Homeschooling in North Dakota: what the state requires
A parent supervises the child's education and files an annual statement of intent with the school district; instruction must be 4 hours a day for 175 days, with testing in grades 4, 6, 8 and 10 unless exempt.
Checked October 1, 2026 against official North Dakota sources. State page: North Dakota Department of Public Instruction — Home Education. Compulsory school age: 7 to 16.
Home education (NDCC ch. 15.1-23)
A parent supervises the child's education and files an annual statement of intent with the school district; instruction must be 4 hours a day for 175 days, with testing in grades 4, 6, 8 and 10 unless exempt.
For every child
| Notice or registration | Required. At least 5 days before beginning home education, or within 14 days of establishing residence in a district; then once each year — Statement of intent (form SFN 16909) filed with the school district superintendent (or county superintendent): child's name, address, birth date and grade; parent's name, address and qualifications; any public school courses and extracurricular activities; with immunization record and proof of identity. Renewed annually for each child age 7 or older. |
|---|---|
| Required subjects | English language arts (reading, composition, creative writing, English grammar, spelling), mathematics, social studies (U.S. Constitution, United States history, geography, government, North Dakota studies in grades 4 and 8), science, including agriculture, physical education, health (physiology, hygiene, disease control, alcohol, tobacco and narcotics), computer science, including cybersecurity — NDCC 15.1-23-04 requires 'those subjects required by law to be taught to public school students'; list shown is the elementary/middle school list in NDCC 15.1-21-01. High school subjects follow NDCC 15.1-21-02. |
| Days | 175 days — Minimum 175 days each year. |
| Hours | 175 days of at least 4 hours. — At least four hours each day. |
| Records | Required. Maintain an annual record of courses taken and academic progress assessments, including any standardized achievement test results. |
| Teacher | Parent with a high school diploma or GED may supervise; a parent without one may supervise with monitoring by a licensed teacher for the first two years (longer if test scores are below the 50th percentile). |
| Other | Immunization record submitted with the statement of intent. Child may take public school courses and extracurricular activities. |
By grade
Testing or evaluation in grade 4, grade 6, grade 8 and grade 10. Standardized achievement test in grades 4, 6, 8 and 10 (test used by the district or a nationally normed test). Exempt if the parent holds a teaching license, a baccalaureate degree, or passed a national teacher exam, or files a philosophical, moral or religious objection. Composite below the 50th percentile triggers monitoring; below the 30th percentile requires assessment and a remediation plan.
Subjects by grade: NDCC 15.1-23-04 requires 'those subjects required by law to be taught to public school students'; list shown is the elementary/middle school list in NDCC 15.1-21-01. High school subjects follow NDCC 15.1-21-02.
High school and graduation
Parent may seek a diploma from a school district, approved nonpublic school or the Center for Distance Education under NDCC 15.1-23-17: either meeting that entity's graduation requirements, or completing at least 22 units from the minimum required curriculum, with course descriptions, objectives and a transcript submitted.
Official sources:
- NDCC Chapter 15.1-23 Home Education
- NDCC Chapter 15.1-21 Curriculum and Testing
- NDCC Chapter 15.1-20 Compulsory Attendance
- NDDPI — Home Education
Not confirmed on an official state page yet: Exact wording of the testing exemption conditions (NDCC 15.1-23-11) was summarized by the fetch tool, not quoted in full.
High school: the public-school diploma as a guide
Optional for homeschools in most states, but the credit plan most colleges and employers recognize, and a sound default for a homeschool transcript. Shown in the subject areas this site uses.
| English | 4.0 |
| Mathematics | 3.0 |
| Science | 3.0 |
| Social Studies | 3.0 |
| Physical Education & Health | 1.0 |
| Electives Foreign languages, Native American languages, fine arts, or career and technical education 3; Any additional units 5 | 8.0 |
| Total | 22.0 |
|---|
NDCC 15.1-21-02.1 and -02.2: 22 units minimum plus any district additions. One unit of computer science or cybersecurity is also required (may count under mathematics or science; waived with a board-approved integration plan). Students must correctly answer at least 70% on the civics test (NDCC 15.1-21-27).
Source: NDCC Chapter 15.1-21 (§§15.1-21-02.1, 15.1-21-02.2)
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.
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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