Due to the disappointment with the teaching quality, basic literacy and numeracy levels, and large class sizes within the largest public school system in America, more and more parents in New York are choosing to opt out of the system. Data shows that over the past 15 years, the number of families in New York State choosing to homeschool has skyrocketed by over 200%, making it the fastest-growing education type in the region.
According to the latest statistical analysis from the New York Post for the 2025-2026 academic year, there are currently 53,905 children homeschooling in New York State, a number that has more than tripled since the 2009-2010 school year.
The number of children being homeschooled in New York City has exceeded 14,000, with a nearly 8% increase since 2023, surpassing the growth rate of charter schools by 3.1%.
The significant increase in homeschooling reflects the deep-rooted issues facing the public education system in New York. While New York State has one of the highest average per-student education expenditures in the nation at around $37,000, students’ reading and math scores lag behind even the poorest state, Mississippi.
Analyzing over 1,500 public schools in New York City, Success Academy found that last year, more than half of the 906 schools had over half of their students unable to pass the state assessments in math or reading. About half of these schools have been on the state government’s performance tracking list since 2012, with some schools marked as “failing” for decades.
In addition to concerns about teaching standards, public school classrooms in New York typically accommodate 30 to 35 students of varying academic levels, making it challenging for teachers to address individual learning needs. Furthermore, to meet standardized testing requirements, teaching in public schools has shifted towards reading fragmented texts rather than complete books, impacting students’ ability to develop reading comprehension skills.
In New York State, families choosing to homeschool have a high degree of autonomy in their teaching approach but are still subject to strict administrative oversight. Parents are required to submit an application to their local school district, create an Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP), track attendance, and submit four quarterly progress reports each year.
Each academic year, students must complete the equivalent of 180 days of instruction (at least 900 hours for grades K-6 and 990 hours for grades 7-12), covering subjects such as English, math, science, social studies, health, physical education, art, and music.
Homeschooling families are not required to hold teaching credentials or university degrees, but students must participate in annual assessments and standardized tests.
Unlike states like Arizona that offer Education Choice Vouchers, New York does not provide government funding assistance to families who homeschool, with all related costs being borne by the parents themselves.
“If every family had this choice, half of the public schools in the state would be empty within a week,” joked Zilvinas Silenas, the President of the Empire Center for Public Policy, “Unfortunately, most New York families currently do not have a practical way to leave the public school system unless they are wealthy or determined.”