HOMESCHOOLING IN NORTH DAKOTA & HOMESCHOOL LAWS
You may be considering homeschooling in North Dakota, but don’t know where to start regarding North Dakota homeschool laws. This guide with up-to-date information will walk you through what you need to know to successfully set up your own homeschool program legally in North Dakota to begin homeschooling. We’ll cover the history of homeschooling in North Dakota, current laws and regulations, homeschool associations, notifications and filings, curriculum and testing choices, high school transcripts, extracurricular activities, graduation requirements, special education, and related services.
History of Homeschooling in North Dakota
ND saw a steady increase in homeschoolers during the 1980s and 1990s. In 1989, the state enacted a law, allowing parents without teaching certifications to homeschool. A parent could operate under a certified teacher’s supervision or demonstrate teacher qualifications through a state examination when homeschooling under North Dakota homeschool laws.
In 1992, parents’ rights to choose were affirmed under the home education law or the private school laws. Changes in 1995 eased North Dakota homeschool laws for parents with a baccalaureate degree, while a parent without faced monitoring for the first two years, with testing for grades 4, 6, 8, and 10.
In 1997, homeschooling in North Dakota was approved for special education students under homeschool laws. It also decentralized the process for obtaining a high school diploma. Subsequent changes in North Dakota homeschool laws focused on refining regulations, limiting monitoring to parents without a high school diploma, and enabling homeschooled students to participate in public school activities. Today, homeschooling is widely accepted in the state.
Current North Dakota Laws and Regulations
North Dakota does not require teacher certification for parents to begin homeschooling their children. The state has relatively relaxed homeschooling laws compared to many other states. Here are the key points regarding homeschooling requirements in North Dakota:
- Parents do not need to be certified teachers to homeschool their children.
- Parents must have at least a high school diploma or GED to homeschool.
- Parents are required to file a statement of intent to homeschool with their local school district superintendent.
- Homeschooling parents must provide instruction in specific subjects like English, math, science, and social studies.
- There are minimum instructional time requirements (4 hours per day for 175 days).
- Standardized testing is required in certain grades, but parents can choose from various approved tests.
While teacher certification is not required, it’s always a good idea for parents to thoroughly research homeschooling methods, curriculum options, and best practices to ensure they can provide a quality education for their children.
Under North Dakota homeschool laws, children between the ages of 7 and 16 are required to receive an education. In North Dakota, a student undergoing home education can engage in extracurricular activities. This can occur through the homeschoolers resident school district or approved nonpublic school, provided the school administrator approves. Homeschooled students are held to the same participation standards as full-time students.
How to Set Up a Homeschool In North Dakota
Commencing homeschooling in North Dakota, both for homeschooling and for private school, is straightforward. A parent needs to submit a statement of intent 14 days before they start homeschooling or within 14 days of moving to a North Dakota school district. File this statement annually with the public school district where your child resides. If no district superintendent exists, submit to the county superintendent. The statement of intent form can be found here.
The statement of intent must contain:
Your child’s name, address, date of birth, and grade level.
The supervising parent, address, and qualifications.
Public school courses and extracurricular activities your child participates in, with the relevant school district or approved nonpublic school details.
Your child’s immunization record.
Proof of your child’s identity, such as a certified copy of a birth certificate.
If moving your homeschool journey to North Dakota from another state, file the statement of intent after establishing residency in the state. There are no other steps needed to transfer your homeschooling.
Maintaining Your North Dakota Homeschool
Maintaining your status as a legal homeschooling parent in North Dakota is simple. The only requirement is for the parent to submit intent annually to the local public school.
Parents overseeing home education are obligated to provide instruction in subjects mandated by law for public school students. First, parents who home educate must ensure a minimum of four hours of instruction per school day, covering at least 175 days each year. In terms of subjects, your home education program should encompass the mandated topics for the education supervised by homeschool laws in North Dakota public schools.
For elementary and middle school levels, a parent should focus on language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, physical education, and health. Moving to high school, the required subjects include language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, physical education, and a choice of foreign languages, fine arts, or career and technical education.
Additionally, it is crucial for a parent to maintain meticulous school records. Keep a yearly record of the courses including online courses your child undertakes, along assessments, including standardized achievement test scores. This approach ensures compliance with home education regulations and a documented journey for the student. See reference here.
North Dakota Homeschool Reporting Requirements
The following includes up-to-date information about reporting:
A parent overseeing home education, who does not meet the qualifications, is permitted to supervise but will undergo monitoring for the initial two years. In the event that a child, under home education, achieves a standardized achievement test score below the fiftieth percentile, the monitoring period for a parent will extend one school year or until the student attains the required test score.
