Frequently Asked Home School Questions – Out of State Travel

Is it permissible during the school year?

If students enrolled in a home school registered in North Carolina will be outside the geographical borders of the State of North Carolina for more than 30 consecutive calendar days during its traditional nine month school year, the administrator of the North Carolina home school notifies DNPE of the school's temporary closure. 

Upon the students' return to North Carolina, the parent/guardian follows the steps outlined in "Registration, School -- Re-Opening A Home School."  Parents/guardians of students traveling (or temporarily living) out of the country do not register a home school with DNPE since the division has no legal jurisdiction outside of North Carolina's geographical borders. 

In such cases, the parent/guardian would follow the requirements outlined by the conventional school in which the child is currently enrolled and to which he/she would ultimately return.  While in a foreign country (or another state), the parent/guardian would be required to follow the education laws of that country (or state).  Contact the country's embassy in Washington for this information. 

To obtain addresses/phone numbers of foreign embassies within the United States, click here.   It is recommended that such parents/guardians consider enrolling the student in an out-of-state correspondence or web based academic instructional program while the student is outside North Carolina's geographical borders for more than 30 consecutive calendar days during North Carolina's traditional nine month school year. 

Make certain, though, that the principal of the school to which the student will ultimately return will accept transfer credit from such instructional programs. 

Also, see "Registration, School -- Must I register my home school in North Carolina even though my primary residency is in another state