State law guide
How to Homeschool in New Jersey
Checked by hand against NJ Department of Education, Homeschooling FAQ, last verified June 13, 2026.
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Is homeschooling legal in New Jersey?
Yes, homeschooling is fully legal in New Jersey. New Jersey is one of the most relaxed homeschooling states in the country: no notice to file, no forms, no testing, and no one approving your curriculum. The law simply asks that your child receive instruction equivalent to what the public schools provide academically. If your child has never been enrolled in school, you can just begin.
New Jersey homeschool requirements at a glance
| Notice required | No, notification is encouraged by the NJ DOE but not required by law. |
|---|---|
| Required subjects | No fixed list; instruction must be academically equivalent to public school. |
| Testing / assessment | No, districts are not authorized to test homeschooled children. |
| Recordkeeping | No legal requirement, though keeping records is strongly recommended. |
| Parent qualifications | None. |
New Jersey homeschool law in detail
Each requirement below links to the statute that governs it, so you can read the law yourself instead of taking our word for it. The governing law is N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25; State v. Massa.
Notice / letter of intent
New Jersey requires no notice of intent, registration, or district approval to homeschool. The compulsory education statute, N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25, is satisfied by a child who receives equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school, and the NJ Department of Education's own FAQ confirms that boards of education cannot require notice or approval. The DOE encourages (but does not require) parents to notify the local board so compliance questions never arise; whether to do that is your call. The practical exception is withdrawal: if your child is currently enrolled, you notify the school to un-enroll them.
Read the law: No notice required; N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25 New Jersey requires no notice, registration, or approval to homeschool.
Required subjects
There is no statutory subject list for homeschoolers. The standard is instruction academically equivalent to that provided in the public schools, and the leading case, State v. Massa, held that equivalent means academically equivalent, not identical, and does not require matching the school's social environment. Most families cover the major subject areas (language arts, math, science, social studies) at age-appropriate depth, which comfortably meets the standard.
Read the law: N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25 (equivalent instruction; State v. Massa) No statutory subject list; the standard is academically equivalent instruction.
Required days or hours
New Jersey sets no required days or hours of instruction for children educated elsewhere than at school. The public school 180-day calendar applies to schools, not to homeschooling families.
Read the law: No instruction-time mandate; N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25 The 180-day calendar applies to schools, not homeschooling families.
Recordkeeping
No law requires homeschool records in New Jersey. That said, keeping a basic record of curriculum, work samples, and progress is widely recommended: it is your evidence of equivalent instruction if a question ever arises, and it makes transcripts, college applications, and any return to public school far easier. If your child later re-enrolls, the district places them like any new student, usually using its own objective assessments.
Read the law: No recordkeeping mandate; N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25 Records are recommended as evidence of equivalent instruction.
Testing and assessment
There is no testing or evaluation requirement. The NJ DOE FAQ states plainly that a local board of education is neither required nor authorized to test a child educated elsewhere than at school, and likewise has no authority to review or approve your curriculum.
Read the law: No assessment mandate; N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25 NJ DOE: a board is not authorized to test a child educated elsewhere than at school.
Withdrawing from public school
If your child attends public school, send the school a written withdrawal notice stating that your child will receive equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school under N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25; for high school students, the district will have you complete a transfer form documenting the withdrawal. Keep a dated copy. Once the child is un-enrolled, no ongoing filings are owed to anyone.
Read the law: N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25 (written withdrawal notice)
Good to know
New Jersey's freedom comes with one flip side: because there is no state paperwork, there is also no state-issued proof that you homeschool, so your own records become your documentation for things like work permits, driving paperwork, college admissions, and re-enrollment. A home-printed transcript and work samples carry real weight when they are thorough and dated.
How to start homeschooling in New Jersey
- Step 1: If your child has never been enrolled in school, simply begin homeschooling; New Jersey has no form to file and no one to notify.
- Step 2: If your child is enrolled in public school, send a short written withdrawal letter to the school (and complete the transfer form if it is a high schooler) so attendance records close cleanly.
- Step 3: Choose a program that covers the major academic subjects at your child's level; equivalent instruction is the only legal standard.
- Step 4: Start a simple records folder (curriculum list, work samples, progress notes) even though none is required.
- Step 5: Connect with a New Jersey homeschool group for support and to stay informed, since bills proposing new requirements appear in Trenton most sessions.
File your notice
Good news: New Jersey requires no notice or form to homeschool. No notice or form is required to homeschool in New Jersey, though the state encourages notifying the local board of education.
Form links checked when we built this page.
Homeschool funding in New Jersey
We're verifying New Jersey's funding programs against official sources right now, dollar amounts and rules change yearly, and we'd rather be right than first. Check back soon.
Free New Jersey withdrawal letter template
Fill-in-the-blank and ready to send. Free, no email required.
Download the free templateFind homeschool families near you in New Jersey
Co-Op
- ENJOY Homeschool New Jersey · Statewide
The statewide homeschool organization that carries the torch after ENOCH's closing, offering guidance on homeschooling legally in NJ, curriculum advice, mentoring, community groups, and an annual convention. A warm first stop for new and veteran homeschool families alike.
Visit website - HIS Homeschool Co-op · Haddon Heights (Camden County)
A Christian co-op meeting Friday mornings at Haddon Heights Baptist Church, running ten-week fall and spring semesters of enrichment classes for kindergarten through 12th grade, with nursery and preschool classes supporting families with younger siblings.
Visit website - Knowlton Fine Arts Homeschool Co-op · Columbia (Warren County)
A homeschool co-op devoted entirely to the fine arts, with classes across four departments: art, dance, music, and theater. Class descriptions and pricing for the 2026-27 year are already posted for their New Jersey location.
