North Dakota Homeschooling Laws
The home education law in North Dakota allows parents to home school their children by following the “home education” law. The other option allowed is giving instruction under a “private school” taught by a teacher certified by the state. The two options are explained further below:
- Homeschooling under the “home education” laws
To homeschool under this option one must follow requirements provided:
- Submit a notice of intent every year.
- The parent must have the required qualifications to teach.
- Include the mandatory subjects in the curriculum.
- Provide instruction for the required number of hours and days.
- Where applicable, have the child tested.
- Maintain school records.
- Teaching under a private school
This option requires families to:
- Submit a notice of intent every year of homeschooling.
- Ensure the teacher has satisfied the necessary qualifications.
- Provide instruction for the required number of days.
- Include the mandatory subjects in the curriculum.
This page provides information on the laws regulating homeschooling in North Dakota including:
- Requirements to Homeschool in North Dakota
- Filing your Notice of Intention to Homeschool
- Recordkeeping for Homeschoolers in North Dakota
- Requirements for Graduation
- Switching from Homeschool to Public School
*This information is by no means intended as legal advice; its purpose is merely informational. It is each parent’s responsibility to get informed and understand the applicable homeschooling laws which regulate homeschooling in his or her state.
Requirements and Laws on Homeschooling in North Dakota
Homeschooling under the home education law
- Submit a notification of your intent 14 days before the beginning of every school year.
- Keep records of the child’s test scores, the courses taught as well his/her academic progress.
- The instructor must have the following qualifications:
- Have a diploma or an equivalent such as GED.
- Be the child’s parent.
- Allow a state certified teacher to monitor the homeschool for the first 2 years. Upon successful monitoring for 1 child, there is no need for additional monitoring in case there are more students in the homeschool.
- Include the following subjects in the homeschool curriculum:
- For middle school and elementary school, social studies, math, science, language arts, health and physical education.
- For high school students, language arts, math, science, physical education, social studies, fine arts or career, foreign languages and technical education.
- Provide instruction for a minimum of 4 hours every school day and 175 days every school year.
- Have the students take standardized tests in the 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th grade.
Teaching under a private school
- Submit your notice of intention every school year the homeschool is ongoing
- The teacher should be certified by the state
- Provide instruction for 4 hours every school day and 175 days every school year
- Include the subjects taught in public school as part of the curriculum
- Conduct a background check on your criminal history
Families who wish to homeschool their children with special needs are required to:
- File a notice of intention to homeschool
- Make an instructional plan that advocates for the special needs of the child and have it approved by persons certified to provide special instruction to children with special needs
- Submit an instructional plan made via the local school or privately to the superintendent of the school district
- Submit a copy of the doctor’s diagnosis of the child’s condition
- Submit the child’s progress report created by the team on service planning by 1st November, 1st February and 1st May each school year
Open enrollment allows homeschoolers to engage in extracurricular activities in the local public school or a nonpublic school that is accredited in North Dakota. Homeschoolers are subjected to same guidelines that apply to public school students. Parents are required to use the form on notice of intention to submit their notice of selection.
Notice of Intent to Homeschool in North Dakota
To start homeschooling in North Dakota, one must submit the form on your notice of intention to the superintendent of the local school 14 days before the homeschool program starts or in 14 days after establishing the residence of the child in a local school. The notice of intention should be submitted with identification evidence, the immunization records of the child as well as the following:
- The name, age, address and grade of the child
- Identification evidence of the child, that is, either a copy of the birth certificate that is certified, school records from a previous school, an approved transcript or an alternative document the superintendent approves.
- The name, qualifications and address of the parent
- The immunization records of the child from the Health Department in North Dakota or the immunization certificate obtained from the health department
- The qualifications of the individual supervising the home study program
- The courses taught in public school the child wishes to undertake
- The extracurricular activities the child may wish to participate in and the public school or nonpublic school that offers the activities.
- A list of the courses taught and extracurricular activities offered in public schools or nonpublic schools that the child may wish to participate in and the schools that offer the courses and activities.
Recordkeeping for Homeschoolers in North Dakota
Academic records should be maintained including the following details:
- The courses undertaken in the homeschool program
- Results of standardized tests taken by the child
- The assessments on the academic progress of the child
- Other relevant records on academic activities and the instruction
Maintaining accurate records is beneficial when creating homeschool transcripts, returning to public or private school after homeschooling, applying to colleges, universities, and workplaces. The preferred method of keeping records is creating a homeschool portfolio that shows the academic progress of the child throughout the homeschool program.
Requirements for Graduation in North Dakota
North Dakota allows homeschoolers to receive a high school diploma from either the district school that regulates the homeschool, the distance-learning center or a nonpublic school approved by the state. The following are the requirements the parent should submit for their homeschooler to receive a high school diploma:
- A list of the course materials and subjects used in the homeschool for high school students
- A list of the course’s goals and how the goals were accomplished
- Transcripts from 9th grade through 12th grade
- Additional information that proves the student has met the graduation requirements for high school
Submitting a document that shows the student has completed the required 22 credits of coursework for high schoolers may prove the student received home education and a diploma can be issued as a result. Legislature site provides the additional details.
The chart below shows the comparison between graduation requirements in public school and homeschool in North Dakota.
| Public/Private School | Homeschool | |
|---|---|---|
|
Diploma requirements in North Dakota |
Students are required to complete 22 course credits and a standardized exam in civics. |
Parents in North Dakota have the liberty to determine when their student will graduate. They then proceed to award the high school diploma under their own terms. |
| Testing requirements in North Dakota | All students are required to take the Civics Exam unless one is exempted through an education strategy that is individualized. |
Homeschoolers are subjected to standardized tests in 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th grades unless one is exempted from the tests. An additional Civics Exam is also required for every student. |
|
North Dakota high school transcripts |
Transcripts are provided by the district school for public school students and a private school for their students. |
Parents in North Dakota can create the homeschoolers’ transcripts which may include information they considered relevant to institutions the homeschoolers may intend to apply to. This may include schools, colleges, workplace organizations, or the military. |
|
High school course credits in North Dakota |
22 course credits are required to receive a high school diploma. |
Many parents in North Dakota choose to specify or assign academic credits to the courses taken during the homeschooling period as this may aid during the transcript creation process. |
|
Eligibility for GED in North Dakota |
Students who are 16 years and above are eligible to take the GED |
Homeschoolers in North Dakota are eligible if the meet the same criteria as public school students. |
Homeschool High School Transcript Template
Track your homeschooler’s credits, courses, and accomplishments with this free homeschool high school transcript template.
Switching from Homeschooling to Public School in North Dakota
Families who wish to enroll their children in a public school after homeschooling must submit the child’s records to the superintendent of your local school.
Lernsys Homeschooling makes it easy to keep a summary of the curriculum used including grades, topics covered, quiz and test scores, teacher credentials, etc.
Additional Resources Related to Homeschooling in North Dakota
Have other questions about homeschooling in North Dakota? You may find the following pages helpful.
