Homeschooling in North Dakota.

Who you notify

The superintendent of your school district of residence, or the county superintendent if your district has none (North Dakota Century Code, NDCC, § 15.1-23-02).

When to file

At least 5 days before you begin, or within 14 days of moving into a new district, then once every year after that. The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) says the yearly statement is needed for each child age 7 or older.

How to file

Use NDDPI's Statement of Intent form (SFN 16909), one per child. Include your child's details, your qualifications, any public school courses or activities, and proof of your child's immunizations (or exemption) and identity.

Compulsory age

Children between the ages of 7 and 16 must attend school. Home education under this law counts (NDCC §§ 15.1-20-01, 15.1-20-02).

Parent qualifications

You need a high school diploma or GED (general educational development diploma). Without one, a licensed or state-approved teacher monitors your home school for the first two years, longer if test results fall below the 50th percentile (§§ 15.1-23-03, 15.1-23-06).

If you're monitored

The district assigns and pays the monitor unless you choose and pay your own. With one child, the monitor spends about an hour a week with you and your child (§ 15.1-23-07).

Subjects

Teach what public schools must teach: English language arts, math, social studies (including North Dakota studies), science, health, physical education, and computer science with cybersecurity (§§ 15.1-23-04, 15.1-21-01).

Days and hours

At least 4 hours a day for at least 175 days a year (§ 15.1-23-04).

Testing

In grades 4, 6, 8 and 10, a licensed or state-approved teacher gives a standardized achievement test. Use the district's test (the district pays) or another nationally normed test (you pay). File the results with your superintendent (§§ 15.1-23-09 to -11).

Testing exemptions

You're exempt if you tell the district you have a philosophical, moral or religious objection to these tests, or if you hold a teaching license, a bachelor's degree, or a qualifying teacher-exam result. File it with your Statement of Intent (§ 15.1-23-09).

If results are low

Below the 30th percentile, a team checks for a learning problem. If none is found and you continue, you file a remediation plan made with a licensed or state-approved teacher's advice, at your cost, until results improve (§§ 15.1-23-11, 15.1-23-12).

Records

Keep a yearly record of courses and your child's academic progress, including any test results. If your child moves to a public school, give it to the district if asked (§ 15.1-23-05).

Activities and diplomas

Your child may join activities through your district or an approved nonpublic school, under the same rules as enrolled students. Most diplomas are issued by the parent; a district may also issue one (§§ 15.1-23-16, 15.1-23-17).