A parent overseeing home education is required to keep a record documenting the courses undertaken by the child, along with assessments of the child’s academic progress. If the child transitions to a public school district, the parent is obligated to provide the up-to-date information to the school district.
The monitoring period cannot be prolonged, except with the mutual agreement of the parent and the assigned monitor. Once a parent fulfills the monitoring requirements for one child’s education, they are exempt from monitoring for other children under their home education.
When monitoring is mandated, the school district is responsible for assigning and compensating an individual to monitor a child undergoing home education. However, the parent can notify the school district if they prefer to select and compensate the monitor.
On two occasions within each school year, the monitor must submit progress reports on the child to the school district superintendent.
If there is only one child in a family undergoing the home education program, the monitor must engage with the child and the parent for one hour per week. When two or more children in a family receive home education, the individual should allocate one-half hour per month for each additional child. Adjustments may be made if the child attends a public or approved nonpublic school.
Homeschool Testing In North Dakota
According to North Dakota homeschooling laws, it is mandated that children receiving home education undergo a standardized achievement test in grades four, six, eight, and ten. However, in cases where a parent beginning home education does not utilize the district’s standardized achievement test, they must have their child take a standardized achievement test of their choosing.
In North Dakota, a parent who chooses to homeschool their children is required to maintain a record of courses taken by the child, including academic progress assessments. These academic records must be kept for a minimum of two years and available to the local school district.
Funding Your North Dakota Homeschool
There is no state funding or any other type of financial assistance available from North Dakota for families who homeschool. Parents of homeschool families take on 100% of the financial responsibility of the homeschool journey for their children. The state provides no funding of any kind to a parent of homeschooling families.
FEDERAL TAX BREAKS
Homeschooling families may be eligible under federal regulations for certain tax benefits. Homeschool parents might also be able to deduct a portion of mortgage interest or rent if part of the home is used regularly and exclusively for homeschooling. Finally, tax credits or deductions could be available for required books, supplies, and curricula used for a homeschool curriculum. To learn more about these potential tax advantages, homeschooling families should review the information and resources provided by the IRS. Consulting with a qualified tax professional is advisable to understand eligibility and properly claim any benefits.
North Dakota Immunization Requirements
It is mandatory for a parent to submit immunization records for homeschooled children. In North Dakota, there are medical and religious exemptions. If a parent has secured an exemption for a child’s residence, it is essential to include the documentation with your notice.
The State has mandatory immunization requirements for students enrolled in public, private, and homeschool. To enroll a homeschooled student, parents must provide proof of immunization, unless they have a valid exemption.
Parents can obtain the forms, such as the “Immunization Exemption Form” and the “Certificate of Immunization” through the North Dakota Department of Health.
North Dakota State Graduation Requirements
A high school diploma may be granted by the child’s school district, an approved nonpublic high school, or the center for distance education, contingent upon the child’s completion of a minimum of twenty-two units of high school coursework. In this scenario, the child’s parent must submit a detailed overview of the course material in each high school subject, a description of the course objectives and their attainment, and a transcript showcasing the child’s academic performance in high school for grades nine through twelve. The high school diplomas issued under this subsection may include an acknowledgment of the child’s home education.
North Dakota Homeschool Charters
There are no North Dakota homeschool charter schools, state-funded homeschool associations, online public schools, homeschool groups or other type of public homeschool assistance program operating in the state.
Local North Dakota Homeschooling Resources
While North Dakota takes a hands-off approach and provides no direct funding or resources for home schooling, there is still an active and vibrant homeschool community for families to connect with:
North Dakota Homeschool Association (NDHSA) – A non-profit homeschool association offering many benefits including resources and support. They have local support groups, annual conventions, sports teams, etc.
Local Homeschool Support Groups – Check for homeschool groups organized through Facebook or Meetup.com. Many offer field trips, educational co ops, etc.
Annual Homeschool Conventions – Events like the NDHSA convention connect homeschool families to support groups and curriculum providers.
Public Library Resources – Local libraries are helpful for resources like books, teaching aids, field trips, and discounted or free educational museum passes.
College Admissions – North Dakota’s colleges and universities are generally homeschool-friendly.
While the state does not provide any direct homeschool association or related services or resources, local networks, co ops, and support groups have stepped created a rich and dynamic environment for North Dakota homeschooling families to tap into.
