New Mexico homeschool checklist for this year

Things to do, with their deadlines

• Within 30 days of starting

  Register the home school with the Public Education Department, online or on paper.

  Source: NM Public Education Department: Home Schooling FAQs

The state's own form: Notification of a Home School (online or paper, Public Education Department).

All year

• All year

  Teach the subjects New Mexico names: reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, science.

  Source: NM Public Education Department: Home Schooling
• All year

  Keep count of the hours. The department's home school form and FAQ list 1,140 instructional hours per year (550 hours for half-day kindergarten), citing Section 22-2-8.1, among home school responsibilities. The home school law itself (Section 22-1-2.1) names no hours or days. The department says keeping records of instructional hours is not a legal requirement.

  Source: NM Public Education Department: Home Schooling FAQs; NM Public Education Department: Home Schooling
• All year

  The law requires the home school operator to keep records of student disease immunization or a waiver of that requirement, and to affirm that the person teaching has at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Other records are not a legal requirement, but the department encourages thorough records, portfolios and a record of notifications in case the student transfers to a school or goes on to college.

  Source: NM Public Education Department: Home Schooling

Good habits (not in the law)

• Keep a copy of everything you send, and of any acknowledgement you get back, with the date.

• Start simple records on day one: the days you teach, the books you read and a few samples of work in each subject. They help if you move, return to school or apply to college.