Frequently Asked Conventional Non-Public School Questions - School Termination

In terminating a North Carolina conventional non-public school, what actions need to be taken?

When a North Carolina conventional non-public school ceases operation permanently, DNPE must be notified immediately, preferably in writing. 

In addition, all academic, attendance and health records for all high school graduates of the school should be keep and stored together as a group in one location. 

DNPE should also be informed immediately of the name, mailing address and telephone number of the organization/person who has been assigned permanent custody of these records. 

The school's high school graduates may need later in their lives to obtain an official copy of their high school transcript. 

Under NO circumstances are originals of these records ever to be given to the students or their relatives/guardians. 

Records for undergraduate students should be forwarded directly to the next conventional school which the student will be attending.

What happens to North Carolina non-public school student academic records, transcripts, etc. when the school terminates its operation?

North Carolina non-public school law does not address this topic. 

Neither DNPE nor the North Carolina Archives and Records Section of state government in Raleigh keep individual non-public school student records. 

When the school terminates, it forwards all original student academic records to the next conventional school the student will be attending.  However, academic records for those students issued high school diplomas from the school are kept together as a group indefinitely, along with academic records for students who will be transferring in to a home school after completing grades 9, 10 or 11 in the school. 

Usually, the school then notifies DNPE where the high school transcripts and academic records for its graduates will be retained along with an address, telephone number and contact person.  In the years which follow, the school's graduates are then able to obtain high school transcripts as needed.

DNPE enters this information permanently into the school's file at DNPE.  Graduates from terminated schools seeking transcripts should contact DNPE for the location information for transcripts from that terminated school. 

Individual student academic records are often kept permanently either: In the central student record-keeping office of the local public school system; at a local church in which the school formerly operated; at another local non-public school which is still in operation; or by the last chief administrator or school board chairperson or board member who held these positions at the time the North Carolina non-public school terminated operation.