New Jersey Homeschooling Legal Requirements
See the Full list of Homeschooling Requirements by State [1]
Below is a quick reference guide on the homeschooling requirements for the state of New Jersey. For more information on the legal requirements visit the HSLDA New Jersey [2] page.
How to Homeschool for Free is not a source of legal counsel or advice.
Here is some of what you need to know about homeschooling in New Jersey per the HSLDA:
Under New Jersey law, you must give your child an education that is academically “equivalent” to what he or she would receive at school.
“Equivalent” does not mean “identical.” In practice, if parents have been making a good-faith effort to give their child an education that is appropriate for the child’s age and covers the major subjects, the courts have not ordered them to stop homeschooling.
For comparison purposes, New Jersey’s public high schools usually offer instruction in the following areas:
- language arts (4 years),
- math (3 years),
- science (3 years),
- world history (1 year),
- civics and/or U.S. and New Jersey history (2 years),
- health/safety/physical education (2.5 hours per week for 4 years),
- financial/economic or business/entrepreneurial (1 semester),
- visual or performing arts (1 year),
- foreign language (1 year, or show proficiency),
- career/technical/vocational (1 year), and
- “technological literacy,” civics, economics, geography, and “global content” (not as separate subjects, but “integrated” throughout).
Also for comparison purposes, the GED tests reading, writing, social studies, science, and math.
Note: School districts occasionally demand that families send written notice that they are homeschooling, or get approval from the district—but these are not required under the law.
Visit the HSLDA New Jersey [2] page for more information on homeschooling in New Jersey.
Be sure to join our How to Homeschool for Free Facebook Support Group [3] for daily help, freebies, encouragement, and more to support you in your homeschooling journey!
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