NEW YORK STATE HOME INSTRUCTION REGULATIONS

AMENDMENT TO REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION

Preface

(a) Purpose of section.

(b) Notice of intention to instruct at home.

(c) Procedures for development and review of an individualized home instruction plan (IHIP).

(d) Content of IHIP.

(e) Required Courses.

(f) Attendance Requirements.

(g) Quarterly Reports.

(h) Annual Assessment.

(i) Probation.

Regulation Revisions


The Regulations of the Commissioner of Education are amended, effective July 1, 1988, by the addition of a new section 100.10 to read as follows:

Pursuant to sections 207, 3204, 3210, 3212, and 3234 of the Education Law

100.10 HOME INSTRUCTION

| Index to Regulations §100.10 |


(a) Purpose of section.

   The purpose of this section is to establish procedures to		
   assist school authorities in fulfilling their responsibility		
   under Education Law sections 3204 (2) and 3210 (2) (d) and		
   in meeting their responsibility of determining the competency		
   of the instructor and substantial equivalence of instruction		
   being provided at home to students of compulsory attendance		
   age, and to assist parents who exercise their right to provide		
   required instruction at home to such students in fulfilling		
   their responsibilities under Education Law section 3212 (2).

| Index to Regulations §100.10 |


(b) Notice of intention to instruct at home.

   (1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of
       this subdivision, parents or other persons in parental 
       relation to a student of compulsory school attendance age
       shall annually provide written notice to the superintendent
       of schools of their school district of residence of their 
       intention to educate their child at home by July first of 
       each school year. The school year begins July 1 and ends 
       June 30 for all purposes within this section. In the case
       of the City School District of the City of New York, the 
       school district of residence for students who, if enrolled
       in the public schools, would attend elementary school, 
       intermediate school or junior high school in a community 
       school district shall be deemed to be in the community
       school district in which the parents reside.

   (2) Parents who determine to commence home instruction after 
       the start of the school year, or who establish residence 
       in the school district after the start of the school year,
       shall provide written notice of their intention to educate
       their child at home within 14 days following the commencement
       of home instruction within the school district.

| Index to Regulations §100.10 |


(c) Procedures for development and review of an individualized home instruction plan (IHIP).

   (1) Within 10 business days of the receipt of the notice of 
       intention to instruct at home, the school district shall 
       send to the parents a copy of section 100.10 of the 
       Regulations of the Commissioner of Education and a form 
       on which to submit an IHIP for each child of compulsory 
       attendance age who is to be taught at home.

   (2) Within 4 weeks of the receipt of such materials, or by 
       August 15, the parent shall submit the completed IHIP form 
       for the school district. The district shall provide 
       assistance in preparation of the forms, if requested by 
       the parents.

   (3) Within 10 business days of receipt of the IHIP or by 
       August 31, the school district shall either notify the 
       parents that the IHIP complies with the requirements of 
       subdivisions (d) and (e) of this section or shall give 
       the parents written notice of any deficiency in the IHIP.

   (4) Within 15 days of receipt of a notice of a deficiency in 
       the IHIP or by September 15, the parents shall submit a 
       revised IHIP which corrects any such deficiencies.

   (5) The superintendent of schools shall review the revised IHIP 
       and shall notify the parents as to whether the revised IHIP 
       complies with subdivisions (d) and (e) of this section within 
       15 days of receipt of the revised IHIP or by September 30. 
       If the revised IHIP is determined not to be in compliance 
       with subdivisions (d) and (e) of this section, then the 
       parents shall be notified in writing of the reasons for 
       such determination. Such notice shall also contain the 
       date of the next regularly scheduled meeting of the board 
       of education that will be held at least 10 days after the 
       date of mailing of the notice, and shall indicate that if 
       the parents wish to contest the determination of non-
       compliance, the parents must so notify the board of 
       education at least 3 business days prior to the meeting. 
       At such board meeting, the parents shall have the right to 
       present proof of compliance, and the board of education shall 
       make a final determination of compliance or non-compliance.

   (6) The parents shall have the right to appeal any such final 
       school district determination of non-compliance to the 
       Commissioner of Education within 30 days after receipt of such 
       determination.

   (7) When administrative review of a school district determination
       of non-compliance is completed, the parents shall immediately 
       provide for the instruction of their children at a public 
       school or elsewhere in compliance with the Education Law 
       sections 3204 and 3210. For purposes of this subdivision, such
       administrative review shall be deemed to be completed when one
       of the following events have occurred;

       (i)   the parents have failed to contest a determination of
             non-compliance by appealing to the board of education; 
             or

       (ii)  the parents have failed to appeal a final school board 
             district determination of non-compliance to the 
             Commissioner of Education; or

       (iii) the parents have received a decision of the Commissioner 
             of Education which upholds a final school district 
             determination of non-compliance.  

