New Hampshire has been a pioneer state in many things, including becoming the first state with its constitution. The history of homeschooling in New Hampshire is no different. The state provides options and quality for home-based education.
New Hampshire requires the student to be in the age range of six to eighteen years old to be eligible for homeschooling; a letter of intent must be submitted before the beginning of the school year. The parent must be associated with a qualified homeschooling education agency.
While homeschooling, or home-based learning, is legal everywhere in the US, here you will learn specifically about New Hampshire homeschool regulations.
Homeschooling Options
New Hampshire offers the ability for tutors or parents to homeschool if they comply with the state’s set of standards.
When it comes to options, you will have three possible routes you could take since the state doesn’t offer the parents the opportunity to embark on homeschooling on their own; instead, the tutor needs an affiliation from any of these entities:
- Homeschooling through a public school agency.
- Contacting the district superintendent.
- Through a private school homeschooling agency.
Local homeschooling groups from New Hampshire suggest that new parents first see a private agency that provides homeschooling services until they get familiarized with the process. Private school records help the state have standardized files.
Here’s a list of top-rated education agencies that could help you get a clearer vision of where to go.
Before You Begin Homeschooling
Unlike other states that don’t have an age minimum to partake in homeschooling lessons, New Hampshire’s homeschooling law specifies only students from six years old to eighteen are eligible to be homeschooled.
Homeschooling in New Hampshire is a well-established organized process. Guardians or parents who plan to embark on the homeschooling journey must submit a letter of intent to homeschool (one per student) five days before lessons start, notifying specific agencies they will be reporting to.
The homeschooling letter of intent must contain the following:
- Date of homeschool program initiation
- Student’s name, date of birth, and address
- Tutor’s/Guardian’s full name and address in their contact information
Although it is not required for the letter to be notarized, the suggested arrival method for this notification is certified mail since it’s easier to validate proof. This service offers notifications once the designated education agency receives them.
Whether moving districts within an active school year or choosing to move to face-to-face classes, the parents are obligated to notify their education agency of all movements regarding the student.
This is important since New Hampshire has an age range for homeschooling; for instance, if the student completes the 12 grades before turning eighteen, the education program chosen must also be submitted with its beginning and end date to validate its completion.
Choosing A Homeschool Curriculum
New Hampshire doesn’t mandate parents to go off a particular educational curriculum. Families are open to choosing the company, curriculum, and learning style that works best for them from various companies.
It is best to research and compare different programs to find which method of learning and teaching is most suitable for each family. Below is a short list of curriculum companies to get your search started.
- Time4Writing
- Alpha Omega Publications
- School House Teachers
- Abeka Homeschool
- ABC Mouse
- Adventure Academy
- Math-U-See
- Calvert Homeschool
The state requires by law that regardless of the origin of the curriculum, the following subjects must be included:
- Writing
- Science
- Math
- Language
- History
- Health
- Government
- Reading
- Art/Music
- Spelling
- History of the constitution of New Hampshire.
Record Keeping For Homeschooled Students
Since there will be an assigned agency in the homeschooling process, parents are likely instructed on how the record-keeping process works.
For each school year, the tutor must keep a portfolio of all the child’s work per student. The file needs to include all the reading material and writing examples, assessments, and worksheets used in class.
Aside from the student portfolio, parents are encouraged to create attendance records and file them to give the child an organized overall experience.
The portfolio must be kept for at least two years if proof of completion is required from the state for a school transfer or if the student pursues secondary education.
Homeschooling and Special Education Services
Special needs kids can thrive in a homeschooling scenario, and in New Hampshire, it is no different.
Special needs students can take homeschooling lessons; the only difference will be that the curriculum will vary depending on the condition, meaning it has to work for the child, although the mandatory subjects remain all across the board.
All states are called to identify and evaluate any child from birth to age twenty-one to verify if they fall in the special needs section; this is a scenario in which New Hampshire’s age minimum has an exception.
Testing and Graduation Requirements
Homeschooling parents can make their student transcripts, including whatever information they think will be helpful to universities, the army, or future employers. Homeschoolers are not obligated to take any tests to graduate.
The parent is responsible for arranging the student’s graduation requirements, often aligned with the mandatory subjects to be taught.
It is also important to highlight that the parent and tutor must consider the academic requirements of each college a student will be applying to upon graduation. The policies set by each facility should offer a guide to what classes to complete before high school graduation.
In some cases, homeschooled students will need to take or retake courses in specific grade levels or be re-evaluated before being awarded college admittance.
Field Trips For Homeschooled Students
Students encounter new people, areas, and situations when they leave the classroom and enter the real world. They would be able to experience these in a way they would read about in a textbook, which is why field trips are so beneficial.
In New Hampshire, field trips will add substantial value to the learning experience due to their unique history. Here are a few suggested places for field trips;
- Hannah Duston Massacre Site Statue – Although it might sound a bit graphic for a kid to learn about a massacre, they need to be well aware of the history of their surroundings, making this site a rich place of learning.
- UMBAGOG LAKE STATE PARK And ECHO LAKE STATE PARK These parks will offer an excellent outdoor experience making it ideal for children nowadays since they lack that outdoor familiarity.
- American Independence Museum This museum commemorates the efforts that went into establishing the liberties that Americans enjoy today, which can help you give perspective to your kid.
Homeschool Associations, Groups, and Co-Ops
Support groups and co-ops for homeschoolers are present all around New Hampshire. These groups bring families together to review advice, thoughts, and educational methods, providing much-needed support to new and seasoned homeschoolers.
Due to covid, New Hampshire’s homeschooling community has been increasing, creating more support groups for parents; here are a few groups that can help you paint a better idea of where to reach out for help outside of the norm:
- Monadnock Homeschoolers
- Lakes Region Homeschoolers
- We Are Home Educators
- Central NH Homeschoolers
- New Hampshire Homeschooling Coalition
- UnschoolingNH
- Relaxed Homeschoolers of New Hampshire
Conclusion
Homeschooling is a very viable option in New Hampshire, and with its demanding increase, way more facilities have been created and will continue to come for tutors.
Unlike other states, New Hampshire seems to have more established rules about what educational results they expect from the homeschooling student and provides solid reference material for guidance.
New Hampshire offers many facilities for its tutors/guardians since it doesn’t; land all of the responsibility in them with the assignment of the education agency, creating a more sustainable system for both the parent and the student.
Sources:
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/xv/193/193-1.htm
https://nhhomeschooling.org/non-public-schools/
https://www.movingbeyondthepage.com/how-to-homeschool-in-your-state/homeschooling-in-new-hampshire/
https://www.time4learning.com/homeschooling/new-hampshire/laws-requirements.html
https://granitestatehomeeducators.org/where-to-begin/children-with-special-needs/
