Romeschool

North Dakota homeschool requirements

To homeschool in North Dakota, file a Statement of Intent with your district, provide 175 days, and test in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10. Parents without a HS diploma are monitored by a certified teacher for the first two years.

Last reviewed June 5, 2026 · Sources below

High regulation Notice required Instruction time set Testing or evaluation
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North Dakota homeschool requirements at a glance

Notice
RequiredWhere it goes: Superintendent of the resident school district. When: At least 5 days before starting; by September 10 annually for continuing students.
Required subjects
No set list
Instruction time
175 days · 4 hrs/day175 days, at least 4 hours/day (NDCC 15.1-23-06).
Testing or evaluation
Yes — grades 4, 6, 8, 10Testing in grades 4, 6, 8, 10; results filed with the superintendent. Exemption: a parent may opt out via a philosophical/moral/religious objection if they hold a teaching license, a baccalaureate degree, or meet the national teacher-exam cutoff. Scores below the 50th percentile may trigger required monitoring.
Records
Yes — assessment results
Parent qualifications
Required
Compulsory attendance ages
7–16
Ways to homeschool
Independent (Statement of Intent to the district superintendent)
Law
N.D.C.C. ch. 15.1-23
Official source
nd.gov ↗

Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in North Dakota?

Yes. North Dakota requires homeschooling families to file a notice. Where it goes: Superintendent of the resident school district. How: Statement of Intent (SFN 16909). When: At least 5 days before starting; by September 10 annually for continuing students. Annual re-filing; also notify within 14 days of moving to a new district.

What subjects does North Dakota require homeschoolers to teach?

North Dakota does not spell out a list of required subjects for homeschoolers. Instruction in all subjects required for North Dakota public schools (incorporated by reference; no separate enumerated list in the home-education chapter).

How many days or hours of instruction does North Dakota require?

North Dakota's rule: 175 days, at least 4 hours/day (NDCC 15.1-23-06).

Is standardized testing required to homeschool in North Dakota?

Yes. North Dakota requires a standardized test. How often: In the specified grades only. What is accepted: The district's standardized achievement test (a nationally-normed test if the parent requests), administered by a licensed teacher. Testing in grades 4, 6, 8, 10; results filed with the superintendent. Exemption: a parent may opt out via a philosophical/moral/religious objection if they hold a teaching license, a baccalaureate degree, or meet the national teacher-exam cutoff. Scores below the 50th percentile may trigger required monitoring.

What records do I need to keep to homeschool in North Dakota?

North Dakota requires these records: annual records of courses taken, academic progress assessments, and standardized test results. How long, or where they go: Kept by the parent; monitored students file progress reports to the superintendent twice yearly. Monitored students require twice-yearly progress reports from the monitor.

Do parents need a teaching certificate or other qualification to homeschool in North Dakota?

Yes. North Dakota sets a qualification for the parent who teaches. The parent must hold a high-school diploma or GED to supervise independently; without it, a district-assigned certified teacher monitors the homeschool for the first two years (which may end after 2 years if the student scores at/above the 50th percentile).

What ages does North Dakota's compulsory attendance law cover?

North Dakota's compulsory attendance law covers children from age 7 to age 16.

What are the ways to homeschool in North Dakota?

In North Dakota, families homeschool under this pathway: independent (Statement of Intent to the district superintendent).

Yes. Homeschooling is legal in North Dakota, as it is in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. To homeschool in North Dakota, file a Statement of Intent with your district, provide 175 days, and test in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10. Parents without a HS diploma are monitored by a certified teacher for the first two years.

How to get started in North Dakota

1
File a Statement of Intent
File the Statement of Intent (form SFN 16909) with the superintendent of your school district at least five days before you begin. File again every year (by September 10 for continuing students), and within 14 days of moving into a new district.
Official resource (nd.gov) →
2
Parent qualification
A parent with a high school diploma or GED may supervise home education on their own. Without one you can still homeschool, but a certified teacher assigned by the district monitors your homeschool for the first two years and files progress reports with the superintendent twice a year. Monitoring may end after two years if your child scores at or above the 50th percentile.
3
Teach 175 days, four hours a day
Instruction must last at least four hours a day for at least 175 days a year and cover all the subjects required for North Dakota public schools. Logging each school day makes this easy to show.
4
Test in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10
In those grades your child takes the district's standardized achievement test (or a nationally normed test if you ask for one), given by a licensed teacher, and the results are filed with the superintendent. Scores below the 50th percentile may trigger required monitoring. A parent who holds a teaching license, a bachelor's degree, or a passing score on the national teacher exam may opt out based on a philosophical, moral, or religious objection.
5
Keep a yearly record
Keep an annual record of the courses your child takes and their academic progress assessments, including any standardized test results.
What Romeschool tracks for you: Attendance, assessment reminders.

Sources for North Dakota

Official source (nd.gov) ↗HSLDA's North Dakota summary ↗
Statute: N.D.C.C. ch. 15.1-23
Last reviewed: June 5, 2026

Every requirement above comes from our review of North Dakota’s rules, last checked against these sources on June 5, 2026. Homeschool law changes, and a state can amend its rules between our reviews — read the official source before you file anything or rely on a date here. How we review state requirements.

Nearby states

States that share a border with North Dakota:

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