Visit website - Living Water Home Educators · Mount Laurel (Burlington County)
A volunteer-run Christian support group of over 150 families in Burlington County and nearby, offering co-op enrichment classes in core subjects and electives, field trips, social activities, and support meetings for K-12.
Visit website - North Jersey Home Schoolers Association (NJHSA) · Hawthorne area (Bergen, Passaic & Morris Counties)
A long-running Christian home education association serving northern New Jersey through five activity councils: academics, athletics, fine arts, music, and social-cultural. Families enjoy field days, yearbook, and 8th and 12th grade graduation ceremonies, with a full 2025/26 weekly schedule running.
Visit website - Princeton Learning Cooperative · Princeton (Mercer County)
A full-time alternative to school where homeschooled teens get the best parts of school, including peers, classes, and mentors, with the freedom to choose what and how they learn. Each teen meets weekly with a staff mentor for personalized guidance, and applications for 2026 are open.
Visit website - Raritan Learning Cooperative · Flemington (Hunterdon County)
A self-directed learning community for teens 12 and up that blends homeschooling freedom with classes, tutoring, weekly mentor meetings, and help with internships and college admissions, full-time or part-time. Currently enrolling for Fall 2026 with open houses and weekly social gatherings.
Visit website - Seat of Wisdom Homeschool Cooperative (SOWers) · Allentown (Monmouth County)
A Catholic homeschool cooperative in Central Jersey where parents work together to provide an academic environment that supplements their home curricula, faithful to the Magisterium, supporting families from tots through high school.
Visit website - South Jersey Homeschool Association (SJHA) · Williamstown (Gloucester County)
A welcoming South Jersey association running a Wednesday co-op with ten-week fall and spring semesters of classes for ages 3 through teens, from Lego challenges to financial literacy. Members also enjoy a bowling league, D&D club, and an annual graduation ceremony, with Fall 2026 registration open.
Visit website - The Learning Connection (TLC) Support Group and Co-op · Hackettstown (Warren County)
A Christ-centered home educating support group in northwest Jersey with weekly co-op classes, private music lessons, field trips, and family events for Pre-K through 12th grade. The Thursday co-op fills to capacity, but the support group warmly welcomes new families into field trips and events.
Visit website
Forest & Nature School
- Firefly Forest School · Randolph (Morris County)
A nature and forest school on four wooded acres where children garden, cook, tend chickens, and explore the creek through play, song, and storytelling. Homeschoolers 5.5 and up can join flexible drop-in Forest School days as Scouts, with programs for ages 1.5 through 12.
Visit website - Free to Be Forest School · Manahawkin / Stafford Township (Ocean County)
A learner-led forest school on the southern shore with classes from toddler rambles with caregivers up through teen adventure groups. Their wild natureschoolers program weaves language arts, math, science, and art into hands-on, movement-rich days outdoors for homeschoolers.
Visit website - Maplewood Outside School · Maplewood (Essex County)
A forest school where preschoolers ages 2-5 learn entirely outdoors in mixed-age groups, with Forest Explorers classes, summer programs, and family hikes. Serves Maplewood, South Orange, West Orange, and Millburn families.
Visit website - Tenafly Nature Center Forest School · Tenafly (Bergen County)
An outdoor forest school where kids ages 1.5 to 7 spend 95-100% of their time outside, enjoying the seasons no matter the weather. Registration for the 2026-2027 school year is open.
Visit website - Trails for Kids · Essex & Union Counties
Outdoor forest school classes where kids hike, wade, track, and follow their own curiosity through nature. They run an outdoor Seedlings preschool for ages 2.5-6 plus a Homeschool Nature Immersion program for ages 6-10, with 2026-27 enrollment open.
Visit website
Waldorf School
- Waldorf School of Princeton · Princeton (Mercer County)
New Jersey's only Waldorf school, serving children from early childhood through 8th grade on a gorgeous 80-acre farm campus with forests, gardens, and a creek. Teachers balance the academic, the artistic, and the practical in a curriculum built around how children actually develop.
Visit website
Homeschooling in nearby states
New Jersey homeschooling FAQ
Do I really not have to tell anyone I am homeschooling in New Jersey?
Really. No statute requires notice, registration, or approval, and the NJ DOE's FAQ confirms districts cannot demand them. The DOE merely encourages a courtesy notification, which is optional.
What does equivalent instruction actually mean?
It means academically equivalent to public school instruction, per State v. Massa, not identical and not socially equivalent. Teaching the major subjects in a good-faith, age-appropriate way meets the standard.
Can the school district make my child take a test or show them my curriculum?
No. The NJ DOE states the local board is not required or authorized to test a homeschooled child or to review and approve the curriculum. The burden would only arise if you were formally charged under the compulsory attendance law, which is rare.
Do I need any teaching credentials?
No. New Jersey does not require homeschooling parents to be certified teachers or to hold any particular diploma or degree.
Can my homeschooler play sports or get services from the district?
Extracurricular and sports participation is at the sole discretion of the local board, so policies vary by district. Districts must evaluate children suspected of having disabilities, but delivering special education services generally requires enrollment.
Could New Jersey's hands-off law change?
Bills adding notice or oversight requirements are introduced in most legislative sessions, and none had passed as of this writing. It is worth following a state homeschool organization so you hear about any real movement early.
Sources
- NJ Department of Education, Homeschooling FAQ
- HSLDA, New Jersey
- HSLDA, How to Comply with New Jersey's Homeschool Law
This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. Homeschool laws change, always confirm current requirements with your state's official sources before relying on them.