Children must attend school or comply with the homeschool laws starting in the school year in which they turn 6 on or before December 1. They must remain in school up until the last day of session in the school year in which they turn 16, or until they graduate from high school.
However, any local board of education can vote to raise the compulsory attendance age in its school district from 16 to 17 for minors who are not employed.
Some school districts have lowered the compulsory attendance age to 5 for children who turn 5 on or before December 1. However, this only applies if you enroll your child into the public school. Any parent can wait until their child will turn 6 by December 1 to enroll their child in school.
HSLDA believes that a parent-issued diploma and transcript should be sufficient to demonstrate that a child has completed a secondary education. However, even if your child is beyond compulsory school attendance age, there may be situations where you would want to continue to follow the requirements of a home education option recognized under New York law until your child graduates from high school (filing a home education notice, keeping attendance and other records, etc.).
These records may be requested in some situations, such as obtaining a driver's license if your child is a minor, enlisting in the military, applying to colleges, or demonstrating eligibility for Social Security benefits. If you are a member of HSLDA and would like additional details, please contact us.
Please note: The information on this page has been reviewed by an attorney, but it should not be taken as legal advice specific to your individual situation.