My Learning Source North Carolina › Homeschooling in North Carolina › North Carolina Opportunity Scholarship — A Guide for Homeschool Families

North Carolina Opportunity Scholarship — A Guide for Homeschool Families

The Opportunity Scholarship is North Carolina's statewide private school scholarship. It is set out in G.S. 115C-562.1 and following and run by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA). Any North Carolina student in grades K–12 can apply, with no income limit, and the award depends on household income: for 2026–27 it ranges from up to $3,574 to up to $7,942. The money can only pay required tuition and fees at a registered private school, and it goes straight to the school. NCSEAA's rules say home schools are not eligible, so most families who already homeschool cannot use it for their home school. The program homeschoolers can use is ESA+ (Education Student Accounts), for students with disabilities, explained below. A student can have both an Opportunity Scholarship and ESA+.

Overseen by	The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA), under G.S. 115C-562.1 through 562.8 and its Opportunity Scholarship Program Rules
Administered by	NCSEAA's K12 scholarship team, through the MyPortal online system. Scholarship money is sent to the private school twice a year, after a parent endorses it. Families never receive the money and can't keep anything left after tuition and fees.
Amount per student, 2026–27	Set by household income in 2025. For a family of four: Tier 1 up to $7,942 (income up to $61,050), Tier 2 up to $7,148 (up to 22,100), Tier 3 up to $4,766 (up to 74,725), Tier 4 up to $3,574 (higher income or income not reported). The award can never be more than the school's required tuition and fees.
Who is eligible	North Carolina residents who are eligible to attend a North Carolina public school, entering grades K–12, without a high school diploma and not enrolled full-time in college. There is no income limit and no prior public school requirement. The student must be enrolled and attending a registered private school (a "Direct Payment School") by October 1 to use fall funds.
Application window / next dates	The 2026–27 priority window ran February 2 to March 2, 2026 (5:00 p.m.). The last 2026–27 award offers went out August 21, 2026. NCSEAA says the 2027–28 application opens on the first Monday in February (February 1, 2027). Its ESA+ page says the application runs through the first Monday in March (March 1, 2027); the closing time hasn't been posted. Families can create a MyPortal account starting in December.
Homeschool status	Home schools can't receive Opportunity Scholarship money (NCSEAA Program Rules). A homeschooled student may be co-enrolled part-time in a registered private school, with the scholarship paying that school. ESA+ is different: its funds can pay for home school expenses for students with disabilities.

Which North Carolina program fits a homeschool family

North Carolina has two state K–12 scholarship programs, both run by NCSEAA. The Opportunity Scholarship is open to every K–12 student, with the amount based on household income, but it pays only required tuition and fees at a registered private school. ESA+ is for students with disabilities who need special education services, and it can be used at a private school or for home school expenses.

The Opportunity Scholarship works only at a school the Division of Non-Public Education (DNPE) recognizes as a Part 1 (religious) or Part 2 (non-religious) private school with a North Carolina facility that offers in-person instruction. NCSEAA's rules state that home schools, as defined in G.S. 115C-563(a), are not eligible. NCSEAA's FAQ says full-time home school is not an option, but a student may be co-enrolled in a home school and a registered private school, with the scholarship applied to the private school's tuition and fees.

If your child has a disability and a public school eligibility determination, ESA+ is the program built for homeschoolers. Families may apply for both programs, and the law allows a student to hold both at once (G.S. 115C-592(c)).

ESA+: the option for homeschoolers

Who qualifies: North Carolina residents eligible for public school, in grades K–12, who are a "child with a disability." The only accepted proof is an Eligibility Determination from a North Carolina public school (or a Department of Defense school in North Carolina) issued within the last three years. An IEP itself isn't required, and 504 plans, doctors' letters and private evaluations are not accepted. There is no income limit. Eligibility must be reassessed at least every three years. (G.S. 115C-591 to -593; NCSEAA ESA+ FAQ)

How much: for 2026–27, ESA+ pays up to $9,000 a year ($4,500 for a part-time student). Students whose eligibility determination lists autism, hearing impairment (including deafness and deaf-blindness), moderate or severe intellectual disability, orthopedic impairment or visual impairment as a primary or secondary disability can receive up to

7,000 ($8,500 part-time). Funds are paid in two halves, one each semester, into the family's ClassWallet account. Money left at year-end in a $9,000 account goes back to the state. A

7,000 student who renews can carry forward up to $4,500 a year, with a $30,000 cap on total carryforward. (G.S. 115C-592)

Using it as a home school: the home school must be registered with DNPE before any money is paid out (ESA+ Program Rule .0305). Home school families use the whole award for allowable expenses, because ESA+ can't pay home school tuition. Purchases go through ClassWallet: products from the ClassWallet Marketplace, and services from NCSEAA-enrolled providers paid directly. Parents aren't reimbursed for home school purchases (approved educational apps are the one courtesy exception). NCSEAA staff review every order.

