Frequently Asked Conventional Non-Public School Questions – Government Funding/Services

Are there any State of North Carolina funded programs or services available to North Carolina non-public schools or their students?

The only such programs/services currently available to North Carolina non-public schools or their students are: 

The student Driver Education course (available free of charge only through the local public school system); and, participation in the annual Governor's School and teacher licensure programs. 

Voluntary participation in the Public Schools of North Carolina annual testing program is also permitted. 

However, please note that these tests are only state standardized (not nationally standardized tests which are required of all non-public schools).  Any additional state-funded programs/services would ultimately have to be authorized by the North Carolina General Assembly. 

DNPE is unaware of any private grant monies available to North Carolina non-public schools.

Are there any US government funded programs available to North Carolina non-public schools or their students?

There are some federally-funded services available to qualifying North Carolina non-public school students -- not to schools; however, these programs are administered solely through the local North Carolina public school system. 

Before contacting the federal programs administrator within the central offices of your local North Carolina public school system, visit the US Department of Education's Office of Non-Public Education web site.  It provides some very helpful information concerning which programs/services are available.

Do local North Carolina public school systems allow local North Carolina non-public schools or their students to participate in any locally funded programs?

In the State of North Carolina, the General Assembly and the State Board of Education make certain policies and minimal requirements for all public schools throughout the state. 

Each local North Carolina public school system then follows these policies and requirements; however, each system is an independent local unit governed by additional policies and requirements made by the local board of education. 

There is no statewide requirement for local public schools to provide any type of assistance or services to North Carolina non-public schools or to students in such schools (except for those cited above in the first question).  The ultimate answer to this question would come from the local board of education.

Does the State of North Carolina provide any funding to North Carolina child cares or pre-kindergartens?

Under present North Carolina law, there are no state funds available to non-public elementary and/or high schools.  What distinguishes North Carolina non-public elementary/high schools from their North Carolina public school counterparts is simply that they receive no state funding for their elementary or high school programs. 

For that reason, the laws governing North Carolina non-public schools provide greater "legal latitude" in the operation of them. 

However, the State of North Carolina does provide certain types of state funding for qualifying students enrolled in pre-kindergarten as well as before and after-school, child care programs which operate under the legal jurisdiction of the North Carolina Division of Child Development. 

We see no legal conflict with the non-public school laws should your organization elect to voluntarily participate in this pre-school program only.

May North Carolina public school systems elect to contract with private providers for certain services?

Yes, but only for students with disabilities.  See G.S. 115C- 111.2 and also G.S. 115C- 250(a).

What about vouchers for North Carolina non-public school attendance?

There are no voucher programs available for North Carolina non-public school attendance (either state or federally funded). 

However, a limited number of charter schools operate as elementary and/or high schools across the State of North Carolina.  Charter schools are public schools which are privately operated.  Since charter schools receive state funding, they are free of tuition costs to parents. 

The Office of Charter Schools in the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction administers the funding and the limited legal oversight of these type schools.  Charter schools are less tightly regulated by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction than regular public schools. 

Also, see the Cleveland School Choice Case.

Why does the State of North Carolina provide only a few state-funded services to North Carolina non-public schools?

State-funded services provided to non-public schools or their students (such as textbooks, curriculum materials and school bus transportation) are determined by the individual states rather than by the US government. 

Consequently, some states deal with this issue differently than others.  The State of North Carolina historically has not provided funding for tuition, textbooks, educational materials, nationally standardized testing, school bus transportation, etc., for students enrolled in North Carolina non-public schools. 

Any determination to change that policy would have to be made by the North Carolina General Assembly which approves the annual North Carolina education budget.