North Dakota Homeschool Attendance Requirements & Record Keeping

Attendance requirements in North Dakota homeschooling are straightforward but important. You need 175 instructional days and a minimum 4 hours daily. Here’s what counts, how to track it, and what records you need to maintain.

Key Takeaways

• 175 days of instruction per year (approximately 35 weeks)
• Minimum 4 hours per day of actual instruction
• You define the schedule; flexibility is the advantage
• Record-keeping required but informal; no state submission required unless requested
• Snow days, illness, field trips are manageable within your 175-day plan

What Is “Instruction”?

North Dakota law defines instruction broadly. It includes:

Traditional instruction:

• Lessons you teach directly
• Reading and study time
• Math problems, worksheets, exercises
• Lectures or discussions

Alternative instruction:

• Independent study and research
• Hands-on experiments and projects
• Field trips (if educationally structured)
• Online courses and videos (with follow-up)
• Tutoring or enrichment classes
• Co-op classes or group instruction
• Library research and investigations

What doesn’t count:

• Unstructured free play
• Television or videos without educational intent or follow-up
• Meal preparation or household chores (even if educational in concept)
• Commute time to classes or activities
• Recess or break time
• Sports practice (though sports can supplement education)

The practical standard: If your child is engaged in learning something in the required subjects (English, math, social studies, science, PE), it counts.

The 175-Day Requirement

What 175 days means:

• Instructional school days, not calendar days
• Approximately 35 five-day weeks
• Flexibility on how you count: consecutive or scattered, full days or partial days

Example schedules:

• Traditional: Sept.–May (35 weeks, 4 hours daily)
• Year-round: Shorter days or weeks spread across 12 months
• Intensive: 4–5 hours daily for 35 weeks with longer summer break
• Accelerated: 6+ hours daily for fewer weeks

You decide the pattern. The requirement is 175 days total; how you distribute them is your choice.

Daily Instruction Hour Requirement

Minimum 4 hours per day on instructional days.

What this means:

• Four continuous hours (8 a.m.–12 p.m.), or
• Four distributed throughout the day (9 a.m.–12 p.m., 1 p.m.–2 p.m. = four hours), or
• Four hours across multiple days (if you count partial days)

Examples:

• 9 a.m.–1 p.m. = 4 hours (counts as 1 day)
• 8 a.m.–12 p.m. plus 3 p.m.–4 p.m. = 5 hours (counts as 1 day)
• 3 hours one day, 1 hour the next = 4 hours combined (counts as 0.5 days each or 1 full day depending on your tracking method)

Flexibility: You define what constitutes a “day.” Many families count days loosely and track hours more carefully.

Attendance Tracking: Informal but Important

The law requires record-keeping, but doesn’t dictate how. Most homeschooling families use simple methods:

Method 1: Simple Checklist

Create a monthly calendar. Check off each day you have four or more hours of instruction.
“`
September 2026
M T W Th F
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
…
“`

Method 2: Log Entry

Keep a brief daily or weekly log:
“`
Week of Aug. 15–19:

• Mon: Math (1.5 hrs), English (1.5 hrs), Science (1 hr) = 4 hrs
• Tue: English (2 hrs), Social Studies (1.5 hrs), Math (0.5 hr) = 4 hrs

…
“`

Method 3: Spreadsheet

Use Google Sheets or Excel. Track date, subjects, hours, and notes.

Method 4: Attendance App

Some homeschoolers use attendance apps (Trello, Toggl, or specialized homeschool planning software). These are optional but helpful if you like digital tracking.

The expectation: Informal documentation you can refer to if the superintendent asks. You’re not submitting this to anyone unless requested.

Scheduling Around Life Events

Illness

If your child is sick, count it as a non-instructional day. You don’t need a doctor’s note; just adjust your calendar.

Example: If you plan 175 days over 36 weeks with one or two sick days built in, you’re on track.

Family Vacations

Days on vacation don’t count toward instruction. Plan vacations outside your instructional calendar or adjust your schedule to compensate.

Example: If you take a two-week vacation in summer, you simply don’t count those days as instructional days. Adjust your start/end dates accordingly.

Snow Days / Bad Weather

You decide whether to hold school during snow or ice. If you skip, it’s a non-instructional day. No makeup required if you’ve planned for it.

Strategy: Some families plan 180 days (five extra) to account for unexpected closures.

Religious Observances

Holidays and religious observances can be non-instructional days. Plan for them in your calendar.

Holidays

Standard holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Independence Day) are typically non-instructional. Account for them when planning your 175 days.

Required Subjects & Attendance

You must provide instruction in five subjects. Attendance tracking by subject isn’t required, but it’s helpful for your own verification:

• English (reading and language arts)
• Mathematics
• Social Studies (including ND and U.S. history, geography, civics)
• Science
• Physical Education

Over the course of a year, ensure each subject receives meaningful instructional time. A typical balance might be:

• English: 50+ hours
• Math: 50+ hours
• Science: 40+ hours
• Social Studies: 40+ hours
• PE: 20+ hours
• Electives: 20+ hours

These are rough guidelines, not strict minimums. If your child spends 70 hours in math and 30 in PE, that’s fine—you’re still teaching all required subjects.

What to Keep (Record Retention)

Keep records for at least:

• Current school year: complete attendance/instruction logs
• Previous year(s): summary of days/hours completed (can be summarized after the year ends)

Format: Plain paper, spreadsheet, or organized notes. Not required to be fancy.

Backup: If disaster strikes (fire, loss of documents), you can recreate from memory or reconstruct from curriculum materials used. The state isn’t expecting perfect documentation; it’s looking for evidence that you taught.

Superintendent Requests

If your superintendent asks for documentation:

• Provide your attendance records showing 175 days and 4+ daily hours
• Show how subjects align with required areas
• Explain your teaching approach

This is rare. Superintendents only investigate if something prompts concern (e.g., test scores fall below 50th percentile, someone reports concerns, or you’re seeking support services).

Flexibility: The North Dakota Advantage

Unlike many states, North Dakota doesn’t:

• Require you to report attendance records
• Mandate specific schedule formats
• Conduct home visits to verify attendance
• Require daily lesson plans
• Limit field trips or co-op participation

You have significant autonomy in how you deliver 175 days of instruction. The law trusts you to meet the minimum and document it if asked.

Tips for Easy Tracking

1. Use a calendar – Visual tracking is easiest
2. Update weekly – Don’t wait until year-end to remember what you did
3. Keep curriculum records – Your workbooks, textbooks, and course materials are implicit documentation
4. Note significant activities – Field trips, co-op sessions, or special projects are worth mentioning
5. Plan buffer days – Add 5–10 extra days to your plan to account for illness or unexpected breaks

Summary

North Dakota requires 175 instructional days, 4+ hours daily. Track it simply, ensure all five required subjects receive adequate instruction, and maintain basic records. You have flexibility in schedule, format, and delivery method.

The state’s approach assumes you’ll educate your child conscientiously. Documentation is a backup, not the focus. Start the year with a plan, track loosely but consistently, and adjust as needed.

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More homeschooling resources: Homeschooling by State (All 50 States) | Complete North Dakota Homeschooling Guide