NYS Homeschooling Requirements
NYS Required Courses for Homeschooling
Required Subjects
New York State's homeschool subject requirements vary by grade level. Here's a quick overview of the subjects required for grades 1–6, 7–8, and 9–12.
Grades 1–6
Elementary Level
Middle School Level
High School Level
Arithmetic, reading, spelling, writing, English language, geography, United States history, science, health education, music, visual arts, and physical education.
English, social studies, science, mathematics, physical education, health education, art, music, practical arts, and library skills.
English (4 units), social studies (4 units), mathematics (2 units), science (2 units), art or music (1 unit), health education (½ unit), physical education (2 units), and electives (3 units).
A note about U.S. history: New York's home instruction regulations list United States history as a required subject for grades 1–6. This does not necessarily mean families must use a separate U.S. history course each year; U.S. history may be incorporated into the student's broader social studies instruction.
Additional Requirements
Additional Required Topics
In addition to the required subjects above, New York State requires instruction in several specific topics. Some requirements apply to all grade levels, while others apply at particular grade levels.
Health Education
History & Citizenship
Safety Education
Required health instruction includes age-appropriate education related to alcohol, drug, and tobacco misuse.
Patriotism and citizenship should be covered throughout grades K–12. NYS history and the Constitutions of the United States and New York State must be taught at least once during the first eight grades..
Required instruction includes highway safety and traffic regulations, including bicycle safety, and fire and arson prevention.
High School Requirements
Understanding High School Units
For grades 9–12, New York State expresses required coursework in units. One unit is generally equivalent to 108 hours of instruction, while one-half unit is equivalent to 54 hours.
108 Hours
One Unit Course (Full Year)
54 Hours
Half Unit Course (Half Year)
Requires 108 total hours of instruction across the academic year for full secondary unit credit.
Requires 54 total hours of instruction across the academic year for half unit secondary credit.
Homeschool schedules can be flexible. Instruction does not need to be divided evenly across every school day as long as the applicable instructional requirements are met.