Homeschooling 101
Homeschooling has never been bigger in North Carolina! Did you know that there are currently more homeschooled students than there are children registered in private schools in our state? This growth of educational freedom-seekers has contributed to a robust community and a myriad of resources to assist parents and support students.
But with abundance comes overwhelm. Where does one begin on this journey? Whether you’re starting with your preschooler, withdrawing a child from traditional school, or moving to eastern North Carolina, you’ll want to know about the law, how to get connected to a community, and the great local resources!
Begin by knowing the law.
North Carolina's Department of Administration’s Division of Non-Public Education oversees homeschoolers in the state. Known as DNPE, the Division’s website has extensive information about all aspects of the laws that govern homeschooling. It is HIGHLY recommended that you read the law for yourself. The information contained in this article cannot be considered legal advice.
For more detailed information written from a homeschool mom’s perspective, see “3 Keys to Following North Carolina Homeschool Law.”
In a nutshell, state law requires that you register as a homeschool, administer standardized tests annually, and keep a few records on file.
1. Registration
The process of registration is known as filing a Notice of Intent (NOI) to operate a homeschool. Registration is required if you are homeschooling any child age 7 or older.
You file your NOI only once when you begin homeschooling, not every year. The law requires that you close your homeschool when all of your students have either graduated or moved into public or private schools. In the time between, you must update your filed record with any change of address that occurs, and you may (but are not required to) update the ages of your students and add new students as your children turn 7.
The process of registration requires that the Chief Administrator and any Teacher in the home provide proof of at least a high school education. This can be a high school or college diploma or transcript. You must also name your homeschool within the parameters given by DNPE.
If your child is currently enrolled in a public or private school in North Carolina, age 7 or older, and you wish to begin homeschooling, file your NOI first and wait for the email confirmation. Your registration proof should arrive as an email attachment. Print that attachment and take it to the school to withdraw your student. If the child is under 7 years of age, no proof of homeschool registration is required for withdrawal.
See “Filing Your Notice of Intent to Homeschool in North Carolina”
2. Standardized Testing
Homeschooled students are required to take standardized tests annually in North Carolina. This can sound intimidating for families, but keep in mind that there are many tests to choose from and there is no particular score or level of achievement that is needed to consider your homeschool successful.
The tests used must be nationally normed and scored, and DNPE provides a list of many acceptable tests from which to choose. There are options that can be given at home in a booklet, online, in a group setting or with a certified tester. You are free to select what fits your family best.
Besides having to administer an acceptable test within 12 months of homeschool registration, and then once per school year thereafter, the only requirement actually written into the law is that you keep proof of testing on file in your home for at least 1 year following the test.
You may submit the date of testing to the state by logging into your homeschool portal, but this is voluntary. No scores ever need to be reviewed unless requested by a public or private school for placement upon re-enrollment in their system.
See "Standardized Testing for Homeschoolers in North Carolina"
3. Records
The State of North Carolina requires little in the way of record-keeping. Keep your proof of registration handy. It’s also good for getting teacher and student discounts at various stores such as Michael’s and Barnes & Noble! For each child, you must also keep the aforementioned evidence of completion of standardized testing, and either a vaccination record or letter of exemption.
Finally, you are required to keep an attendance record. You can find a template on DNPE’s website. There is no requirement for number of days or hours to complete, but you must operate your homeschool on a regular schedule for at least 9 months out of the year.
See "Keeping Your Homeschool Records"
If you are coming from another state, you may be familiar with umbrella schools, portfolios or evaluations. None of that is required in North Carolina. As guardians, you are free to choose the source and content of instruction. This means that any number of tutors and classes, and any curriculum may be used to the parents’ satisfaction.
When the time comes for high school planning, there is no number of credits, and no specific classes required to receive a diploma issued by the homeschool. The caveat, of course, is that if you have a college or trade-school-bound student, you will want to complete the courses and keep the records required for admission.
Get connected to support.
Once you’ve decided to homeschool, or to move to North Carolina, and you know the basics of the law, it helps to get connected to support for everything from finding co-ops to finding a curriculum.
The largest advocacy organization in the state is North Carolinians for Home Education (NCHE). They keep everyone informed of any changes, or potential changes, to homeschooling rules and lobby for the best interests of the homeschooling community. They also have a sports league, field trips, special-interest support groups, a website chock full of information, and an annual convention. Also, be sure to see their page for a list of support groups and organizations in your local area.
Since there are no umbrella schools or state-mandated associations, groups are popping up and dissolving all the time. It is very easy to gather a community of like-minded homeschoolers and use it to supplement your homeschool teaching in any way you wish.
Some of the best places to ask for recommendations about local groups, classes and resources are Facebook groups:
- N.C. Homeschooling (statewide)
- Homeschool Moms Around Wake County (Covers primarily Wake and Johnston counties)
- Johnston County Homeschoolers (Johnston County)
- Garner Homeschoolers/Unschoolers (Garner and surrounding areas)
The more active local support groups include:
- Johnston County Home Educators - a non-denominational Christian support group with a variety of clubs and activities.
- Garner Area Homeschoolers - has a co-op, weekly park meetups, and other activities for all ages
- Several Classical Conversations groups are available in the area.
- The Triangle Homeschool Resource Village is a virtual support group for parents with mentoring, coaching, book studies, and guest speakers to support parents in their pursuit of continued learning.
Utilize North Carolina’s resources.
There are some great perks that come with being a homeschooler in North Carolina!
Clemmons Educational State Forest, Raven Rock State Park, the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield, and the Town of Clayton (open gym) are just a few of the local places to find activities for homeschoolers.
The North Carolina Zoo (Asheboro) and all four locations of the North Carolina Aquariums offer free admission to homeschoolers (once per semester, and once per year, respectively) with some restrictions.
The explosion of the homeschool population combined with some NC school district’s adoption of year-round schedules for public schools has given rise to a growing number of camps, classes and other services in many communities that can be utilized by homeschool families. Art classes, foreign language meetups, STEM camps and the like are easily found nearby.
North Carolina also gets accolades for being a great state in which to homeschool high school. There are a few programs for earning college credit while in high school, the most popular being the tuition-free Career & College Promise program offered by North Carolina Community Colleges. The number of campuses combined with the availability of online courses and a solid transfer agreement with the UNC college system provides an opportunity for big savings on college tuition.
Overall, North Carolina is a great state for homeschoolers to enjoy educational freedom, a vibrant community, and resources too numerous to count!
For additional information, you can contact Laina Yeisley, Owner of The Triangle Homeschool Resource Center
