grades-1-6

So:

First Name

Last Name

Date of Birth

School Year/ Grade Level

9 Digit Student ID

Next, I add in each subject are that is required to be taught/ reported:

Arithmetic

Reading

Writing

English Language

Geography

History

Science

Health Education

Music

Visual Arts

Physical Education

And beside each subject I included the name of the curriculum we will using or the books we will be reading.

I then detail when I will be submitting my Quarterly Reports – I simply stick to the schedule outlined by the NYCDOE.

I hope to have a post up soon with my curriculum/ book choices for 1st grade and 3rd grade!

I know lots of families in NYC who unschool who probably approach the IHIP differently but this is what I have always done.

I plan to submit my IHIPs on August 15th.  I always print out a copy and put it in my planning binder.  I like to have a paper copy because it makes it much easier for me to complete the Quarterly Reports where you document the progress that you have planned for in your IHIP.

Do you have questions about the IHIP?  Need help?  Send me an email or post in the comments.

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!