Welcome homeschool families,

Genesee Valley BOCES has been contracted by school districts in Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Steuben, and Wyoming counties to manage the collection and evaluation of all documents pertaining to homeschooling. If you reside in one of these school districts and intend to educate your child at home, this website will furnish you with up-to-date information about homeschooling, including the necessary forms and valuable resources for parents.

The Genesee Valley BOCES staff is responsible for coordinating the process of verifying the competence and substantial equivalence of instruction provided to home-schooled students. They will assess individualized Home Instruction Plans (IHIPs), quarterly reports, and annual assessments. Furthermore, they are available to address inquiries or provide assistance regarding home instruction, both from districts and parents. Ultimately, the superintendent of the student's resident school determines the competence and substantial equivalence of the instruction based on reports from the home school monitoring team at Genesee Valley BOCES.

At Genesee Valley BOCES, we recognize that meaningful education can take many forms. Our Homeschool Monitoring service partners with school districts to support families who choose to homeschool, ensuring compliance with New York State’s education regulations.

Our role is to coordinate the receipt, review, and tracking of all mandated documentation, including:

• Letters of Intent

• Individualized Home Instruction Plans (IHIPs)

• Quarterly Progress Reports

• Annual Assessments

We maintain secure student records and databases, assist families with understanding regulatory expectations, and provide regular compliance updates to participating districts.

Who Can Participate
Children who turn six on or before December 1 must receive full-time instruction that year. Students are required to remain in instruction until the end of the school year in which they turn sixteen, unless otherwise exempted.

Required Instructional Time

• Grades K–6: 900 hours annually (≈225 hours per quarter)

• Grades 7–12: 990 hours annually (≈250 hours per quarter)

If less than 80% of planned coursework is completed in a quarter, a written explanation is required.

Include on All Submissions
When submitting documents, please include:

• Student name, grade, and full home address

• Parent/guardian contact info (name, phone, email)

• School district of residence

• Clearly labeled document title (e.g., "2nd Quarter Report")

We recommend retaining personal copies of all submitted records. If documentation will be delayed, notify us by phone or email.

Required Documentation
To remain in compliance, families must submit:

• Letter of Intent: Due by July 1 or within 14 days of beginning instruction

• IHIP: Due by August 15 or within 4 weeks of starting homeschooling, whichever is later

• Quarterly Reports: Four are required, spaced evenly across the school year

• Annual Assessment: Submitted with the fourth quarter report

  
  

(Templates and additional information are available on our Documents & Resources page.

Annual Assessments
Assessment frequency is based on grade level:

• Grades 1-3: Narrative Assessment Report or Commercial Assessment annually

• Grades 4–8: Commercial Assessment every other year (minimum); may employ Narrative Assessment Report on opposite years

• Grades 9–12: Commercial Assessment annually 

Assessments can be administered by a parent or a New York State certified teacher. Families are responsible for securing and administering assessments. Plan ahead to allow time for ordering and delivery.

(Visit the Documents & Resources page for test options and links to approved publishers.)

Graduation and Equivalency Letters
Homeschooled students do not earn a NYS-accredited diploma, but may pursue a Superintendent’s Letter of Completion for higher education, financial aid, or community college enrollment. To qualify for a Superintendent’s Letter of Completion, consistent documentation for all four years of high school is required. This documentation is essential for:

• College admissions

• Community college dual enrollment

• NYS Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) eligibility

• Purposes of Employment 

Please note: Online diplomas obtained while residing in New York State are not recognized by the State Education Department.

(More information is available on our Transcripts & Graduation page.)

For more information, contact:

Sandra Lee James 
Program Assistant
(585) 344-7537

Casey VanEpps
Homeschool Administrator
(585) 344 or 658-7625

Patrick Whipple, Ph.D.
Director of Professional Learning Services
(585) 344-7594

A dedicated email address for homeschooling has been set up. 
Please click this link for the email