How to start homeschooling in New Jersey
Everything New Jersey asks of a homeschool family, in order, from the state’s own sources, checked October 1, 2026. Each step links to a free tool that does it, and there’s a checklist to print at the end.
Step by step
Know what New Jersey requires
N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25 lets a parent cause a child to receive instruction equivalent to that in the public schools elsewhere than at school. The state sets no notice, curriculum, testing or record requirements.
Required school ages in New Jersey: 6 to 16. Teacher qualification for this option: Parent is not required to be a certified teacher.
If your child is in school now, withdraw in writing
Send the school a dated withdrawal letter saying your child will be educated at home, and keep a copy. New Jersey doesn’t require a separate notice under this option, so the letter is the school’s record that your child has left.
No notice to file
New Jersey doesn’t require a notice or registration under this option.
Notice is voluntary; NJDOE encourages parents to notify the local board of education. The FAQ notes written notice is expected only in limited cases (e.g. when a district refuses enrollment and the parent does not appeal, or when withdrawing a child from high school).
Plan your school year: days and hours
New Jersey doesn’t set a number of days or hours for this option.
No minimum days specified. No minimum hours specified.
Planning about 180 days, as schools do, gives the year a shape and makes a move to another state easier.
Cover the required subjects
New Jersey doesn’t list required subjects for this option.
Instruction must be 'equivalent' to public school instruction for children of similar grades and attainments; the law does not list subjects and does not require or authorize the local board to review or approve the curriculum.
Testing or evaluation
Not required under this option.
The local board is not required or authorized to test the child; no state or district standardized test is required.
Keep records anyway
New Jersey doesn’t require records under this option.
Our suggestion: keep attendance, a reading log and a few work samples each year. A move to another state, a college, or a question from the district is much easier with them.
Start teaching
Put your books on a lesson schedule, and the planner spreads the lessons across your school days and moves them when a day is missed. Log attendance in a tap, and keep grades, a portfolio and a transcript as you go.
High school and graduation
Homeschooled students do not receive a state-endorsed diploma from a district; NJDOE points to state-issued diploma routes such as the high school equivalency (GED) test or college credits.
Official sources for this option
Not confirmed on an official page: N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25 was not read from a standalone official statute page; its current text was confirmed from the NJDOE FAQ and from current-law language quoted in 2026 bill S280 (a pending bill, not enacted, that would lower the start age to 5). Check these points with the state or your local school district before you rely on them; everything else above comes from the official sources listed.
Your New Jersey checklist
Homeschool Corral · How to start homeschooling in New Jersey · homeschoolcorral.com
- Read New Jersey’s rules for “Equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school”
- Withdraw from school in writing (if enrolled), and keep a copy
- Set the first and last day, school days and breaks
- Choose curriculum for each required subject
- Start a simple attendance log and reading log
- Make a first-week plan and start
Questions New Jersey parents ask
Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in New Jersey?
No. New Jersey doesn’t require a notice or registration.
How many days or hours do homeschoolers need in New Jersey?
No minimum days specified. No minimum hours specified.
Do homeschoolers have to take tests in New Jersey?
No. The local board is not required or authorized to test the child; no state or district standardized test is required.
Do I need a teaching certificate to homeschool in New Jersey?
Parent is not required to be a certified teacher.
What subjects are required in New Jersey?
New Jersey doesn’t list required subjects.
What records do I need to keep in New Jersey?
New Jersey doesn’t require records. Keeping attendance, a reading log and work samples is still wise.
Keep going
This is a plain-English summary of the state’s official sources, checked on the date shown. It is not legal advice, and laws change. Read the linked official pages, and check with the state or your local school district if anything is unclear.
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