North Carolina Homeschool Information
—Homeschool In North Carolina—
Homeschooling in North Carolina
Home Education
North Carolina law defines a home school as a non-public school consisting of the children of not more than two families or households, where the parents or legal guardians or members of either household determine the scope and sequence of the academic instruction, provide academic instruction, and determine additional sources of academic instruction. General Statute 115C-563(a) as amended changes the definition of a home school to allow parents to hire tutors, let their children participate in group settings where they receive instruction (co-ops, 4-H classroom instruction, etc.) and be instructed by an expert that is not a part of the household in the established homeschool (apprenticeships, a homeschool doctor teaching biology, etc.) This will allow homeschool parents more freedom to choose what is best for the education of their children.
Find Out What the State Says About Home Education
North Carolina Scholarship Assistance
Click above to visit North Carolina Department of Non-Public Education
Homeschool North Carolina Department of Non-Public Education
Click above for Homeschool @ NC Department of Non-Public Education
Homeschool Summary
Regulations for Starting Homeschool
- Hold at least a high school diploma or its equivalent.
- Send to DNPE a Notice of Intent to Operate a Home School. The notice must include the name and address of the school, along with the chief administrator
- Elect to operate under either Part 1 or Part 2 of Article 39 of the North Carolina General Statutes as a religious or a non-religious school.
- Operate (conduct instruction in) the home school on a regular schedule for at least nine calendar months of the year, excluding holidays and vacations.
- Maintain disease immunization and annual attendance records for each student at the school.
- Have a nationally standardized achievement test administered during each academic year to each student. The test must involve the subject areas of English grammar, reading, spelling and mathematics. Records of the test results must be retained at the home school for at least one year and made available to DNPE when requested. The first standardized test must be administered within the academic year of the home school start date, and then annually thereafter.
- Notify DNPE when the school is no longer in operation.
North Carolina’s Scholarship Programs
North Carolina’s Scholarship
Not favorable to Homeschool Families
The North Carolina Opportunity Scholarship is available to eligible K–12 students residing in the state of North Carolina. Under current program rules, a student must have a documented disability and be eligible to attend a North Carolina public school. The purpose of the statute is to provide such students with the opportunity to enroll in either an Eligible School or a Home School, beginning no earlier than kindergarten.
Educational Requirements
To receive scholarship funds, a student must receive instruction in English language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science for no fewer than 70 days during the applicable semester.
Use of Scholarship Funds
Scholarship funds may only be used for the student to whom the scholarship was awarded and who meets all eligibility criteria. Funds may be applied to any of the following expenses:
- Scholarship Amount: Awards typically range from approximately $3,000 to $7,000, based on the family’s household income.
- Tuition and Fees: These may be paid directly to an Eligible School or, in the case of a Direct Disbursement School, disbursed on behalf of the student.
- Textbooks: Required by the Eligible School.
- Tutoring and Teaching Services: Provided by an individual or organization accredited by a state, regional, or national accrediting body that is recognized and approved by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (the Authority).
- Curriculum Purchases: Payment for academic curricula in core subjects.
- Testing Fees: Costs associated with nationally standardized norm-referenced achievement tests, Advanced Placement (AP) tests, or recognized college entrance exams.
School Participation Requirements
Any Eligible School receiving Opportunity Scholarship funds for tuition and fees must be located within North Carolina
Homeschool Resources for North Carolina
Information on this page is intended for informational purposes for homeschool families in the specific state. The information supplied does not, nor is it intended to, provide specific legal advice. For specific legal advice, we recommend you consult an attorney. Membership with Homeschool Legal Defense may provide legal information for your situation, but you may prefer a local private attorney to review your situation to provide specific legal advice.