How to Homeschool in North Dakota Without a Teaching Certificate: The Non-Certified Track Explained

Yes, you can homeschool in North Dakota without a teaching certificate. The vast majority of North Dakota homeschool families — roughly 80-85% — operate on the non-certified track under NDCC §15.1-23. You need a high school diploma or GED (not a teaching license, not a bachelor's degree). The process is straightforward, but the testing requirements on this track are more demanding than in most states, and the consequences of a low score are more structured. Here's exactly how it works.

The Three Tracks: Where Non-Certified Fits

North Dakota runs a three-track compliance system based on the teaching parent's educational qualifications. Understanding which track you're on determines your entire compliance burden for as long as you homeschool:

Track 1 — Teaching certificate or bachelor's degree. File SFN 16909. No standardized testing required. No state monitoring. Minimal oversight. This is the lightest compliance track in North Dakota.

Track 2 — High school diploma or GED (the non-certified track). File SFN 16909. Children must take standardized tests in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10. Composite scores must meet the 50th percentile threshold. Scores below 50th percentile trigger monitoring; below 30th percentile trigger a remediation plan. This is the track most families are on.

Track 3 — No diploma or GED. Must be monitored by a certified teacher for the first two years. After two years with satisfactory progress, transitions to Track 2 requirements.

If you have a high school diploma or GED but not a bachelor's degree or teaching certificate, you're on Track 2. This guide covers everything you need to know about operating on this track.

Step 1: File SFN 16909 (Statement of Intent)

The Statement of Intent is the same form regardless of your track. You file it with your local superintendent — not the state, not NDHSA, not any other organisation. The superintendent is determined by where you live, not by which school your child previously attended.

The critical field: The "educational qualifications" section on SFN 16909 determines your track. What you write here sets your entire compliance pathway. If you have a high school diploma or GED, state exactly that. Don't embellish, don't omit — accuracy here prevents you from being assigned to the wrong track.

Filing deadline: Within 14 days of beginning homeschool instruction, or by October 1 of each year, whichever comes first. This is an annual filing — you renew every year.

What SFN 16909 is NOT: It's a notification, not an application. Under NDCC §15.1-23-02, the superintendent receives your Statement of Intent. They do not approve or deny it. If a superintendent claims they need to "review" your filing or "approve" your intent to homeschool, they are overstepping their statutory authority.

Step 2: Understand the Testing Requirements

This is where the non-certified track diverges significantly from most states. North Dakota requires standardized achievement testing at specific grade levels:

Testing grades: 4, 6, 8, and 10. If your child is not in one of these grades, there is no testing requirement for that year.

Approved tests: Iowa Assessments (formerly ITBS), Stanford Achievement Test (SAT-10), Terra Nova (CTBS), and other nationally normed standardized tests. The test must produce a composite score — not just individual subject scores.

The threshold: Your child's composite score must be at or above the 50th percentile on a nationally normed basis. This means scoring at or above the national average.

Where to test: Tests must be administered by a certified teacher. Options include hiring a private testing proctor, arranging testing through a homeschool co-op that offers group testing sessions, or contacting your local school district (some districts allow homeschooled students to test at the school). Testing proctors in the Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, and Minot areas can be found through local homeschool networks and NDHSA.

When to test: Testing typically occurs in the spring of the relevant grade year. Results must be available for the superintendent's records.

Step 3: Know What Happens If Scores Fall Below the Threshold

This is the section that creates the most anxiety — and the section that no free resource in North Dakota explains adequately.

Composite score between 30th and 49th percentile

If your child scores between the 30th and 49th percentile, the state requires that a certified teacher monitor your homeschool for the following year. Here's what that actually means:

• The monitor is a certified teacher (not necessarily a currently employed teacher — retired teachers qualify)
• The monitor reviews your curriculum, observes your instruction, and reports to the superintendent
• You choose the monitor — the superintendent does not assign one
• The monitoring continues until your child's next test score meets the 50th percentile threshold
• The monitor cannot dictate your curriculum, teaching methods, or schedule — they observe and report

Composite score below the 30th percentile

If your child scores below the 30th percentile, you must develop a formal remediation plan and file it with the superintendent. The remediation plan must:

• Identify the specific academic areas where the child scored below proficiency
• Describe the instructional changes you'll implement to address the deficiencies
• Set a timeline for re-testing
• Be developed in consultation with the monitoring certified teacher

The remediation plan is filed with the superintendent. The child must be re-tested, and the scores must improve. If scores remain below the 30th percentile after remediation, the superintendent may require additional monitoring or intervention.