   (8) Within 10 days after administrative review of the determination 
       of non-compliance is completed, the parents shall furnish the 
       superintendent of schools with written notice of the 
       arrangements they have made to provide their children with the
       required instruction, except that such notice shall not be 
       required if the parents enroll their children in a public
       school.

| Index to Regulations §100.10 |


(d) Content of IHIP.

   Each child's IHIP shall contain:

   (1) the child's name, age and grade level

   (2) a list of the syllabi, curriculum materials, textbooks, or 
       plan of instruction to be used in each of the required 
       subjects listed in subdivision (e) of this section;

   (3) the dates for submission to the school district of the 
       parents' quarterly reports as required in subdivision (g) 
       of this section.  These reports shall be spaced in even 
       and logical periods; and

   (4) the names of the individuals providing instruction.

| Index to Regulations §100.10 |


(e) Required Courses.

   (1) For purposes of this subdivision, a unit means 6,480 minutes 
       of instruction per school year.

   (2) instruction in the following subjects shall be required.

      (i)   For grades 1 - 6: arithmetic, reading, spelling, writing,
            the English language, geography, United States history, 
            science, health education, music, visual arts, physical 
            education, bilingual education and/or English as a second
            language where the need is indicated.

      (ii)  For grades 7 and 8: 

               English (2 units); 
               history and geography (2 units); 
               science (2 units); 
               mathematics (2 units); 
               physical education (on a regular basis); 
               health education (on a regular basis); 
               art (one-half unit); 
               music (one-half unit); 
               practical arts (on a regular basis); 
               and library skills (on a regular basis). 

            The units required herein are cumulative requirements 
            for both grades 7 and 8.

      (iii) The following courses shall be taught at least once 
            during the first eight grades: 

               United States history, New York State history, and the Constitutions of 
               the United States and New York State.

      (iv)  For grades 9 through 12: 

               English (4 units); 
               social studies (4 units) which includes 
                  one unit of American History, 
                  one-half unit in participation government, 
                  and one-half unit economics; 
               mathematics (2 units); 
               science (2 units); 
               art and/or music (1 unit); 
               health education (one-half unit); 
               physical education (2 units); 
               and three units of electives. 

            The units required herein are cumulative requirements 
            for grades 9 through 12.

      (v)   Education Law sections 801, 804, 806, 808 also require the 
            following subjects to be covered during grades K - 12:

            (a) Patriotism and citizenship;

            (b) health education regarding alcohol, drug and tobacco 
                misuse;

            (c) highway safety and traffic regulations, including 
                bicycle safety; and

            (d) fire and arson prevention and safety.

| Index to Regulations §100.10 |


(f) Attendance Requirements.

   Each child shall attend upon instruction as follows:

   (1) the substantial equivalent of 180 days of instruction
       shall be provided each school year.

   (2) the cumulative hours of instruction for grades 1 through 6
       shall be 900 hours per year and for grades 7 through 12 
       shall be 990 hours per year.

   (3) Absences shall be permitted on the same basis as provided 
       in the policy of the school district for its own students;

   (4) Records of attendance shall be maintained by the parent 
       and shall be made available to the school district upon 
       request;

   (5) Instruction provided at a site other than the primary 
       residence of the parents shall be provided in a 
       building which has not been determined to be in 
       violation of the local building code.

| Index to Regulations §100.10 |


(g) Quarterly Reports.

   On or before the dates specified by the parent in the IHIP, 
   a quarterly report for each child shall be furnished by the 
   parent to the school district. The quarterly report shall 
   contain the following: 

   (1) the number of hours of instruction during said quarter;

   (2) a description of the material covered in each subject 
       listed in the IHIP;

   (3) either a grade for the child in each subject or a 
       written narrative evaluating the child's progress; 
       and

   (4) a written explanation in the event that less than 80% of 
       the amount of the course materials as set forth in the 
       IHIP planned for that quarter has been covered in any 
       subject.

| Index to Regulations §100.10 |


(h) Annual Assessment.

   At the time of filing the fourth quarterly report as specified 
   in the IHIP, the parent shall also file an annual assessment 
   in accordance with this subdivision. The annual assessment 
   shall include the results of a commercially published norm-
   referenced achievement test which meets the requirements of
   paragraph (1) of this subdivision or an alternative form of
   evaluation which meets the requirements of paragraph (2) of
   this subdivision.

   (1) Commercially published norm-referenced achievement tests. 

      (i)   The test shall be selected by the parents from one of 
            the following: the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, the 
            California Achievement Tests, the Stanford Achievement 
            Test, the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills, the 
            Metropolitan Achievement Test, A State Education 
            Department test, or another test approved by the State 
            Education Department.

