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NCDOA : Agencies and Commissions : Non-Public Education : Conventional Non-Public Schools : Frequently Asked Questions

Abandonment, Infant
Academic Fraud
Accreditation, School
	Do colleges accept students who graduate from non-accredited high schools? How can I tell if a North Carolina conventional non-public school is accredited? Is a school meeting North Carolina's non-public school laws considered accredited? What are some advantages to a school's being accredited? What is involved in the process known as school accreditation? Why would a conventional non-public school choose not to be accredited?
Administrators, New School
Buses
	Are schools & child care centers covered under the North Carolina Child Booster Seat law? Must a non-public school which uses its own bus to transport students across state lines for class, field or other type trips obtain a US DOT license number? Must all North Carolina school buses be yellow in color? What determines if a vehicle is a bus? Where is there more North Carolina school bus information available on the web? Where may I call with my bus questions?
Calendar/Schedule, School
	Adverse weather closings Must non-public schools require students to be on campus for a specific time period? Why recommend 180 school days and a 5 1/2 hour school day?
Child Care
	Does DNPE oversee schools enrolling children younger than age 5? What about Pre-Kindergarten programs for three or four year olds? Which North Carolina government agency oversees schools enrolling children younger than age 5?
Code or Identification Numbers, School
	Any government ID numbers which must be obtained for a new school? Does DNPE issue them to non-public schools? How are test company non-public school code numbers obtained? What is an NCES number and how does a non-public school acquire one?
Complaints About Schools
Curriculum
	Is the Public Schools of North Carolina curriculum available on-line? Must non-public schools follow the Public Schools of North Carolina curriculum?
Diploma Mills
Driver Education Course, Student
	How can I qualify to teach it? What are the laws relating to it? Where are there additional Q & A's on this topic?
Driving Eligibility Certificates, Student
	Must each conventional North Carolina non-public school place its embossed seal on them? What are the procedures for revoking a student's driving eligibility certificate? What are the requirements & procedures for obtaining a driving eligibility certificate? Where do North Carolina students who physically attend out of state high schools obtain their student driving eligibility certificates?
Employment, Youth
Flags, Display of US & NC
	Are North Carolina non-public schools required to lower flags to half-staff? How are North Carolina non-public schools notified when flags are to be lowered to half-staff?
Funding/Services, Government
	Any local government funded programs/services available to non-public schools? Any North Carolina government funded programs/services available to non-public schools? Any US government funded programs/services available to non-public schools? Child Care Funding May North Carolina public school systems elect to contract certain services to private schools? What about vouchers for non-public school attendance? Why does North Carolina not provide funding to non-public schools?
Graduation Requirements, High School
	Are there state-mandated graduation requirements for non-public schools? Cutoff score for high school graduation How do I obtain Public Schools of North Carolina graduation and UNC Entrance requirements?
Home School Families, Assistance to
	How may conventional non-public schools legally serve home school families? May conventional non-public schools operate "teaching-at-home" programs? May home schooled students participate in inter-school competitive activities?
Immunizations, Student
Independent Study/Distance Learning Programs
Inspections/On-Site Visits
	How frequently does DNPE perform on-site visits? Is there a preferred order for having the three initial building inspections conducted? Must building inspections be passed before initial occupancy of the building(s) can occur?
Kindergarten
	Are there ramifications for not following the Public Schools of North Carolina entrance policy? Is there a mandatory kindergarten entrance age cutoff date for non-public schools? Must non-public school kindergartens operate full day sessions? What is the kindergarten entrance age policy for the Public Schools of North Carolina?
Learn and Earn, Student Participation in
Records/Transcripts, Student
	Are there any criminal statutes which address academic fraud? How long must they be kept? Is there a standard or universally used format for transcript design? May they be withheld for overdue financial accounts? Must they be released to students, parents or the general public upon request? What are the requirements for student record maintenance? What happens to them when a non-public school terminates operation?
School Regulation in North Carolina, Non-Public
	Are there any legal requirement differences between boarding and day schools? Are there any legal requirements for private tutorial or enrichment providers? Are there any public school laws that are legally binding also on non-public schools? How did the present legal requirements become law? How long does it normally take to legally establish a conventional non-public school? Was Article 39 enacted after the compulsory attendance statutes? What is the State's regulatory philosophy underlying today's legal requirements? Which organizations oversee post high school private educational institutions? Why is DNPE a part of DOA instead of DPI?
Students
	Any North Carolina non-public school laws addressing the administering of medications to students? Do public school laws about special needs children apply to non-public schools? How do North Carolina non-public schools handle excessive student absences and tardiness? Is corporal punishment permissible in North Carolina non-public schools? Must certain aged children be housed on the ground floor of the school building? Must non-public schools require students to be on campus for a specific time period? What do I need to know about enrolling foreign students in a North Carolina non-public school? What should school administrators know about the use of student social security numbers?
Summer Programs
	Are there any non-public school laws governing summer schools? Must a non-public school use only its regular school staff in them? What about summer recreational and specialized activity programs? What are the public school laws and policies governing their summer schools?
Teachers
	Are health certificates required of non-public school teachers and other school staff? Does DNPE assist teaching professionals seeking positions in non-public schools? How can a North Carolina non-public school have a criminal background check done on an employee? How do I get more information about Teacher Licensure? How does one obtain CEU credit toward Teacher Licensure renewal? Is Teacher Licensure required of North Carolina non-public schools? Must non-public schools follow public school student promotion/retention policies? Must school administrators and staff report suspected abuse of juveniles?
Termination, School
	In terminating a conventional non-public school, what actions need to be taken? What happens to student records when the school is terminated?
Testing, National Standardized
	Public Schools of North Carolina annual tests meet the testing requirement? How can I obtain nationally standardized tests? How can I obtain Public Schools of North Carolina standardized tests? How do I know a test meets North Carolina legal criteria? Is a minimum test score required for promotion from grade to grade? Must non-public schools use the same standardized tests as North Carolina public schools? Obtaining a school code number for college entrance/placement tests Special education student standardized testing requirement What are the AP and the CLEP tests? Will the ACT, PSAT/NMSQT and SAT satisfy the testing requirement?
Textbooks
	Do North Carolina public schools provide them free to non-public schools? Do North Carolina public schools sell them to non-public schools? How can I access the State Board of Education textbook adoption listing? Must non-public schools utilize public school textbooks? Where can instructional materials for teaching blind students be acquired?
Transfers, Student
	Conventional non-public school recognition of student credit from previous schools Credit recognition by conventional non-public schools for former home school attendees Credit recognition by public schools for former non-public school attendees Public school admittance without taking the Public Schools of North Carolina EOG or EOC tests
Tutorial Organizations

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North Carolina Department of Administration