Below is a summary of New Jersey Homeschool Laws to help you ensure your homeschool is compliant.
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Note: The information below is not to be considered legal advice. I’m a homeschool mom with an interest in helping you, not a lawyer. I strongly recommend that you contact your state education department if you have questions specific to your circumstances.
Homeschool
New Jersey basically has no requirements for your homeschool. Seriously!
Basically, if you cover the major subjects and progress similar to the path of a public school student, you’re good to go!
Can I Teach?
There is no requirement for you to meet in order to teach.
Do I Have to Notify the State?
No. Generally you do not need to notify the state. However, the Department of Education does provide the two following exceptions (that probably don’t apply to you):
- If you attempt to register a student in a local school district and the district refuses to enroll the student, you may provide the district with an intent to appeal such denial. If you do not provide the district with an intent to appeal, you are required to provide a statement of verification regarding whether the student will be attending school in another school district or a nonpublic school, or will be receiving instruction elsewhere than at school.
- If you decide to remove an enrolled student from his/her high school educational program, you will be required to complete a transfer form which includes information related to the intent to provide instruction elsewhere than at school.
The New Jersey Department of Education recommends that you notify your local board of education in writing of your intent to homeschool so your child isn’t marked absent.
How Many Days a Year do I Have to Teach?
New Jersey does not have a requirement for the number of school days or hours. For your reference, New Jersey’s public school year is 180 days.
I strongly recommend keeping attendance records, even though they shouldn’t be required by the state or your school district.
Compulsory Attendance Age
The compulsory attendance age is the age range in which your child must be attending school of some type.
In New Jersey, this is from when they turn 6 years old until they turn 16 years old or have graduated.
Public School Sports
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) allows homeschoolers to participate in extracurricular activities with approval from the local school district. However, there’s no legal requirement for your school district to allow your child to participate, so it isn’t a guarantee.
Contact your local school for more information.
Wrapping Up
Hopefully this summary of New Jersey Homeschool Laws gets you started on your homeschool journey with your family!
If you’re just getting started, you’re probably feeling a bit overwhelmed.
The Home Learning Kit can help!
It’s a package of handy learning tools to make your homeschool more fun and engaging, curated by yours truly. Check it out!
