What homeschool forms and reports does my state require?

The homeschool forms and reports your family may need are determined by the laws of the state where your student lives and, in some locations, by procedures established by your local school district or superintendent.

These are state or local homeschool requirements, not forms that you submit to Homeschool Pro.

There is no single nationwide set of homeschool forms. Some states require only an initial notice or registration. Others may also require an instruction plan, attendance records, periodic progress reports, annual testing, evaluations, portfolios, or other documentation.

For example, New York requires an Individualized Home Instruction Plan, commonly called an IHIP, along with quarterly reports and an annual assessment. North Carolina requires families to file a Notice of Intent and maintain attendance, immunization, and annual standardized testing records. Texas does not operate a state homeschool registration system, although a school district may request a written letter of assurance when a student is withdrawn to homeschool. Pennsylvania directs families to review their local school district’s policy to determine which forms and information must be filed.

Your Homeschool Advisor can help you understand which requirements apply to your family, locate the appropriate forms, review deadlines, and assist you with preparing the paperwork.

Important: Purchasing Homeschool Pro and completing the Learner Enrollment Form do not register your homeschool with your state or school district. The Learner Enrollment Form is used to create your Homeschool Pro student accounts.

See How Advisor Support Can Help With State Forms

Some states require significantly more homeschool paperwork than others.

New York families, for example, may need to prepare an IHIP, quarterly reports, and annual assessment documentation. The IHIP identifies the curriculum materials or plan of instruction for the required subjects, while the quarterly reports document progress and instructional time.

In this video, a New York Homeschool Pro parent shares her experience with IHIP forms and the support she received while navigating her state’s homeschool paperwork.

See how Homeschool Advisor support helped one New York family understand and prepare required homeschool forms and reports.

Your state may have very different requirements, but your advisor can provide guidance based on where your student lives.

Why Do Homeschool Requirements Vary?

Homeschooling is governed primarily at the state level. As a result, the paperwork required in one state may be completely different from the paperwork required in another.

Requirements may depend on factors such as:

• The state where the student lives
• The student’s age or grade level
• Whether the student is currently enrolled in another school
• Whether this is the family’s first year homeschooling
• The homeschool option the family uses
• Whether forms are handled by a state office or local district
• Whether the student moves during the school year
• Whether the student is approaching high school graduation

Even within the same state, a local school district may have its own submission method, contact person, or preferred form.

What Types of Homeschool Forms Might My State Require?

Depending on your location, your family may need to complete or maintain one or more of the following.

Notice of Intent or Homeschool Registration

A Notice of Intent tells the appropriate state agency, superintendent, or school district that the parent plans to educate the student at home.

It may request information such as:

• The parent or homeschool administrator’s name
• The student’s name and age
• The student’s address
• The homeschool start date
• The student’s grade level
• The homeschool name, when applicable
• The names of the people providing instruction
• Proof of the parent’s education, in states where this is required

Some states require a notice only when the homeschool is first established. Others require an annual filing or update.

North Carolina, for example, requires qualifying families to file a Notice of Intent before operating a homeschool.

School Withdrawal Documentation

If your student currently attends a public or private school, you may also need to complete that school’s withdrawal procedure.

The school may request:

• A parent withdrawal letter
• A copy of the homeschool Notice of Intent
• A registration acknowledgment
• A district withdrawal form
• A letter confirming that the student will be homeschooled
• The student’s final date of attendance

The correct order can matter. In some states, the family should complete the homeschool filing before withdrawing the student from school.

Contact your Homeschool Advisor before withdrawing when possible so you can understand the procedure that applies in your state.

Homeschool Pro does not send a school-to-school records request because your student is beginning independent homeschooling rather than transferring into RemoteLearning.School as a conventional school.

Curriculum Plan or Home Instruction Plan

Some states require parents to describe what the student will study during the school year.

This document may be called:

• A homeschool education plan
• A curriculum outline
• A plan of instruction
• A home instruction plan
• An Individualized Home Instruction Plan
• An IHIP
• A curriculum narrative
• A list of subjects and materials

It may request information about:

• Required subjects
• Curriculum names
• Homeschool Pro classes
• Course descriptions
• Textbooks or online resources
• Syllabi
• Instructional activities
• Methods of evaluation
• Approximate reporting dates

New York’s IHIP process requires families to provide curriculum materials, syllabi, textbooks, or a plan of instruction for the required subjects.

Your advisor can help describe Homeschool Pro classes and materials in the format requested by your state or district.

Attendance Records

Some states require parents to maintain attendance records.

These records may include:

• Dates on which instruction occurred
• Total school days
• Instructional hours
• Absences
• The beginning and ending dates of the school year

Attendance may need to be reported periodically, submitted at the end of the year, or simply kept in the family’s homeschool records.

North Carolina requires homeschools to maintain annual attendance records and operate on a regular schedule during at least nine calendar months of the year, excluding reasonable holidays and vacations.

