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State Requirements

Homeschooling in North Dakota

700 hrs/year 175 days Notice required Assessment required

North Dakota has moderate homeschool requirements. Families must provide at least 4 hours per day over 175 school days, and you'll file notice with your local school district.

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If you're homeschooling in North Dakota, you're working inside a moderately regulated framework with enough structure to keep the state informed but plenty of room to build a family-shaped program. Compulsory attendance in North Dakota covers children ages 7-16, which means a homeschool program needs to be in place for any child in that range.

The instructional requirement in North Dakota is defined in two dimensions: 4 hours of teaching per day, times 175 days in the school year. Parents build a schedule that fits their household. Some days are heavy on formal lessons, others rely on field trips, co-ops, or project-based learning, and all of it contributes to the yearly total of roughly 700 hours.

Notice filing is the gateway for North Dakota homeschool families: a short document submitted to your local school district sets the record straight for the year ahead. Most districts accept a straightforward letter listing each student, their grade level, and a brief statement of intent.

Assessment in North Dakota takes the form of standardized testing at specified grade levels. It's more of a pulse-check on how learning is landing than a pass/fail exam.

The required subjects in North Dakota (language arts, math, social studies, science, health, physical education, music, art, and computer science) form the backbone of each year's plan, with real freedom in how deeply or creatively each is taught. The record-keeping side of homeschooling doesn't need to dominate North Dakota families' evenings. Homeschool Fox lets you log activities as they happen, then builds the compliance picture on its own.

At a glance

4 hours/day

× 175 days ≈ 700 hours/year

Ages 7-16

Compulsory attendance

Notice requirements

Notice is required

You must notify your local school district of your intent to homeschool.

Need a head start? Use the free Notice of Intent generator to draft a North Dakota-ready letter.

Deeper guides: how to write a notice of intent to homeschool covers the language admins look for, and when and where to file your notice of intent covers state-by-state deadlines and recipients.

Generate your notice of intent

Withdrawing from public school

To withdraw your child from public school in North Dakota, send a written withdrawal letter to the principal or registrar, then file a notice of intent with your local school district so the transition is on record before instruction begins. Rather than hand-writing the withdrawal letter, Homeschool Fox produces a pre-formatted PDF ready to send to the district.

For the play-by-play, how to withdraw your child from public school walks through the conversation, the timing, and the paperwork. What to send the district when you pull your child covers exactly what the letter should and shouldn't say.

Assessment requirements

Assessment is required

Type:
Standardized testing
Frequency:
At specified grade levels

Standardized testing for homeschoolers walks through which test to choose, where to register, and how to prep.

Portfolio & records

Portfolio not required

Under NDCC 15.1-23-05, supervising parents keep an annual record of courses taken and academic progress assessments — including standardized test results — for each child. The records may be requested if the child later enrolls in public school.

Required subjects

North Dakota requires instruction in the following subjects.

language arts math social studies science health physical education music art computer science

Additional notes

File statement of intent 5 days before starting. Standardized testing in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10. 4 hours/day minimum. Parents with bachelor's degrees may opt out of testing.

Calculate your North Dakota hours

North Dakota requires 700 hours/year. Enter how far you've come and we'll show you the daily pace to finish on time.

Leave at 0 if you haven't started tracking yet

Enter an end date to see your targets

Prefer a full-page version? Open the standalone hours calculator.

Sources

Verified May 2026

Frequently asked questions

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

Yes, North Dakota requires you to file notice of your intent to homeschool. You must notify your local school district.

How many hours do I need to homeschool in North Dakota?

North Dakota requires at least 4 hours of instruction per day over 175 school days, which works out to roughly 700 hours per year.

Does North Dakota require testing for homeschoolers?

North Dakota requires a standardized achievement test in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10, filed with the local superintendent. Parents with a bachelor's degree or teaching credential can opt out by filing a philosophical, moral, or religious objection (NDCC 15.1-23-09).

Do I need to keep a portfolio in North Dakota?

Under NDCC 15.1-23-05, supervising parents keep an annual record of courses taken and academic progress assessments — including standardized test results — for each child. The records may be requested if the child later enrolls in public school.

What subjects must I teach in North Dakota?

North Dakota requires instruction in the following subjects: language arts, math, social studies, science, health, physical education, music, art, and computer science. Beyond these requirements, you have flexibility to add subjects that interest your family.

Nearby states

View all states

Want the cross-state comparison? Homeschool laws by state covers the legal regime in every state side by side.

What we track

Track your 700 North Dakota hours automatically

Log activities by voice or text and Homeschool Fox rolls them up against North Dakota's requirements automatically. Free for 14 days.

  • Hours toward 700-hour goal
  • Attendance days toward 175-day goal
  • Subject coverage (core & non-core)
  • Activity log (text, voice, AI-parsed)
  • Portfolios & PDF year-end reports
  • Transcripts with GPA & credits
  • Test scores & evaluations
  • Notice of intent & withdrawal letters
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