New Hampshire Homeschooling Laws
Homeschooling in New Hampshire
The Supreme Court, in the case of Appeal of Pierce, 451A.2d 363 [1982], stated that homeschooling is a fundamental right granted to every citizen. The state may put in policies regarding education but cannot dictate how the children will be educated or where the instruction shall take place.
Homeschoolers are allowed to take part in curricular courses as well as co-curricular activities provided by local district schools. The co-curricular activities are activities that take place outside of the classroom. They are intended to help with the social development of the child, complement and enhance normal educational programs; they encourage students to take part in athletics, community service, clubs, performing groups and service to the school. To homeschool in New Hampshire you must:
1. Provide notification to the authorities
2. Teach the required subjects
3. Maintain proper records
4. Assess the student annually
5. Notify the department of education if the students will graduate before the age of 18
This page provides information on the laws guiding homeschools in New Hampshire including:
· Homeschool Laws in New Hampshire
· Letter of Intention to Homeschool
· Recordkeeping for Homeschool students
· Requirements for Graduation in New Hampshire
· Switching from Homeschool to Public School
*This information is by no means intended as legal advice; its purpose is merely informational. It is each parent’s responsibility to get informed and understand the applicable homeschooling laws which regulate homeschooling in his or her state.
Requirements and Laws on Homeschooling in New Hampshire
Homeschooling families in New Hampshire are required by law to observe the following requirements:
1. Submit a notification of intention to homeschool to the principal of the local school within 5 days of starting the homeschool. The notice shall include the names, addresses and ages of all students attending the homeschool.
2. Ensure each child between 6-18 years receives instruction on the mandatory subjects.
3. Assess the homeschoolers every year to monitor academic progress.
4. Maintain a portfolio for every school year of the work samples completed by every student.
5. Inform the education department if any of the students graduate before 18 years of age.
Teach the mandatory subjects
Every child between 6 and 18 years is required to study the following subjects:
o Mathematics
o History
o Science
o Government
o Reading, Writing, Spelling
o Art and Music
o Health
o Language
o New Hampshire’s history of constitution as well as that of the United States
Notice of Intent to Homeschool in New Hampshire and Evaluation Records
This is a letter written by the parent to the school district or a registration done online informing the school of the intention to start a homeschool program on your child. The notice should observe the following rules:
· Submit the notification within 5 days of starting the home study program. The notice should be addressed to either; the school principal, the superintendent of the local school or the commissioner of the education department in New Hampshire.
· The notification must include the names, ages and addresses of students between 6 and 18 years in the homeschool.
Most families submit the notice to the public school in their district.
Annual Assessments for Homeschoolers in New Hampshire
Parents can do any of the following to fulfill this requirement:
· Elect a certified teacher or a private school teacher to review the child’s portfolio and have a discussion with parent or the student to complete the academic progress report which shall be in written form.
· Results of the standardized test used by the local district, with a 40% score or more.
· A valid assessment method chosen by both the agency and the parent.
· Results of any achievement exam given by a person qualified by the publisher or provider with a 40% score or more.
Notice for Homeschoolers Under 18 in New Hampshire Graduating
Students below the age of 18 years and who have completed a home study program up to high school level may be exempted form compulsory school attendance. Parents are thus required to submit a letter of completion or a certificate to the education department.
Recordkeeping for Homeschoolers in New Hampshire
Parents are responsible for creating homeschool portfolios for every school year including every student’s work samples. The records must be maintained for at least two years after the last day of homeschooling. Students may take part in creating the portfolio with the parents by suggesting their favorite work they would wish to be included in the portfolio. The page on Homeschool Portfolios helps in the creation process.
Parents are required to keep a copy of every student’s end of year assessment which assists in proper placement of the student in case they transfer to a public school or private school. For students who wish to join college after high school, creating a high school transcript has proven to be beneficial.
Requirements for Graduation in New Hampshire
Homeschool parents in New Hampshire are free to set the graduation requirements for their student. Parents also determine if and when their student will graduate and are also able to award a high school diploma under their own terms. Parents are advised to consult with colleges the student may be interested in to know the requirements the child must meet so as to align the homeschool goals and curriculum with those requirements.
The chart below shows the comparison between graduation requirements in public school and homeschool in New Hampshire.
| Public/Private School | Homeschool | |
|---|---|---|
|
Diploma requirements in New Hampshire |
20 credit hours are required in the following subjects: science, mathematics, English, World History or Geography, Physical Education, Health, art, ICT (Information and Communications Technology), history and government of New Hampshire and the US, and 6 electives. |
Parents in New Hampshire have the liberty to determine when their student will graduate. They then proceed to award the high school diploma under their own terms. |
| Testing requirements in New Hampshire | Students in grade 11 take the New Hampshire SAS for science and the Collage Board School Day SAT. |
There is no law in New Hampshire that compels or forces homeschoolers to undertake a test as a requirement in order to graduate high school. Students may choose to undertake the EOC evaluations with the approval of the school district. |
|
New Hampshire high school transcripts |
Students may request for their transcript by submitting a complete form to the department of education at a $20 fee for every transcript. |
Parents in New Hampshire can create the homeschoolers’ transcripts which may include information they considered relevant to institutions the homeschoolers may intend to apply to. This may include schools, colleges, workplace organizations, or the military. |
|
High school course credits in New Hampshire |
Students are required to complete 20 hours of credit including: 2 science, 3 math, 2 history and social studies, 4 English, 1⁄2 Economics, 1⁄2 health, 1⁄2 art, 1 physical education, 1⁄2 information and communication technology (ICT) and 6 electives. |
Many parents in New Hampshire choose to specify or assign academic credits to the courses taken during the homeschooling period as this may aid during the transcript creation process. |
|
Eligibility for GED in New Hampshire |
Students who reside in New Hampshire at the time of the exam who are 18 years and above are eligible to take the test. Students below 18 years are required to file for a waiver to be eligible. |
Homeschoolers in New Hampshire are eligible if they meet the same criteria as public school students. |
Homeschool High School Transcript Template
Track your homeschooler’s credits, courses, and accomplishments with this free homeschool high school transcript template.
Download the transcript template
Switching from Homeschooling to Public School in New Hampshire
Each school has different procedures and regulations to be observed while enrolling new students. It is the parent’s responsibility to consult with the school he/she chooses for the student to get the specific procedure on enrollment. Some schools may allow the parent to decide what grade the student should be placed while others may request homeschooling academic records for review. Other schools may require the student to take a placement test.
Lernsys Homeschooling makes it easy to keep a summary of the curriculum used including grades, topics covered, quiz and test scores, teacher credentials, etc.
Additional Resources Related to Homeschooling in New Hampshire
Have other questions about homeschooling in New Hampshire? You may find the following pages helpful.