Your Homeschool Advisor can provide an attendance log if your family needs one.

Quarterly or Periodic Progress Reports

Some states require progress reports during the school year.

A report may include:

• Subjects studied
• Topics completed
• A numerical grade
• A narrative evaluation
• Instructional hours
• Student progress
• Changes from the original homeschool plan

New York quarterly reports are used to document the student’s progress and compliance with the state’s home instruction requirements.

Your advisor can help you organize the courses, topics, progress information, and instructional time needed for this type of report.

Annual Testing or Evaluation Reports

Some states require an annual assessment of the student’s academic progress.

Depending on the state, this may involve:

• A nationally standardized achievement test
• A written narrative evaluation
• A portfolio review
• An evaluation by a qualified teacher
• Another approved assessment method

The results may need to be submitted, or the parent may only need to keep them on file.

For example, North Carolina requires annual standardized achievement testing, but the test records are generally maintained at the homeschool and made available to the Division of Non-Public Education when requested.

Portfolio or Work Samples

Some states require families to maintain a portfolio or collection of student work.

A homeschool portfolio may include:

• Worksheets
• Writing samples
• Reading lists
• Projects
• Photos of hands-on activities
• Quiz and test results
• Instructor-graded assignments
• Course lists
• Attendance records
• Progress reports
• Standardized test results
• Certificates
• Course syllabi

Even when a portfolio is not legally required, keeping selected work samples can be helpful for family records, evaluations, high school planning, future school enrollment, and college preparation.

Health or Immunization Records

Some states require homeschool families to maintain certain health or immunization records.

These records may not need to be submitted automatically. The family may only need to keep them in the homeschool file and make them available if requested by the appropriate authority.

North Carolina, for example, instructs homeschools to maintain immunization records along with attendance and annual testing records.

Homeschool Pro does not require families to provide vaccination records because Homeschool Pro is a curriculum, not the student’s public or private school. Any recordkeeping requirement comes from the family’s state law.

Annual Updates, Renewals, or Closing Notices

Your state may require an update when:

• A new student is added
• A student graduates
• The family changes its address
• The homeschool name changes
• The homeschool moves to another county or district
• The family stops homeschooling
• The student returns to public or private school
• The homeschool closes

Do not assume that the initial homeschool filing is the only form your family will ever need.

Do I Submit Every Homeschool Record to the State?

No. There is an important difference between:

1. A form or report that must be submitted, and
2. A record that must only be maintained by the parent.

For example:

• New York families submit an IHIP, quarterly reports, and annual assessment information to the appropriate school district.
• North Carolina families file a Notice of Intent, but attendance, immunization, and annual testing records are generally maintained at the homeschool and produced when requested.
• Texas does not require families to register their homeschool with the Texas Education Agency, although a withdrawing school district may request a letter of assurance.
• Pennsylvania advises families to review their local school district’s policy to determine which forms and information must be filed.

Do not automatically submit every record your family creates unless the applicable instructions tell you to do so.

Your advisor can help you distinguish between:

• What must be submitted
• What must be kept on file
• What is optional but recommended
• What should be retained for high school, college, or future school enrollment

Does Homeschool Pro Submit the Forms for Me?

No. RemoteLearning.School does not submit homeschool forms or reports to your state, school district, superintendent, previous school, or another government office.

The parent or legal guardian remains responsible for:

• Reviewing the completed document
• Confirming that the information is correct
• Signing it when required
• Submitting it to the correct office
• Meeting the applicable deadline
• Keeping proof of submission
• Responding to any follow-up request

Your Homeschool Advisor can help you prepare the paperwork, but the parent must complete the final submission.

How Can My Homeschool Advisor Help?

Your advisor may help you:

• Identify the agency or district responsible for homeschooling
• Locate current official forms
• Understand the form instructions
• Identify filing and reporting deadlines
• Prepare a Notice of Intent
• Draft a school withdrawal letter
• Complete curriculum narratives
• Prepare an IHIP
• Describe Homeschool Pro classes and materials
• Organize quarterly reports
• Prepare attendance records
• Understand testing or evaluation requirements
• Organize a homeschool portfolio
• Review paperwork for missing information
• Respond to a district request
• Organize high school credits, transcripts, and graduation records

Depending on the document, your advisor may provide a sample, suggest wording, help complete the form, or review what you have prepared.

The advisor’s role is to guide you through the process. The parent remains responsible for making the final decisions and submitting the documents.

Do I Have to Use My Homeschool Advisor?

No. Homeschool Advisor support is optional.

Families who already understand their state requirements may complete the process independently.

You can email your advisor:

• Before beginning homeschooling
• Whenever a form or deadline is unclear
• Only when a question comes up
• Regularly throughout the year
• Not at all, if you do not need assistance

You remain in control of your homeschool and decide how much advisor support your family uses.

When Should I Contact My Advisor?

