Important Legal Update:
HB 1268, the bill that rewrites New Hampshire’s home education law, was signed by Governor Ayotte on Friday, July 10, and is now law. Among the most notable changes are the elimination of the notification requirement for most homeschooling families, the portfolio requirement, and the annual assessment requirement. Notification is still required in certain circumstances, such as when a family intends to use public school services or withdraw a child who is already enrolled in public school. The NH Department of Education has provided a helpful FAQ sheet.
The NHHC is reviewing the new statute and will update our legal requirements page as quickly as possible. In the meantime, please be aware that many websites, articles, and other homeschooling resources may still reflect the previous law until organizations have had an opportunity to update their materials. Until our website has been updated, if you have questions about how the new law applies to your family, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
The information below does not necessarily apply to the new law and may no longer be relevant. Updates are in progress.
The following information is provided as a courtesy to families in New Hampshire and is not intended as legal advice. It is only applicable to those home educating under RSA 193-A. If you are using an Education Freedom Account or another educational pathway, you are governed by a different legal statute. Please see our Education Pathways page. We strongly encourage you to read and understand the text of the education law relevant to the program you intend to implement prior to beginning that program.
Portfolio
Parents are required to keep a portfolio of the child’s work related to the home education program for at least two years after the instruction is completed. The portfolio is the sole property of the parents.
Your portfolio should include a log of reading materials used, as well as samples of your child’s work (examples: writings, worksheets, workbooks, photo or video documentation, materials used or developed by the child, etc.).
If you plan to use the portfolio method for your evaluation, you will want to include enough samples of your child’s work so the evaluator can determine that educational progress has been made. One or two pages of work in each of the subject areas your child has studied, taken at three different times of the year, is often sufficient to demonstrate progress. Exact requirements may vary depending on the evaluator.
Please see our complete Legal Requirements page for comprehensive information on homeschooling under RSA 193:A.