As a result of COVID-19, homeschooling is on the rise. For some, this is a short-term arrangement, and others have discovered that homeschooling is perfect for their family. In case you don’t know, homeschooling is simply the practice of educating your kids from home. Some families choose to collaborate through homeschooling cooperatives and extracurricular leagues to enrich the home school experience.

Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, including the District of Columbia. When exploring the homeschooling route, please be aware that the laws and policies that govern homeschooling differ by state. If you wonder if homeschooling is a good fit for your family, you probably have questions about how to begin the process and what resources are available. Because of this, we created a series entitled, How to Start Homeschooling. In each installment, we will discuss homeschooling rules and resources for each state. In today’s installment, we will discuss homeschooling in North Carolina.

What you need to know:

• North Carolina Homeschool Law requires that you submit a Notice of Intent to the Department of Non-Public Education submitted after July 1st for the initial year of homeschooling. You will need to include a photocopy of your high school diploma.
• Homeschool teachers must have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED.
• Homeschool learners must attend at least nine months of instruction.
• There are no particular required academic subjects.
• North Carolina requires you to record your kid’s attendance, immunization records, and annual test scores.
• North Carolina homeschool learners are required to participate in a nationally standardized test of your choice each year. The assessment you choose must cover English, reading, spelling, and mathematics.
• If you re-enroll your kid in a public school, you must inform the DNPE and contact your local principal for the enrollment process.

Resources

For more info, check out the North Carolina Department of Education’s Homeschool page, Home School Legal Defense Association – North Carolina, North Carolinians for Home Education, Alamance County Christian Home Educators, Central Carolina Home Educators, Inc., High Point Home Educators.