Homeschooling in NC: Everything You Need to Know (Laws, Funding, & Best Communities!)

Hi everyone. Are you thinking about homeschooling in North Carolina? Maybe you're considering moving to North Carolina or you're just curious about what it's like to homeschool in the Tar Heel State? Well, you have come to the right place. In this video, I'm going to break down everything you need to know about homeschooling in North Carolina. We're going to cover homeschooling laws, what's required, how easy it is to homeschool in North Carolina, homeschool communities and co ops. What are the best places to find support groups and secular homeschooling groups, extracurricular and socialization. What activities are available for homeschoolers in North Carolina? Cost of living and why families are moving to North Carolina. Is it really more affordable? And then we're going to cover funding and financial assistance. What kind of school choice options are available for homeschoolers? And last but not least, based on family feedback, what are the pros and cons of homeschooling here? So if you're wondering how to homeschool in North Carolina, stick around because I have a lot of great details for you. Let's start with the laws because good news, North Carolina is a relatively easy state to homeschool in. So here's what you need to know. First of all, if you want to homeschool, you need to register your homeschooler with the North Carolina Division of Non Public Education. Once Your child is 7 years or older, you're going to need to keep attendance records and vaccination records, but there's absolutely no require to you're not required to submit them unless it's requested. North Carolina does require standardized testing, but again, many families use the California Achievement Test and the Woodcock Johnson Test and you only have to submit them if it's specifically asked of you. And one more unique feature, North Carolina actually has a state department dedicated to homeschoolers, so you never have to deal with your local school district, which can be a plus. One of the biggest questions that families often ask before moving to a new place is will I find community? If you're moving to North Carolina, where you choose to live really matters when it comes to finding like minded community. Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, the Triangle One of the best areas for homeschooling in North Carolina, especially for progressive secular homeschool groups, tons of co ops, private learning programs and support networks. Charlotte has a large homeschooling population. People have said finding secular homeschooling groups is a bit more hard here as Most co ops and programs in Charlotte are religiously affiliated. So if that's a concern for you, it might be something you want to keep in mind. Asheville is a smaller city, but it's one of the most liberal areas in North Carolina. There's lots of nature based learning, unschooling groups, groups and really strong homeschooling support. Wilmington and coastal North Carolina. Homeschooling is really easy there in terms of regulations, but if you are looking for secular homeschooling groups, they can be a bit harder to find. However, most families say there are just a ton of educational resources available and you can always start your own group if you don't find what you're looking for. All right, Western North Carolina, Boone, Hickory, the smaller mountain towns. A little bit of mixed experiences here. Some areas have great homeschooling communities, but others, many of them are quite religious. So again, if that's an issue for you, might be something you want to keep in mind. Even though many of these religious communities can be very welcoming to diverse groups and secular homeschoolers. Okay, now what about socialization? What kind of activities can homeschool kids participate in? Here's where North Carolina really excels. So state parks and outdoor education. North Carolina has incredible state parks, hiking trails and outdoor learning programs. There's also wonderful museums and science centers. Raleigh in particular has tons of free museums like the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. And Durham's Museum of Life and Science is an absolute favorite for homeschoolers. How about sports and extracurriculars? North Carolina doesn't have a specific homeschool access law for public school sports, but there are private homeschool sports leagues and YMCA programs which are widely available to homeschoolers. How about co ops and private learning centers? Some homeschooling parents enroll their kids in hybrid programs. These usually meet one to three days a week for structured classes while they're homeschooling the rest of the time. And co ops in North Carolina abound. All right, next topic. If you're considering moving to North Carolina for homeschooling, you might be wondering about the cost of living there. North Carolina is more affordable than states like New York or California, but some of the prices have been rising, especially in Raleigh and Charlotte. Groceries and gas costs have gone up like everywhere, but property taxes are relatively low compared to the Northeast. So if you're moving from New York, you might actually save money. Overall, one of the biggest concerns family have about homeschooling is can I get financial assistance to help with homeschooling costs. So educational savings account, if you haven't heard of them, they are a wonderful way to fund your child's education. And in places like Florida and also Arizona, any family can apply. Now, it's a little bit different now in North Carolina though, laws are changing all over the country. So education student accounts are special needs savings account that provides up to $9,000 per year or 17,000 for students with significant disabilities for qualified educational expenses. So how do you qualify for an ESA in North Carolina? To be eligible, students have to have an iep, an individualized education plan, and be identified as having special needs under the Disabilities Education act idea. This includes autism spectrum, intellectual disabilities, speech impairments, orthopedic impairments, or traumatic brain injuries. So if you think that your child might have a special need and you're in North Carolina, it's definitely worth getting a diagnosis. So you can get access to these educational savings accounts and save a lot of money. Now, there's another type of funding for homeschooling families called opportunity scholarships. These are private school vouchers, up to $7,213 per year. Very specific. And some hybrid homeschool private school programs do accept this for tuition. So if you're looking at a homeschool co op, this could be a good option for you. There are also charter school and public school alternatives. So charter schools in North Carolina do offer part time enrollment for homeschoolers. They provide free curriculum, classes and extracurricular activities. And then there's grants and scholarships. There are private organizations that offer small grants for low income and special needs homeschoolers. So even though North Carolina doesn't have the type of funding for all homeschoolers that you can get in Florida and Arizona, there's still a lot of ways that you can fund your homeschooling. So just remember, you can't get government funding for homeschooling unless you qualify for a special education ESA account. All right, last but not least, let's break down the pros and cons of homeschooling in North Carolina. I pulled a bunch of families living out there homeschooling their kids to talk about what they loved and what can be a little more challenging. So pros, easy homeschooling laws, minimal oversight. Again, you don't have to submit anything unless asked. There's really strong homeschooling communities, especially in major cities, and tons of extracurricular opportunities. Field trips, museums, parks, the worst, the works. It's also a lower cost of living compared to a place like New York or California with still all that culture and all the great things that a city might offer. Okay, so the cons and again, this is, you know, relative to you and what you're looking for. But compared to a place like California or New York, finding secular homeschool groups can be hard in some areas. Again, you can always start your own or find a group that's more inclusive. Or if you're a religious family, then that's great for you. And annual testing is required, even though you don't have to necessarily submit your scores. The the cost of living is getting higher, especially in popular areas of North Carolina overall. Most homeschooling families find North Carolina to be an amazing place to homeschool, especially in Raleigh, Asheville or Charlotte. And it makes sense. A bigger city is just going to offer more opportunities for homeschoolers and have a bigger community overall. All right, now you know how to homeschool in North Carolina, where to find your community, and even what funding options are available. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. I'm manishaodulo app and if you found this video helpful, please be sure to like comment. Subscribe for more homeschooling tips. You can also ask questions in the comments and I answer every single one. And if you homeschool in North Carolina, please share your thoughts. What's been the best thing or the hardest thing for you? Feel free to disagree with anything that I've said and I look forward to continuing the conversation with you. Share your favorite resources in North Carolina and have a fantastic day.