Prepare, Prepare, Prepare! Talk to other home educators and read all of the home education materials you can, especially those that talk about educational approaches. Borrow books from friends, the public library, or a local support group's lending library. View LEAH's Homeschooling in Action video which introduces home education by profiling the experiences and educational philosophies of three families. Have a "plan" for your school year. What subjects do you need to teach? Be sure to include physical, spiritual, academic, and social development as you make your plans. (see Luke 2:52) Subscribe to at least one good home education publication, such as The Teaching Home magazine. Select appropriate curriculum. Check out used curriculum if you know what you are specifically looking for. More expensive or more widely advertised is not necessarily better. Cathy Duffy's Curriculum Manuals are especially helpful. Only buy what you need for the current year, and don't be tempted by "extras" if you can't afford them. If you don't have all your curriculum by the July 1st letter of intent deadline, at least have all your orders placed. Know the law! Purchase LEAH's Regulatory Manual which provides a thorough explanation of Commissioner Regulations 100.10. These regulations govern home education in NYS. Get Connected! Join the Home School Legal Defense Association (Preferably before you contact your school district). Annual membership fee is $100 unless you are a member of LEAH. Members receive a discounted HSLDA membership fee of $85. Join LEAH through a local support group. Membership includes a quarterly newsletter; $15 discount on HSLDA's annual membership fee; legislative updates & action alerts; annual convention discounts, and more. Families educating children with special needs are encouraged to also join Parents Instructing Challenged Children for support. Know the Regs! Notify your school district in writing on or before July 1 of your intent to home educate during the upcoming school year which commences July 1 and concludes June 30 of the following. Your "letter of intent" should include the names and dates of birth of each child of legal school age who will be home educated. Children who turn six before December 1, are required to start school during that year. Teenagers who turn sixteen at any time during the school year are required to complete that entire year. Complete and submit one IHIP (Individualized Home Instruction Plan) for each child you will be educating at home. Your school district is supposed to respond to your letter of intent with a copy of the regulations and IHIP forms. Each IHIP must include a simple listing of the curriculum you will be using for each of the required subject areas. (see the LEAH Regulatory Manual). File quarterly reports with the school district at regular intervals you establish in you IHIP. Submit an annual evaluation to the local school district. Options include, written evaluations, standardized testing, and peer review panels. Standardized testing is only required every other year between the grades of 4 and 8, and every year after that until the student is 16. Contact your local LEAH chapter for more information regarding these options. Home visits are not required! Nor are you required to meet with the superintendent to seek permission. A determination of compliance to the regulations is designed to be handled in writing between the local school district and a home educating family. If any of your written submissions are challenged, contact your local support group or your attorney at HSLDA to determine if any of your submissions are in error. (Be sure to join HSLDA before you begin!) If so, make all necessary corrections or additions and re-submit you documents. If all of your paper work is in compliance, follow the advice of HSLDA as how to proceed. Above all, keep a good testimony! Keep good records. You don't need to submit attendance records, but you need to report total number of hours in your quarterly reports. In the high school years, a good transcript is crucial for college admission.