Homeschooling in Nebraska: what the state requires
Parents file an election with the Commissioner of Education stating that accreditation/approval requirements violate sincerely held religious beliefs or interfere with their decisions on the child's education, with annual assurances.
Checked October 1, 2026 against official Nebraska sources. State page: Nebraska Department of Education — Exempt School [Home School] Program. Compulsory school age: Will reach 6 before January 1 of the school year, until 18.
Exempt school (private school electing not to meet accreditation/approval)
Parents file an election with the Commissioner of Education stating that accreditation/approval requirements violate sincerely held religious beliefs or interfere with their decisions on the child's education, with annual assurances.
For every child
| Notice or registration | Required. July 15 of each year the school will operate — Statement of Election and Assurances plus Authorized Parent Representative form filed with the Nebraska Department of Education (online or paper, not both); signed by one parent, legal guardian, or educational decisionmaker; certified birth certificate on first enrollment. Assurances submitted annually. Elections after July 15 for a child leaving an approved/accredited school follow Rule 13, Section 003.02A2. Effective July 18, 2026, a new election is invalid while certain child abuse/neglect investigations involving the parent are pending. |
|---|---|
| Required subjects | language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, health — Sequential program of instruction leading to acquisition of basic skills in these subjects. Curriculum information no longer has to be reported (LB1027, 2024). |
| Testing or evaluation | Not required. Testing is not required of exempt school students; the state may not use achievement testing to measure, compare or evaluate them. |
| Records | No statutory recordkeeping requirement; NDE does not collect grades or progress reports. Must report attendance pursuant to §79-201. |
| Teacher | No formal educational qualifications or certification. Effective July 18, 2026, persons monitoring or providing instruction may not have felony convictions under §§28-319 to 28-322.05, 28-316.01, 28-323, 28-703 or 28-707. Monitors no longer reported to NDE. |
| Other | Must comply with health, fire and safety standards. Immunization requirements (§79-217) apply unless the election states religious reasons. |
By grade
| K–8 | 1032 hours a year |
|---|---|
| Grade 9–12 | 1080 hours a year |
1032 hours for elementary (K-8); 1080 hours for secondary (9-12); counted July 1 through June 30.
High school and graduation
The State of Nebraska does not issue diplomas to exempt school students; the exempt school may issue its own.
Official sources:
- Neb. Rev. Stat. §79-1601
- Neb. Rev. Stat. §79-201
- NDE Exempt (Home) School FAQs, 2026/27
- NDE Exempt School [Home School] Program
Not confirmed on an official state page yet: Hours (1032/1080) and the July 15 deadline are confirmed from the NDE FAQ citing Rule 13; the text of Rule 13 (effective 06/28/2026) on rules.nebraska.gov could not be fetched. Mid-year (after July 15) filing timeline not verified.
After graduation: what to plan for
Suggestions from Homeschool Corral, not state rules. Most families keep the college path open through 10th grade, then narrow.
- 4 English, 4 math (through Algebra II, pre-calculus if they can), 3–4 science with 2 labs, 3–4 social studies, 2–3 years of one foreign language, 1 fine arts
- A one-paragraph description for every high-school course; the parent signs the transcript and diploma
- PSAT in 10th and 11th; SAT or ACT by spring of 11th; dual credit, AP or CLEP where it fits
- A log of activities, service and work from 9th grade; two adults who can recommend them
- A Scholarship Finder profile by 11th grade; FAFSA when it opens in the fall of 12th
- A diploma and transcript with 4 English, 3 math, 3 science, 3 social studies; applied math every year
- Dual-credit career and technical courses in 11th–12th; OSHA 10 and first aid/CPR; a driver’s license
- Real projects and a part-time job logged as credits, with references; visit the union hall about pre-apprenticeships in 11th
- A parent-issued diploma and full transcript, signed and dated; recruiters ask for both
- Strong reading and arithmetic for the entrance test; a practice ASVAB in 11th
- Physical fitness as a logged course; service and leadership; for an academy or ROTC, the college list plus the SAT/ACT early
- The diploma and transcript anyway; personal finance and business basics as credits
- Work experience logged with hours and a reference from 10th grade; typing, spreadsheets, a clear email
- Keep the college path open: a foreign language and Algebra II cost little now
My Homeschool turns these into a checklist for each child, with the credits recorded in Transcripts counted against the plan.
Nebraska's only home-education route is the exempt school election under §79-1601. §79-1601 amendments effective July 18, 2026; Rule 13 revised effective 06/28/2026.
This is a plain-English summary of the state’s official sources, checked on the date shown. It is not legal advice, and laws change. Read the linked official pages, and check with the state or your local school district if anything is unclear.
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