      (ii)  The test shall be administered in accordance with one of 
            the following options to be selected by the parents:

            (a) at the public school, by its professional staff; or

            (b) at a registered non-public school, by its professional 
                staff, provided that the consent of the chief school 
                officer of the nonpublic school is obtained; or

            (c) at a non-registered non-public school, by its 
                professional staff, provided that the consent of 
                the superintendent of schools of the school 
                district and of the chief school officer of the 
                non-public school is obtained; or

            (d) at the parents' home or at any other reasonable 
                location, by a New York State certified teacher or 
                by another qualified person, provided that the 
                superintendent has consented to having said certified 
                teacher or other person administer the test.

       (iii) The test shall be scored by the persons administering 
             the test or by other persons who are mutually agreeable 
             to the parents and the superintendent of schools.

       (iv)  The test shall be provided by the school district upon 
             request by the parent, provided that the cost of any 
             testing facilities, transportation, and/or personnel 
             for testing conducted at a location other than the 
             public school shall be borne by the parent.

       (v)   If a score on a test is determined to be inadequate, 
             the program shall be placed on probation pursuant to 
             subdivision (i) of this section. A student's score 
             shall be deemed adequate if :

             (a) the student has a composite score above the 33 
                 percentile on national norms; or

             (b) the student's score reflects one academic year 
                 of growth as compared to a test administered 
                 during or subsequent to the prior school year.

   (2) Alternative evaluation methods. An alternative form of 
       evaluation shall be permitted to be chosen by the parent
       only as follows:

       (i)   for grades 1 through 3: a written narrative prepared 
             by a person specified in subparagraph (iii) of this 
             paragraph.

       (ii)  for grades 4 through 8: a written narrative prepared 
             by a person specified in subparagraph (iii) of this 
             paragraph. This alternative form of evaluation may 
             be used no more often than every other school year 
             for these grades.

       (iii) for the purposes of this paragraph, the person who 
             prepares the written narrative shall be a New York 
             State certified teacher, a home instruction peer 
             group review panel, or other person, who has 
             interviewed the child and reviewed a portfolio of 
             the child's work and who certifies that the child 
             has made adequate academic progress. The certified 
             teacher, peer review panel, or other person shall 
             be chosen by the parent with the consent of the 
             superintendent. Any resulting cost shall be borne 
             by the parent.

   (3) If a dispute arises between the parents over the 
       administration of the commercially published norm-
       referenced achievement test or the use of alternative 
       evaluation methods, the parents may appeal to the 
       board of education. If the parents disagree with the 
       determination of the board of education, the parents 
       may appeal to the Commissioner of Education within 30 
       days of receipt of the board's final determination.

| Index to Regulations §100.10 |


(j) Probation.


(1) If a child's annual assessment fails to comply with the
requirements of subdivision (h) of this section, the
home instruction program shall be placed on probation
for a period of up to two (2) school years. The parents
shall be required to submit a plan of remediation which
addresses the deficiencies in the child's achievement,
and seeks to remedy said deficiencies. The plan shall
be reviewed by the school district. The school district
may require the parents to make changes in the plan
prior to acceptance.

(2) If after the end of any semester of the probationary
period the child progresses to the level specified in
the remediation plan, then the home instruction program
shall be removed from probation. If the child does not
attain at least 75% of the objectives specified in the
remediation plan at the end of any given semester within
the period of probation, or if after two (2) years on
probation 100% of the objectives of the remediation plan
have not been satisfied, the superintendent of schools
shall provide the parents with the notice specified in
paragraph (5) of subdivision (c) of this section and the
board of education shall review the determination of
noncompliance in accordance with such paragraph, except
that consent of the parents to such review shall not be
required.

(3) If during the period of probation the superintendent of
schools has reasonable grounds to believe that the
program of home instruction is in substantial
noncompliance with these regulations the superintendent
may require one or more home visits. Such home visit(s)
shall be made only after three (3) days' written notice.
The purpose of such visits(s) shall be to ascertain areas
of noncompliance with these regulations and to determine
methods of any such deficiencies. The home visit(s) shall
be conducted by the superintendent or by the
superintendent's designee. The superintendent may include
members of a home instruction peer review panel in the
home visit team.

| Index to Regulations §100.10 |


Regulation Revisions

"Subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (h) of section 100.10 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education has been revised to clarify that the person who prepares a written narrative as an alternative evaluation method must certify either that the child has made adequate academic progress or has not and that the home instruction program will be placed on probation if the child has not made adequate progress.

"Paragraph (3) of subdivision (h) of section 100.10 has been revised to indicate that disputes between the parents and the superintendent of schools, including disputes over the administration of norm-referenced achievement test or the use of alternative evaluation methods, may be appealed to the board of education."

| Index to Regulations §100.10 |