North Dakota Homeschool Requirements Checklist
Everything you need to do to homeschool legally in North Dakota, based on NDCC Chapter 15.1-23 (Home Education). North Dakota is classified as High regulation.
This is the general checklist for Standard Home Education (HS Diploma/GED), the most common of North Dakota's 2 pathways. Our free wizard customizes this for your family, including grade, pathway, enrollment status, and IEP.
Your compliance checklist
Do first
File your Letter of Intent & instructional plan
Submit to superintendent of the local public school district. Deadline: at least 5 days before the child begins home education, or within 14 days of establishing residence in a school district.
Deadline: at least 5 days before the child begins home education, or within 14 days of establishing residence in a school district
More details
Statement of intent must include child's name, address, date of birth, and grade level; parent's name, address, and qualifications (education level); any public school courses in which the child will participate; and any extracurricular activities in which the child will participate. NDDPI provides a standard form; many districts also have their own version. Note: SB2167 (2023) changed the advance notice period from 14 days to 5 days. The 14-day window applies only to new residents establishing residence in a school district.
Send a withdrawal letter
If your child is currently enrolled in school, send a withdrawal letter to superintendent of the local public school district.
Deadline: Before you start (if enrolled)
More details
Statement of intent must be filed at least 5 days before withdrawing a child from public school. File statement of intent and withdrawal notice together.
Confirm your qualification
This pathway requires a high school diploma or GED. Alternatives: GED.
Deadline: Before you start
More details
Parent must hold a high school diploma or GED. Qualification must be stated in the annual statement of intent; superintendent may request documentation.
Ongoing
Required subjects
English language arts (reading, composition, creative writing, grammar, spelling), mathematics, social studies (U.S. Constitution, U.S. history, geography, government), science, physical education, health (physiology, hygiene, disease control, nature and effects of alcohol, tobacco, and narcotics), computer science and cybersecurity
More details
Subjects align closely with public school requirements. Physical education and health (including substance abuse education) are specifically required. Computer science and cybersecurity are required under NDCC 15.1-21-01.
Meet instructional time requirements
Minimum: 700 hours/year, 175 days/year, 4 hours/day. You must track and document hours.
More details
175 days per year at a minimum of 4 hours per day. Attendance records must be maintained to demonstrate compliance.
Show your child's progress
Standardized test — at specific grade levels. At grades: 4, 6, 8, 10. Minimum: 30th percentile composite score.
More details
Nationally normed standardized achievement test. The threshold is 30th percentile COMPOSITE score (not per-subject) per NDCC 15.1-23-11(2). Must be administered by a certified teacher or individual approved by the superintendent. If the child takes the district's test, the district pays for the test and administration (NDCC 15.1-23-10(1)). If the parent chooses a different nationally normed test, the parent pays for the test (NDCC 15.1-23-10(2)). Scoring below the 30th percentile composite triggers mandatory multidisciplinary assessment and remediation plan per NDCC 15.1-23-11, 15.1-23-12. TESTING EXEMPTION per NDCC 15.1-23-09(2): The testing requirement does not apply if the parent has a philosophical, moral, or religious objection to standardized tests OR the parent holds a baccalaureate degree, a teaching license, or a qualifying score on a national teacher exam. These are alternative exemptions (the statute uses 'or'). If exempt, no alternative assessment is required. If below threshold: Below 30th percentile composite triggers multidisciplinary assessment and remediation plan per NDCC 15.1-23-12. Remediation continues until child scores at/above 30th percentile composite or shows one year of academic progress. Learning disability evaluation first; then certified teacher remediation plan
Keep basic records
You must maintain: attendance records, grades or evaluations. Records may be reviewed by the district.
More details
Must maintain annual record of courses and evidence of academic progress including test results. Attendance records must show compliance with 175-day/4-hour requirement. Records are subject to review by the school district superintendent.
Renew each year
You must renew your homeschool notice each year by at least 5 days before the start of each school year, and annually thereafter.
More details
Annual statement of intent filed with superintendent. Test results filed with superintendent after each mandated testing year (grades 4, 6, 8, 10).
Filing requirements
- What to file
- detailed plan
- Send to
- superintendent of the local public school district
- Deadline
- at least 5 days before the child begins home education, or within 14 days of establishing residence in a school district
- How often
- annual
Statement of intent must include child's name, address, date of birth, and grade level; parent's name, address, and qualifications (education level); any public school courses in which the child will participate; and any extracurricular activities in which the child will participate. NDDPI provides a standard form; many districts also have their own version. Note: SB2167 (2023) changed the advance notice period from 14 days to 5 days. The 14-day window applies only to new residents establishing residence in a school district.