Rules to keep: parents sign a Parent Agreement each year and agree to provide an education in English language arts, math, social studies and science for at least 70 days each semester (G.S. 115C-595). A family that is not part-time in public school also signs a release of the local school district's duty to educate the child. Starting in 2026–27, families must spend at least $500 per student per year on the four core subjects to stay eligible and renew. NCSEAA sends a 1099-G each January for funds spent the previous calendar year on things other than tuition and fees.

The year at a glance (NCSEAA home school calendar): award notices come by mid-April. In May, new families complete the Parent Agreement, W-9 and Home School Registration in MyPortal. Fall funds reach ClassWallet in August or September, and spring funds in January. May is the last month to buy in ClassWallet and the minimum-spending deadline, and all invoices are due in June. Renewal offers arrive February–March and are due in April. ClassWallet closes the last week of December and from late June through early July.

What ESA+ money can pay for

The law lists the qualifying expenses (G.S. 115C-595), and NCSEAA's 2026–27 Parent Guide to Allowable Expenses explains what qualifies in practice. For a home school student these are the main categories:

Curriculum in math, science, English/language arts, social studies and foreign language, including ready-made learning kits (not separate parts assembled into a kit)
Textbooks required by the home school in the core subjects, and nationally standardized achievement tests, AP exams and college entrance exams
Tutoring and live teaching services from enrolled providers in the core subjects. From 2026–27, art, music and foreign-language lessons are also allowed but don't count toward the $500 core spending requirement
Educational therapies from licensed or credentialed enrolled providers, such as speech, occupational, physical and behavioral therapy (insurance co-pays included; chiropractic is not)
Educational technology designed to help students with disabilities. A computer, general-purpose tablet, interactive whiteboard or headphones can be bought once every three years
Fees for services from a public school, including individual classes and extracurricular programs
Transportation to education services and activities from an enrolled provider, under a signed contract
Not allowed: consumable supplies (paper, pens, markers), furniture, field trips and event tickets, memberships (including homeschool co-op memberships), classes for parents, gift cards, out-of-state services, and art, music or PE supplies and curricula

Before you apply or buy

Opportunity Scholarship: choose the school first. Applying doesn't enroll your child anywhere, admission is up to the school, and NCSEAA's 2026–27 list of Direct Payment Schools (the private schools registered to accept the money) had 822 schools in October 2026. Ask the school for its tuition and fees and compare them to your award tier.
Apply in the priority window. Completed applications received by the deadline go into a random lottery, and applying on opening day gives no advantage. Renewal students are awarded first. New Opportunity Scholarship students are then awarded by tier, lowest income first, until funding runs out.
Have your documents ready. ESA+ applicants upload the public school Eligibility Determination (Word or PDF, one file) within three weeks of applying, with up to three upload attempts. The Opportunity Scholarship tier is based on household size and the prior year's income.
Keep the October 1 date in mind. Awarded students must be enrolled in and attending the school listed in MyPortal by October 1, or by March 1 for spring funds.
ESA+ home schools: register with DNPE before funds are released, buy only through ClassWallet, check that tutors and therapists are enrolled with NCSEAA before services start, and plan to spend the $500 core-subject minimum by May.
Amounts, dates and rules change. Confirm anything important with NCSEAA (855-330-3955) or on k12.ncseaa.edu.

For vendors and schools: taking part

Private schools: to accept Opportunity Scholarship students, a school must be identified by DNPE as a Part 1 or Part 2 nonpublic school and keep a North Carolina facility with in-person instruction. Under G.S. 115C-562.5 it must document its required tuition and fees and provide a criminal background check for its top administrator. It must also give parents a written progress report each year and test scholarship students: the test NCSEAA designates in grades 3 and 8, the ACT in grade 11, and a nationally standardized test in other grades from 4 up. Schools with 70 or more scholarship students need a CPA financial review. A school may not charge scholarship students extra fees. NCSEAA calls participating schools Direct Payment Schools, and it pays them for fall in August/September and for spring in January/February.

