Jennifer posted this on another homeschooling board and gave me permission to repost it here. It's information on New Mexico's legal requirements for starting and continuing your home school. Here's her post:

Hi all,

I don't write much in this group but thought I'd add a note about sending in the form online to report that you are homeschooling. I hope I am not offending anyone with placing these links as I am just wanting to help with giving information. You should receive a verification letter in the mail within 6 weeks, if you do not call Annette Larkin at 505-827-6909 and tell her so that she can resend you another letter, that can be used anywhere for proof of homeschooling.

First of all here is the link for the form if you already haven't found it: http://www.sde.state.nm.us/div/learn.serv/alt.ed/hmsc02.html

If you want the APS PDF file about what they want you to teach and do here's that link: http://www.sde.state.nm.us/div/learn.serv/alt.ed/dl/hsmanual02.pdf

Know that the only things you are required to do by law is:

Legal Option:
Establish and operate a home school

Attendance:
Same school year length as local public schools

Subjects:
Reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science

Qualifications to teach your cildren:
High school diploma or equivalent

Notice:
File notice of intent with the state superintendent within 30 days
of establishing the home school and by April 1 of each subsequent year

Recordkeeping:
Maintain immunization records

Testing:
None.

If you are worried aboout your legal rights being qustioned I found that having a lawyer on my side helped us alot because our children are speical ed and the school system wasn't happy about us homeschoolong our children at first. Here's a link to the Home School Legal Defense Association. Although I am a member I do not believe as they do about alot of things, but when we were threatened with a court order that charging us with Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor for failing to see that our children "attend school regularly." They filed an appeal for us and the charges were dropped and we haven't had a problem since then. It's something that might make your mind rest easier.
http://www.hslda.org/

Thank you for listening to me rabble

Hello!  I just read your note--my daughter will be five in April.  When do I need to send in paperwork?

Thanks
Joice

Joice, I'm no expert. My son turned 5 in March, so I haven't done anything yet myself. My reading of the statute suggests that first time homeschoolers (who would be "establishing a home school" in September) wouldn't need to file paperwork until a month before that -- July or August? But thereafter, would need to file paperwork in April. If you need a definitive answer, you might want to call them.