NDCC 15.1-23-02
Ongoing requirements
Required subjects
- ✓English language arts (reading, composition, creative writing, grammar, spelling)
- ✓mathematics
- ✓social studies (U.S. Constitution, U.S. history, geography, government)
- ✓science
- ✓physical education
- ✓health (physiology, hygiene, disease control, nature and effects of alcohol, tobacco, and narcotics)
- ✓computer science and cybersecurity
Subjects align closely with public school requirements. Physical education and health (including substance abuse education) are specifically required. Computer science and cybersecurity are required under NDCC 15.1-21-01.
Instructional time
- Days per year:
- 175
- Hours per year:
- 700
- Hours per day:
- 4
175 days per year at a minimum of 4 hours per day. Attendance records must be maintained to demonstrate compliance.
NDCC 15.1-23-04
Testing and assessment
- Accepted types
- Standardized test
- Frequency
- at specific grade levels
- At grades
- 4, 6, 8, 10
- Minimum score
- 30th percentile composite score
Nationally normed standardized achievement test. The threshold is 30th percentile COMPOSITE score (not per-subject) per NDCC 15.1-23-11(2). Must be administered by a certified teacher or individual approved by the superintendent. If the child takes the district's test, the district pays for the test and administration (NDCC 15.1-23-10(1)). If the parent chooses a different nationally normed test, the parent pays for the test (NDCC 15.1-23-10(2)). Scoring below the 30th percentile composite triggers mandatory multidisciplinary assessment and remediation plan per NDCC 15.1-23-11, 15.1-23-12. TESTING EXEMPTION per NDCC 15.1-23-09(2): The testing requirement does not apply if the parent has a philosophical, moral, or religious objection to standardized tests OR the parent holds a baccalaureate degree, a teaching license, or a qualifying score on a national teacher exam. These are alternative exemptions (the statute uses 'or'). If exempt, no alternative assessment is required.
See our full assessment guide for North Dakota for details.
NDCC 15.1-23-09; NDCC 15.1-23-10; NDCC 15.1-23-11
Recordkeeping
- ✓Attendance records
- ✓Grades or evaluations
Records may be reviewed by the district.
Must maintain annual record of courses and evidence of academic progress including test results. Attendance records must show compliance with 175-day/4-hour requirement. Records are subject to review by the school district superintendent.
NDCC 15.1-23-05
Reporting
- Annual renewal
- Required by at least 5 days before the start of each school year, and annually thereafter
Annual statement of intent filed with superintendent. Test results filed with superintendent after each mandated testing year (grades 4, 6, 8, 10).
NDCC 15.1-23-02
Instructor qualifications
The instructor must have a high school diploma or GED.
Alternatives: GED
Parent must hold a high school diploma or GED. Qualification must be stated in the annual statement of intent; superintendent may request documentation.
NDCC 15.1-23-03
Other ways to homeschool in North Dakota
This checklist covers Standard Home Education (HS Diploma/GED), the most common pathway. North Dakota offers 2 different ways to homeschool, each with different requirements:
- •Standard Home Education (HS Diploma/GED)(this checklist) : You file a statement of intent with your local superintendent and teach at home with no monitoring required. You must hold a high school diploma or GED, provide 175 days of instruction at 4 hours per day, teach required subjects, and have your child tested at grades 4, 6, 8, and 10. Parents with a bachelor's degree, teaching license, or qualifying score on a national teacher exam are exempt from the testing requirement. The most common pathway in North Dakota.
- •Monitored Home Education (No Diploma/GED) : For parents without a high school diploma or GED. You file a statement of intent with your local superintendent and teach at home while a certified teacher monitors your program. The monitor is assigned by the school district, visits at least twice per year with an average of one hour per week of contact, and submits reports to the superintendent. Same subject, instructional time, and testing requirements as the standard pathway. After two satisfactory years of monitoring, monitoring ends — unless your child scores below the 50th percentile, in which case monitoring continues until the child reaches the 50th percentile.
Our wizard helps you choose the right one. Compare all pathways for North Dakota
Related guides
Get your personalized checklist
This is the general checklist for the most common pathway. The wizard customizes it for your family's specific situation, including grade, pathway, and IEP status.
Get your North Dakota checklistRequirements sourced from NDCC Chapter 15.1-23 (Home Education). Verified against primary legal sources. Last verified: March 2026