Contact your advisor as early as possible when:

• You are preparing to withdraw a student from school
• You are beginning homeschooling for the first time
• You recently moved to another state
• You received a form or letter from a district
• You do not understand a reporting requirement
• A filing deadline is approaching
• Your homeschool plan was returned for corrections
• You need help preparing an IHIP
• You need help preparing a quarterly report
• You are unsure whether a record must be submitted or retained
• Your high school student needs transcript or graduation planning

It is generally easier to prepare the correct paperwork from the beginning than to correct a missed or incomplete filing later.

What Should I Include When Emailing My Advisor?

To help your advisor provide the most useful answer, include:

• Your state
• Your school district or county, when relevant
• The student’s age and grade level
• Whether the student currently attends another school
• The date you plan to begin homeschooling
• The name of the form or report
• The deadline shown on the document
• Any message received from the district or state office
• Your specific question

Attach the form, letter, or instructions when possible. This allows the advisor to review the exact document rather than trying to determine which version you received.

What If I Have Not Been Assigned an Advisor Yet?

Your Homeschool Advisor is assigned when your student accounts are set up.

The advisor’s name and email address are included in the welcome email containing the student login information.

If you recently completed the Learner Enrollment Form and have not received the welcome email yet, an advisor may not have been assigned.

If you previously received the email but cannot find it or do not remember your advisor’s name, contact Customer Service. We can check and tell you who your advisor is.

How Do I Know Whether a Form Is Current?

Homeschool laws, forms, and procedures can change.

Whenever possible:

1. Use the official state, education department, homeschool office, or school district website.
2. Check the date or school year printed on the form.
3. Confirm whether your local district has its own version.
4. Read the complete instructions.
5. Ask your advisor to review an unfamiliar form.
6. Avoid relying only on an old social media post or another family’s paperwork.

A form that was correct for another family may not be correct for your state, district, grade level, or school year.

What If My District Requests Additional Information?

Do not ignore the request.

Send your advisor:

• The complete request
• The date it was received
• The response deadline
• Any form provided
• The paperwork you already submitted

Your advisor can help you understand what is being requested and prepare an appropriate response.

If the request involves a legal disagreement or an interpretation beyond ordinary form assistance, you may also need to contact the appropriate state homeschool office or a qualified legal professional.

What If I Move to Another State?

Homeschool requirements are based on where the student currently lives.

When your family moves, the forms used in the previous state may no longer apply. The new state may require:

• A new Notice of Intent
• A new homeschool registration
• A closing notice in the former state
• New attendance records
• Different testing
• A new curriculum plan
• Different reporting deadlines

Contact your Homeschool Advisor and provide:

• The previous state
• The new state
• The date of the move
• The student’s age and grade
• Whether homeschooling will continue without interruption

Do not assume that a filing completed in the previous state transfers automatically to the new state.

What If My State Has Very Few Filing Requirements?

You should still keep organized homeschool records.

We recommend maintaining:

• Attendance
• Current classes
• Grades
• Quiz and test results
• Completed worksheets
• Writing samples
• Major assignments and projects
• Reading lists
• Standardized test results, when used
• Previous school records
• High school credits
• Transcripts
• Graduation documentation

These records can be useful if the student:

• Returns to public or private school
• Applies to college
• Applies for a scholarship
• Seeks employment
• Enters the military
• Participates in an evaluation
• Needs proof of completed coursework
• Transfers to another homeschool arrangement

Keep Proof of Every Submission

Whenever you submit a homeschool form or report, retain a copy for your records.

Also keep:

• Confirmation emails
• Online submission reference numbers
• Screenshots of confirmation pages
• Certified mail receipts
• Delivery confirmations
• District responses
• Acknowledgment letters
• Corrected versions
• Dates of important communications

Consider creating one digital or physical folder for each school year so everything is easy to locate later.

The Bottom Line

The homeschool forms and reports your family needs depend on your state, district, student age, and homeschool situation.

You may need documents such as:

• A Notice of Intent
• A school withdrawal letter
• A curriculum or instruction plan
• An IHIP
• Attendance records
• Quarterly progress reports
• Annual testing or evaluations
• A portfolio
• Health or immunization records
• Annual updates or closing notices

These are state or local homeschool requirements. They are not forms submitted to Homeschool Pro.

Some documents must be submitted, while others only need to remain in your homeschool records.

Your Homeschool Advisor can help identify what applies, locate the correct forms, explain the instructions, assist with preparing reports, and review your paperwork. The parent or legal guardian is responsible for signing and submitting the final documents to the appropriate authority.

Related Articles

What are the state requirements if I decide to homeschool my child?

Will my Homeschool Advisor submit homeschool forms for me?

What is a Homeschool Advisor and how can they help?

I don’t know who my Homeschool Advisor is

Will Homeschool Pro send a records request to my child’s previous school?

Do I need to provide vaccination records?