Anchor Homeschooling in North Dakota
medium regulation
What North Dakota requires
- Notice to authorities: Yes. Statement of Intent filed with the superintendent of the resident public school district (or county superintendent if none) at least 5 days before starting, and annually thereafter. Certified mail with return receipt. Minimum 4 hours instruction per day, 175 days per year.
- Instructional days: 175 per year
- Instructional hours: 700 per year
- Portfolio: Not required.
- Standardized testing: Required — in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10.
- Annual evaluator: Not required.
- Quarterly reports: Not required.
How to start homeschooling in North Dakota
- File your notice with the state. Send the Statement of Intent (form SFN 16909) by certified mail with return receipt to the superintendent of your resident public school district (or the county superintendent if the district employs none) at least 5 days before starting home education, and annually thereafter. Provide at least 4 hours of instruction per day, 175 days per year. File online with the state →
- Plan your school year. North Dakota expects 175 instructional days and 700 hours — set your calendar before you start so the count takes care of itself.
- Put assessment on the calendar. North Dakota requires standardized testing in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10 — book the test window early, and keep the results with your records.
- Keep records from your first day. Attendance, samples of work, and any test or evaluation results — every requirement above is answered from these three, and they're painless to keep daily and miserable to reconstruct in May.
How Anchor helps
Anchor logs every day automatically when you make an activity entry. It builds the portfolio your state expects, generates the attendance PDF, and reminds you about evaluations before they're due.
Common questions about homeschooling in North Dakota
Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in North Dakota?
Yes. North Dakota requires notice to the authorities before you begin home education. Statement of Intent filed with the superintendent of the resident public school district (or county superintendent if none) at least 5 days before starting, and annually thereafter. Certified mail with return receipt. Minimum 4 hours instruction per day, 175 days per year.
How many days or hours of school does North Dakota require?
North Dakota requires 175 instructional days and 700 hours per year. Anchor counts each day for you as you log activities, and shows how many you have left.
Does North Dakota require a portfolio or standardized testing?
Yes. North Dakota requires standardized testing in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10.
Does North Dakota require an annual evaluation?
No. North Dakota does not require an annual evaluator review.
What records should I keep to homeschool in North Dakota?
Keep attendance for every school day, samples of your student's work, and any test or evaluation results North Dakota asks for. Homeschool Anchor builds all three from your daily logs and turns this state's rules into dated checkpoints, so nothing is reconstructed at the deadline.
Stay compliant without the paperwork
Free for 1 student. $8/month for the full family with PDF exports, photo activity logging, and AI-assisted summaries.
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Sources: HSLDA — North Dakota · North Dakota Department of Education · last verified 2026-08-08 · Always verify with your state homeschool association before relying on this.