ESA+ service providers: tutors, therapists and transportation providers enroll through NCSEAA's Provider Portal. Tutors submit a teaching license from any state (expired is acceptable) or a college degree or transcript in any subject. Therapists submit a license or credential in their field, and transportation providers a business license. Companies with more than three credentialed providers can enroll as a facility, and each location enrolls separately. Review takes four to six weeks. NCSEAA's enrollment page lists enrollment as open August 1 through May 31 and suggests starting by March. You must be enrolled before the date of any service you want paid, and in-person providers need a North Carolina address.

Getting paid: enrolled providers are paid by ACH as ClassWallet Direct Pay Vendors after the parent uploads your invoice and NCSEAA approves it. ClassWallet keeps a 2.5% fee. You may add it to the invoice as a separate "Transaction Fee" line only if you also pass card fees on to your other customers. You can't refund ESA+ money to parents, and you can't be a member of the student's immediate family or of a household in the student's home school. NCSEAA lists enrolled providers in its online database but doesn't market them, and providers may not use the NCSEAA or ESA+ logo or call a service "approved" without written permission.

Curriculum and product sellers: NCSEAA stopped enrolling curriculum vendors in 2024. Companies selling curricula or other products must become vendors on the ClassWallet Marketplace for ESA+ families to buy from them.

Listing on My Learning Source is separate from Opportunity Scholarship or ESA+ participation — you don't need one to have the other, and families find you here either way.

Homeschooling in North Carolina: the basics

Who must register: children from age 7 until age 16 must attend a public, private or registered home school (G.S. 115C-378). A home school must be registered with DNPE when a child turns 7. Session Law 2026-46 ended the Driving Eligibility Certificate on October 1, 2026, so ask DNPE how it now handles registration for 16- and 17-year-olds.
What counts as a home school: a nonpublic school with the children of no more than two families or households, where the parents or household members decide the scope and sequence of instruction, teach, and choose other sources of instruction such as tutors and online programs (G.S. 115C-563(a)). Online and correspondence programs serve as curriculum and don't replace your own registration.
Notice of Intent: file it with DNPE online at least five business days before you start. Give the school's name and address, the chief administrator's name, and proof that each teacher has a high school diploma or equivalent (G.S. 115C-564). You choose whether the school operates as religious (Part 1) or non-religious (Part 2). DNPE accepts new notices July 1 – April 30, not in May or June. There is no approval process. DNPE simply acknowledges the notice, and you shouldn't withdraw your child from school until it does.
Running the school: teach on a regular schedule for at least nine calendar months a year, excluding reasonable holidays and vacations, and keep attendance and immunization records for each student (G.S. 115C-548, -556).
Testing: every student takes a nationally standardized achievement test each school year covering English grammar, reading, spelling and math. There is no minimum score, and the state end-of-grade tests aren't required. Keep the results on file for at least a year and show them to DNPE if asked. You don't send scores in, but DNPE asks you to record the test name and date in its portal.
Ongoing: DNPE may contact a home school and ask for records by email or video meeting. Close the school in the DNPE portal when you stop. DNPE also recommends (but doesn't require) about five hours of instruction a day and a daily log.
Diplomas and records: the parent, as chief administrator, issues the diploma and transcript, and the state doesn't issue or seal home school diplomas. DNPE recommends keeping records for life. When a student enters a conventional school, that school's principal decides grade placement and whether to accept home school credits.

Other North Carolina programs: college aid, dual enrollment and sports

College aid for homeschool graduates: the Next NC Scholarship, explained on CFNC (College Foundation of North Carolina), is for North Carolina residents eligible for in-state tuition who are high school graduates or equivalency completers. Household adjusted gross income must be $80,000 or less, the student must meet Pell Grant criteria, and the student must take at least six credit hours a semester at an NC community college or UNC System university. File the FAFSA by June 1 for priority. Check current award amounts with CFNC.

Dual enrollment: Career and College Promise lets eligible North Carolina high school students take community college courses tuition-free, in college transfer, career-technical and workforce pathways. The Community College System's CCP procedures say student fees aren't waived and textbooks are the student's responsibility. Juniors and seniors generally qualify with an unweighted 2.8 GPA or college-ready scores on an approved assessment. DNPE lists the program in its home school guidance, and each community college handles home school applications through its own process. Homeschoolers may also take college-level courses part-time at local colleges. North Carolina Virtual Public School charges homeschoolers a fee for each course.

Public school classes and sports: North Carolina has no law giving homeschoolers the right to take public school classes or play on public school teams. State Board of Education policy (reprinted in the NCHSAA 2026-27 Handbook) lets a local school board allow home school students in grades 6–12 to play if they carry catastrophic accident insurance, so ask your district what its board allows (DNPE FAQ).

