Last verified: October 2026
Does North Carolina license a church school in Wake or Durham County?
No. A North Carolina church school files a notice of intent with the state's Division of Non-Public Education and is then exempt from most education statutes, though it still has to meet fire, safety, sanitation and immunization rules.
What records does a North Carolina church school keep?
Each student needs attendance and immunization records on file. The school operates on a regular calendar of nine or more months a year and permits reasonable fire, health and safety inspections.
What testing does a church school give without state scholarship students?
Each year it gives a nationally standardized test in grades 3, 6 and 9, and a competency test in grade 11, keeping results on file for state review.
What changes when a Triangle church school takes Opportunity Scholarship students?
The school joins NCSEAA's Direct Payment list and adopts the scholarship rules: testing from grade 3 up with NCSEAA choosing the third- and eighth-grade tests and juniors taking the ACT, test data by July 15, records kept four years under the 2026 budget, and the chance of a yearly NCSEAA audit.
How should a Raleigh congregation set tuition?
Many church schools compare their families' incomes with the 2026-27 tiers, from $7,942 at Tier 1 to $3,574 at Tier 4. A school whose families are mostly in Tiers 1 and 2 can price close to those awards and add a member rate.
How does a church school differ from a Direct Payment School?
| Any NC church school | Added on the Direct Payment list |
|---|---|
| Notice of intent to the Division of Non-Public Education | Registration with NCSEAA |
| Tests in grades 3, 6, 9 and 11 | Yearly tests from grade 3, with NCSEAA picking the grade 3 and 8 tests and the ACT for juniors |
| Attendance and immunization records | Test data by July 15 and records kept four years |