# North Carolina Homeschooling ?



## Jerngen (May 22, 2006)

http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/North_Carolina.pdf

We currently live in a state with no rules concerning homeschooling. 

If I understand the above link correctly, NC just requires you to: 
Keep attendance records
Keep shot records
Notify the local school district of your intentions
Give your kids an annual test
File those test results with the local school district. 

That's it?? 

Is there someplace online to get a copy of the tests to see what the school district is looking for? 

Is the overall atmosphere towards homeschooling one of acceptance? 

Are there a lot of active homeschooling groups in NC? 

Thank you for any insight you choose to share


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## teachermom44 (Feb 8, 2012)

Before I answer your questions I'll give you some of my family's background with homeschool. I am a public school teacher. I've been teaching for 14 years and have always had the privilege of choosing my kid's teachers. (Elementary school). Our 9th grader is in public school-he's a band geek :rock:. We are homeschooling our 7th grader, 3rd grader, and 1st grader. I plan and write the curriculum and lessons. My DH teaches them while I'm at work and he works at night. 

When I pulled the two little ones this year I surprised some of my fellow teachers, but I had to do what was best for MY kids. And home school was it!

YOU SAID:
If I understand the above link correctly, NC just requires you to: 
Keep attendance records
Keep shot records
Notify the local school district of your intentions
Give your kids an annual test
File those test results with the local school district. 

*All of that is correct EXCEPT you don't have to file the test results with the local school district. You just have to have the scores on hand IF they are asked for.

IF you re-enroll them in public school you will most likely be asked for the test scores (especially in middle school-ask me how I know )*4


*Is there someplace online to get a copy of the tests to see what the school district is looking for? *
You can use any standardized test you wish. I used the BASI one year. I'm not sure which one I'll use this year.

*Is the overall atmosphere towards homeschooling one of acceptance?* 
I think so. 

*Are there a lot of active homeschooling groups in NC? * Depends where you are. I'm in Fayetteville and there are some. I think there are more in the bigger areas like Raleigh.


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## claytonpiano (Feb 3, 2005)

We find NC to be a very friendly homeschool state. Even in our smaller town, there are co-ops and lots of help. The annual homeschool convention is held in Winston Salem and is always very well attended.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

Yep.. NC is wonderful to homeschool in.
We do it and so do a large number of families in our area.
We were just a the local library's book club today and the kids all played in the park afterwards.

You send in the forms where you list the school name, your name etc.. and they send back an orange index card looking theing that is your 'license'.
Every year you will get a renewal email.. just respond and renew.
We buy the $15 state approved test every year and I keep the records in his file.
(though I am not sure very many of us keep tight attendance records.. school sort of happens all over the place everyday..grocery store, driving in the car...)

They may send a gray notecard saying that you can voluntarily send in your records if you wnat their assisstance in making sure you are doing it all correctly or whatever.. it is voluntary and no big deal.

They are very helpful and nice at the office in Raleigh and no one that I know has ever run into any trouble. It makes homeschooling less stressful and that is wonderful.

Oh.. and the standardized tests.. the ones that they use in public school do NOT meet homeschool standards. We buy our tests and have them graded by...http://www.setontesting.com/


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## Jerngen (May 22, 2006)

Thank you so much for the information!


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## murkerson (Jan 27, 2013)

We also built our own curriculum  We homeschooled for two years but now she in in an online public school through K12. It's awesome and the best thing that we could have done for her, education wise.


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