Federal scholarship tax credit: North Carolina opted in to the federal Educational Choice for Children Act through Session Law 2026-6 (House Bill 87, enacted over the governor's veto). The federal credit applies to donations made after December 31, 2026 to scholarship granting organizations. NCSEAA says it is preparing guidance for the program.

Driver's licenses for home-schooled teens

Driving Eligibility Certificate: until October 1, 2026, a teen needed a Driving Eligibility Certificate or a high school diploma (or its equivalent) to get a learner's permit or provisional license. In a home school, the person who provides the academic instruction signed the certificate (G.S. 20-11(n)). Section 9 of Session Law 2026-46 (House Bill 1094) ended that requirement as of October 1, 2026. It also repealed the laws on schools issuing certificates and on DMV revoking permits and licenses for ineligibility, and it directs DMV to restore licenses revoked for that reason. DNPE now tells families that students will no longer need DECs to get a driver's license. Older guidance that tells you to request a DEC through the DNPE portal is out of date.

Driver education is still required. A teen 15 to 17 starts North Carolina's graduated licensing process with a driver education certificate from an approved course (DNPE). For a Level 1 limited learner's permit, the teen must pass either the driver education course set up under G.S. 115C-215 or a course at a licensed commercial driver training school (G.S. 20-11(b)(1)). DNPE says a homeschool or private school student can't use an unapproved online driver education program, so check a course's approval before you pay.

Public school driver education: the state program is offered at public high schools to physically and mentally qualified students older than 14½ who are approved by the principal and who are enrolled in a public or private high school or are receiving instruction through a home school (G.S. 115C-215(a)). NC DPI says driver education is available to all public, private, charter, federal and home school students in the state. School districts may charge a fee of up to $65 to cover their costs (NC DPI, as posted November 2026). The course includes a 30-hour classroom curriculum, and students must also finish a work zone safety course before they receive a completion certificate. Ask your local school district's driver education program how home school students sign up and what it charges.

Sports and special education for home school students

Sports: no new law gives home school students a right to play. Senate Bill 48 (2025), 'Access to Sports and Extracurriculars for All,' was referred to the Senate Rules Committee on February 5, 2025 and has not passed either chamber. Under State Board policy as printed in the NCHSAA 2026-27 Handbook, a local board of education may, by policy, let a grade 6–12 home school student whose primary residence is in the board's area play for a school under that board, if the board covers the student under its catastrophic athletic accident insurance or the student has their own catastrophic accident coverage. To document eligibility, the school must have: records from the Division of Non-Public Education at initial dual enrollment (attendance, immunization, transcript and school number); proof that the student told the principal of their intent to play at least 10 days before the first practice date of each sports season; proof that the student followed the board's enrollment and assignment procedures for that school; and proof of insurance. A home school student is in good academic standing if they passed every course they took at the member school the previous semester and are on grade level on a nationally standardized achievement test. A student who moves from a public school to a home school and, within 365 days, enrolls in a different public school is treated as transferring from a public school. (NCHSAA Handbook 2026-27)

Special education: North Carolina's special education policies recognize registered home schools as private schools (NC 1501-6.1). The school district where the private school is located must locate, identify and evaluate children with disabilities enrolled there, using activities similar to those for public school children and on a comparable timeline, and a parent may also ask the district where the child lives for an evaluation (NC 1501-6.2). A home-schooled child has no individual right to the services they would get in public school. The district makes the final decision on services, writes a services plan for each child it designates to serve, and may provide a different amount of services than public school students get (NC 1501-6.3, 6.8, 6.9). If you decline consent for an evaluation or reevaluation, or don't answer the request, the district can't use override procedures and doesn't have to treat your child as eligible for those services (NC 1503-1.1).

Special education: for ESA+ families, the parent agreement releases the local school district from all obligations to educate the student while the student receives ESA+ funds, unless the student is part-time (G.S. 115C-595). The State Board must make sure districts conduct evaluations that parents request and, at the parent's request, provide the continuing-eligibility assessments ESA+ students need (G.S. 115C-599).

Official sources

My Learning Source is an independent marketplace. We are not affiliated with the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority, its Opportunity Scholarship or ESA+ programs, or the Division of Non-Public Education, and a listing here does not mean a vendor is a Direct Payment School or an enrolled ESA+ provider.

As of October 2026.

Loading the full North Carolina site… If it does not appear, everything on this page is readable above.