Homeschooling guide to North Carolina
Deciding to homeschool your child can be a big decision for your household. This post will organize some thoughts and answer some questions you may have about how to homeschool in North Carolina.
Before we really get into the whys and hows I want to offer some encouragement. You do not need to be a college graduate, top of your class or some big time intellectual to homeschool your child!
All you need is the determination that your child will be educated for the future ahead of them. You should be solid in wanting to provide your child with the best education possible so that they are self-sufficient in adulthood and will become productive members of society.
In the order we will discuss them, here are the sections of what I call my homeschooling guide to North Carolina.
- What to consider before taking your child out of school
- What are the requirements of the state of North Carolina to homeschool?
- How to take your child out of the school system in North Carolina
- How to organize your child’s homeschool education
- What are your options if homeschool does not work? How long should you give it?
- Homeschool resources; sites like ABCmouse offer free trials.
Before deciding to withdraw your child
There are many things to consider before withdrawing your child from their public or private school. You will need to consider the long term effects to the household.
Will there be enough income if you decide to homeschool and not work? Sit down and look at what you can cut back on. If you work for yourself, how will you balance those hours of self employment and homeschool?
Is your partner or spouse on board with this decision? They will be responsible for different duties and may not realize how this will change the household dynamics.
You will not always be able to cook and clean. Some days will be exhausting and some days the house will be a mess.
There are dozens of online Facebook homeschool groups where parents share their schedules. I would suggest looking there first to see how families are getting everything done.
Is there a free car for you to run your errands and take the kids to learning excursions? How much will it cost to maintain the car of someone who is driving around all day as opposed to sitting in a parking lot at a job.
Will there be enough money for 3 meals and 2 snacks during the day? The children eat way less in a school environment because they are on a rigid schedule. Look at the grocery budget or create one! This is hands down the most overlooked aspect of homeschooling.
More things to consider will come up in other sections. Please take your time and continue to read through this post.
What does North Carolina require from me to homeschool?
Your child must be at least 7 years old. Children are not required to take any formal education before the age of 7. According to the state of North Carolina preschool, pre-K, Kindergarten and even 1st grade before the age of 7 do not count as a formal education.
You will need to go on the NC Division of Nonpublic Education website to file a “notice of intent”. This can only be done during certain times of the year so first plan when you will be able to file! NO NOTICES ARE ACCEPTED IN MAY AND JUNE. Read more specific NCDOA instruction here.
This is basically where you tell the state that you will be homeschooling your child. You fill out your personal information and give your homeschool a name.
I suggest a name that is formal and will look appropriate on a certificate or application for college. Try names like “Your last name” + Academy.
You must have proof that you have graduated high school or the equivalency, like a GED.
After that you choose what your child wants to study. You DO NOT need to tell NC what your curriculum is or purchase a fancy program.
To maintain your homeschool
Your child must be tested every year. I suggest the CAT tests. A link is below in resources. This is only for your records and there is no specified test that you must take. Any end of grade test will do! Please keep the graded tests in case the state decides to audit your homeschool.
You are required to keep attendance of how many days they attend school. An attendance template is provided on the NCDOA website.
Also, please keep a binder or folders with the school work for each year organized. Please subscribe if you would like for me to share my organization tips that I used to organize my 3 children here on the blog.
How do I take them out of school?
If you are the parent or legal guardian of the child you need nothing more than to go to the front desk at the school and to say that you want to withdraw the child from school.
Special situations like an IEP or other special education aside, nobody should be questioning you about your actions.
They may ask if the child would like to say goodbye to classmates or if you would like to come back to pick up any belongings. That is it!
It is not neglect to homeschool your child. It is a legal right you have in the state of North Carolina.
Removing your child from school is different from qualifying to homeschool. You must meet the requirements outlined by the state as mentioned above.
Organizing your child’s homeschool education
This can be as easy or as overwhelming as you make it. A good baseline is to follow what the school system is doing. Math, Reading, Spelling, Science, Art, History. Teach these subjects by purchasing textbooks and workbooks, going to the library or using online schools.
There is no right or wrong way to get information to your child. You don’t need to stand over them to make sure they “get it”. Present the information, work with them to read and do other assignments the same way an employer would train you to do a job.
I’ve decided to teach my 11 year old coding though BYJU. You may decide to teach your child a trade that you or your partner currently have. It’s really up to you.
The world has changed so much. It’s nice to read Shakespeare but fine literature is just not necessary for the world we are entering in my opinion. That is the great thing about homeschool. YOU decide the curriculum!
Is Homeschool working out?
What if it doesn’t? I get it. There is a big difference between learning how to homeschool in North Carolina and actually implementing a plan. If you feel lost reach out for help online or in person.
If your child is old enough they may be able to do 90% of homeschool online.
Before deciding to go back to public school or choosing a private school consider your “Why”. You can read about Tracy Briscoe’s WHY in this blog post.
My suggestion is to only decide on going back to public school after you have reached out for help. That includes looking for retired teachers, homeschool groups, tutors, PODs, etc. More resources will be below.
Other circumstances like finances or an emergency obviously. ALWAYS do what is best for your family.
This is meant to be encouraging. Never feel pressure to stay in a lifestyle that is not working for you.
Homeschool resources
This homeschooling guide to North Carolina would not be complete without some links! I hope that these links are helpful to you in every way. Good luck and please leave a comment if you have something to share with the community.
- Online CAT Tests Timed and Untimed that can be used for your yearly testing-$5 off!
- Facebook Homeschool group for North Carolina
- Outschool -Get $20 off
- Big Life Journal
- Monthly Letters I use for study topics
- Homeschool Spanish Academy
- My children’s books about Blasian children
- KiwiCo Activity subscription
- Teachers Pay Teachers
- Homeschooling year by year
- Find North Carolina Home Educators
Lyric Spencer says
I’m a homeschool mom in NC, and this s the perfect environment for parents who want to take their children’s education into their own hands.