New Jersey homeschool law for high school: graduation, diploma and records

N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25 requires a child aged 6 to 16 to attend public school, a day school giving equivalent instruction, or to 'receive equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school'. Under State v. Vaughn (1965) and State v. Massa (1967), once a parent introduces evidence of equivalent instruction the State bears the burden of persuasion, and Massa requires only academic equivalence. The Department of Education's homeschooling FAQ says local boards are not required or authorized to review or approve a homeschool curriculum, monitor outcomes or test the child.

N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:38-25; State v. Massa, 95 N.J. Super. 382, 231 A.2d 252 (1967); State v. Vaughn, 44 N.J. 142 (1965) (text not confirmed); NJ Department of Education, Frequently Asked Questions: Homeschooling

The law as of September 29, 2026.

New Jersey at a glance

As of September 29, 2026

Notice to the state: No notice required
No statute requires a homeschooling parent to notify the state or the district. The Department of Education names two situations in which a parent is required to inform the district (when a district refuses to register a student on residency grounds and no appeal is filed, and when removing an enrolled student from a high school program, via a transfer form), and otherwise encourages, but does not require, notice. If the board has credible evidence a child is not being educated, the FAQ says it may request documentation such as a letter of intent, and withdrawal to homeschool is not in itself credible evidence of a violation.NJ Department of Education, Homeschooling FAQ, questions 3 and 4; N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:22-4.2(b)9
Records the law asks for: None required by law
New Jersey law requires no attendance records, portfolio or reports from homeschooling parents. The Department of Education says a board of education is not required to establish a record for a child educated elsewhere than at school.NJ Department of Education, Homeschooling FAQ, questions 5 and 7
Testing or evaluation: None required by law
No testing or evaluation is required. The Department of Education says the local board is not required or authorized to test a child educated elsewhere than at school, and the child is not required to sit for a state or district standardized test.NJ Department of Education, Homeschooling FAQ, question 12
Graduation requirements: None set by the state
New Jersey sets no graduation or credit requirements for children educated at home; the legal standard is that instruction be academically equivalent to the local public school.N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:38-25; State v. Massa, 95 N.J. Super. 382, 231 A.2d 252 (1967)
Diploma: Issued by: parent (no statute addresses it)
The Department of Education says a child educated elsewhere than at school does not receive a state-endorsed high school diploma from the board of education; a student who re-enrolls in public school to earn one is assessed against state and local requirements. The FAQ says a New Jersey State High School Diploma may be obtained by passing the GED test or through a route based on college credits, and no statute addresses a parent-issued diploma, which is the usual practice.NJ Department of Education, Homeschooling FAQ, questions 13 and 14
Compulsory school ages: 6 to 16 (every parent of a child between the ages of six and 16 years).N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:38-25

How homeschooling is authorized in New Jersey

Equivalent instruction elsewhere than at schoolThe compulsory attendance statute is satisfied if the child receives 'equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school', which the Department of Education reads as permitting a parent to educate the child at home; State v. Massa (1967) held that equivalence means academic equivalence to the local public school, not social equivalence. Basis: statuteN.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:38-25; State v. Massa, 95 N.J. Super. 382, 231 A.2d 252 (1967)

What New Jersey law means for your transcript

No New Jersey law requires a transcript, defines a credit or sets homeschool graduation courses; the transcript is a parent-made document (practice).
If the student returns to a public school, the district assesses credits and placement as for any new or returning student and, per the Department of Education, may not hold the child to a higher standard than similarly situated students (FAQ question 13).
Because the legal test is academic equivalence (State v. Massa), a transcript listing courses across the major subjects is a practical record of equivalence, though no law requires one.
Comparing the transcript with New Jersey public high school course patterns (for example 4 years of language arts) is a custom some families follow, not a requirement for home education.

Recent changes to New Jersey homeschool law

No change to New Jersey homeschool law was enacted in 2023 to 2026. Bills introduced in the 2026 session are pending and are not law: A1886 and S3910 (annual written notice to the district), A3394 (registration, portfolios and annual evaluations) and S741/A1341 (an annual 'general health and wellness check' with school officials), according to HSLDA.

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What we could not confirm

These points could not be checked against the statute or regulation text, so treat them with care:

The status of the 2026 bills (A1886, S3910, A3394, S741/A1341) comes from HSLDA's bill pages; I did not confirm their status on the New Jersey Legislature's site.
State v. Vaughn, 44 N.J. 142 (1965) was not opened; its description relies on the Department of Education FAQ and the quotation of it in State v. Massa.
The Department of Education FAQ cites N.J.A.C. 6A:22-4.2(d) for the residency-denial statement; in the current rule the text is at 6A:22-4.2(b)9.
The FAQ's description of the college-credit route to a New Jersey State High School Diploma refers to the HSPA; I did not confirm the current rule for that route.
No New Jersey statute or regulation on public college admission or state aid for homeschool graduates was found; college_access is null for that reason.
CourtListener lists State v. Massa under the Superior Court, Appellate Division, while the opinion itself reverses a municipal court conviction; the court division is therefore omitted from the citation. Justia's 2025 text was the latest version of N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25 checked.

Sources

General information about New Jersey law as of September 29, 2026, not legal advice. Laws change, so check the statute before you rely on it. Found an error? Email [email protected].