The reality: Most children who score below the 50th percentile on their first test improve significantly on the re-test, especially once parents understand the test format and adjust their instruction accordingly. The remediation process sounds terrifying in the statute, but in practice it's a structured improvement plan — not a punitive process.

Step 4: Cover the Required Subjects

North Dakota requires instruction in the following subjects regardless of your track:

• Reading
• Language (including English grammar and composition)
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social studies
• Health
• Physical education

You choose the curriculum. North Dakota does not prescribe specific curricula, textbooks, or teaching methods. You can use a structured curriculum (Abeka, Saxon Math, Sonlight, etc.), an eclectic mix, or an unschooling approach — as long as you can demonstrate that instruction is occurring in all required subject areas.

Record keeping: North Dakota does not require you to submit attendance records, lesson plans, or progress reports to the superintendent (unless you're under monitoring). However, keeping records is strongly recommended — both for your own reference and as documentation if your compliance is ever questioned.

What the Non-Certified Track Does NOT Require

Understanding what the law doesn't require is as important as knowing what it does:

• No curriculum approval. The superintendent does not review or approve your curriculum choices.
• No attendance tracking submission. You don't submit daily attendance to anyone.
• No portfolio review. North Dakota does not require portfolio assessment (unlike states like New York or Pennsylvania).
• No annual progress reports. You report test scores in the testing years. In non-testing years, there's no reporting requirement beyond the annual SFN 16909 renewal.
• No home visits. No state official has the right to visit your home or inspect your instruction (unless you're under the monitoring track for low scores).

The Non-Certified Track vs. Other States

For context, here's how North Dakota's non-certified track compares to neighbouring states:

North Dakota is more regulated than Montana, South Dakota, and most neighbouring states. The testing requirement and 50th percentile threshold make it one of the most demanding homeschool compliance environments in the region. But the trade-off is that compliance is formulaic — if you file correctly and your child meets the testing thresholds, the state has no further basis to intervene.

Who This Is For

• Parents with a high school diploma or GED who want to homeschool in North Dakota
• Parents who need to understand the testing schedule and 50th percentile requirement before withdrawing
• Parents anxious about the monitoring and remediation process
• Parents looking for a clear explanation of the non-certified compliance track
• Families relocating to North Dakota from a low-regulation state who need to understand the higher requirements

Who This Is NOT For

• Parents who hold a bachelor's degree or teaching certificate — you're on Track 1, which has no testing requirement. See our certified teacher track guide for your specific pathway.
• Parents without a high school diploma or GED — you're on Track 3, which requires two years of certified teacher monitoring before transitioning to Track 2.

Getting Started on the Non-Certified Track

The North Dakota Legal Withdrawal Blueprint includes a visual Compliance Map that identifies your exact track in under two minutes, a line-by-line SFN 16909 guide showing what to write in the educational qualifications field, four withdrawal letter templates, and the 50th Percentile Survival Protocol with a fill-in-the-blank remediation plan template. It's designed specifically for parents navigating North Dakota's two-track system for the first time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I homeschool with just a GED in North Dakota?

Yes. A GED meets the educational qualification requirement for the non-certified track (Track 2). You file the same SFN 16909 form, follow the same testing schedule, and meet the same 50th percentile threshold as parents with a high school diploma. There is no difference in compliance requirements between a GED and a traditional diploma.

What if my child is in grade 5 — do they need to test?

No. Testing is required only in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10. If your child is in grade 5, there is no testing requirement for that year. You still file your annual SFN 16909, but you won't need to arrange testing until grade 6.

Can I choose which standardized test my child takes?

Yes. You can select any nationally normed standardized achievement test that produces a composite score. The most commonly used tests in North Dakota are the Iowa Assessments, Stanford Achievement Test (SAT-10), and Terra Nova. Choose the test that best matches your child's curriculum and learning style.

What does "50th percentile composite" actually mean?

It means your child's combined score across all tested subjects must place them at or above the national median — the point where 50% of students nationwide scored lower. This is a composite (combined) score, not individual subject scores. A child could score below the 50th percentile in one subject and above in another, and still meet the threshold if the composite is at or above 50.

How do I find a testing proctor in North Dakota?

Contact local homeschool co-ops in your area (Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, Minot all have active groups), ask NDHSA for proctor referrals, check with your local school district (some allow homeschooled students to test on-site), or hire a certified teacher privately to administer the test. Group testing sessions organised by co-ops are typically the most affordable option.

What if I get a bachelor's degree while homeschooling?

If you earn a bachelor's degree while your children are being homeschooled, you can transition from Track 2 to Track 1 on your next annual SFN 16909 filing. Update the educational qualifications field to reflect your new degree. From that point forward, your children are no longer subject to standardized testing requirements. The transition takes effect at the next filing — it's not retroactive.

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