Guide
The New York IHIP, explained
Updated June 2026
The IHIP, or Individualized Home Instruction Plan, is the document New York asks every homeschool family to file each year. It lays out the subjects you will teach and when you will report on them. It is one step in a sequence that makes New York the most paperwork-heavy state in the country, so it helps to see the whole calendar at once.
The New York sequence
Across the school year, New York asks for four things in order:
- Letter of intent, by July 1. A short notice to your district that you intend to homeschool. Starting mid-year, you have 14 days.
- IHIP, within four weeks or by August 15. Due within four weeks of the district sending you its materials, or by August 15, whichever is later.
- Four quarterly reports. Progress updates due on dates you set yourself in the IHIP.
- Year-end assessment. A standardized test or a written narrative evaluation, depending on the grade.
What the IHIP must include
The plan does not have to be long, but it has to cover the required elements:
- The child's name and grade level
- The subjects New York requires for that grade, such as English, math, science, and social studies, plus the other areas the regulation lists
- The materials, resources, or plan you will use
- The dates of your four quarterly reports
- The name of the person providing instruction
The quarterly reports
Because you choose the four reporting dates, the smart move is to space them roughly evenly and put them somewhere you will not forget. Each report covers the hours completed and the progress made in each subject that quarter. New York counts instruction in hours, 900 for grades 1 through 6 and 990 for grades 7 through 12, so keeping a running hours total through the year makes these reports almost automatic.
The year-end assessment
The final piece depends on the grade. Grades 1 through 3 can submit a written narrative evaluation. Grades 4 through 8 need a standardized test at least every other year, with a narrative allowed in the off years. Grades 9 through 12 require a standardized test every year. Whatever applies, you keep it with your records and file it as your district directs.
How Homeschoolio helps
Homeschoolio builds the IHIP from your student's setup, tracks the four quarterly dates you chose, and totals your hours as you log so each report is ready to fill. It reminds you before July 1, before the IHIP deadline, and before each quarterly date, and it keeps a dated copy of everything you file. The full New York packet comes out as review-ready PDFs.
Common questions
When is the IHIP due in New York?
You file a letter of intent by July 1. The district then sends you a form and a copy of the regulations, and your IHIP is due within four weeks of receiving them, or by August 15, whichever is later. If you start mid-year, you file the letter of intent within 14 days.
Do I have to use the district’s IHIP form?
No. You can use the district’s form or your own document, as long as it includes everything the regulation requires: the subjects for your child’s grade, the materials or plan, the dates of your four quarterly reports, and the name of the person providing instruction.
What are the four quarterly reports?
New York asks for four progress reports a year, due on the dates you choose and write into your IHIP. Each one reports the hours completed and the progress made in each subject. Spacing them roughly evenly across the year keeps them manageable.
What year-end assessment does New York require?
It depends on the grade. Grades 1 through 3 can submit a written narrative evaluation. Grades 4 through 8 need a standardized test at least every other year, with a narrative in the off years. Grades 9 through 12 require a standardized test every year.
Keep reading
This guide is general information, not legal advice. New York's requirements are set by regulation and can change, and districts vary in how they apply them. Confirm the current rules with the New York State Education Department or your local district.