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Nevada Homeschool Requirements

Everything you need to know about homeschooling in Nevada - a low-regulation state with a one-time notice requirement, 8 required subjects, and no testing. Updated for the 2025-2026 school year.

Low Regulation
Ages 7-18 Compulsory
1 Compliance Path

Overview

Nevada is a low regulation state for homeschooling. Under NRS 392.070, homeschooling is an explicit exemption from compulsory attendance, and the process to begin is straightforward: file a one-time Notice of Intent with your local school district, cover 8 required subjects, and provide 180 days of instruction. There is no testing, no curriculum approval, and no annual re-filing.

The legal framework is clear and parent-friendly. Your local school district cannot deny your right to homeschool - the notice is a notification, not a request for permission. Once filed, you have full freedom to choose your own curriculum, set your own schedule, and educate your children as you see fit.

Nevada also has an Education Savings Account (ESA) program, though its availability has fluctuated due to legal challenges and implementation issues. The core homeschool right exists independently of the ESA program.

Good to Know

Nevada's notice requirement is one-time only - unlike most states, you do not need to re-file every year. You only file again if you move to a new school district. This makes Nevada one of the simplest states for ongoing compliance.

Legal Framework

Nevada has a single compliance path for homeschooling: the statutory exemption under NRS 392.070, supported by administrative regulations in NAC 392.005-392.025. There are no multiple tiers, umbrella school options, or alternative pathways to navigate.

Requirement Nevada Homeschool
Legal Basis NRS 392.070, NAC 392.005-392.025
Notification One-time Notice of Intent (within 10 days)
Attendance 180 days (or equivalent hours)
Teacher Qualification None required
Required Subjects 8 subjects
Curriculum Approval Not required
Testing None required
Record-Keeping Recommended, not required

NRS 392.070 - Compulsory Attendance Exemption

Nevada law explicitly exempts children who are being homeschooled from compulsory attendance requirements. The statute provides a clear legal right to homeschool without needing approval from any government authority. Your local school district cannot deny your notice - they must accept it.

What Districts Cannot Do

Under Nevada law, your school district has no authority to:

  • Deny your right to homeschool
  • Require curriculum approval or review your materials
  • Require testing or assessments of any kind
  • Conduct home visits or inspect your homeschool
  • Require annual re-notification (unless you move districts)
Filing Is Notification, Not Permission

Your Notice of Intent is exactly that - a notice. You are informing the district, not asking for approval. If the district does not respond, that does not affect your right to homeschool. You do not need a response or confirmation to begin.

Getting Started: Step by Step

Starting to homeschool in Nevada is a straightforward process. The key step is filing your Notice of Intent within 10 days of beginning instruction.

Step 1: File Your Notice of Intent

Contact your local school district and submit a Notice of Intent to Homeschool within 10 days of beginning instruction. Include:

  • Child's name and age
  • Parent/guardian name and address
  • Statement of intent to provide homeschool instruction

Step 2: Choose Your Curriculum

Select curriculum materials that cover Nevada's 8 required subjects. There is no approval needed - you have complete freedom in your curriculum choices. You can use textbooks, online programs, unit studies, or any other approach.

Step 3: Begin Instruction

Start teaching. Provide 180 days of instruction (or equivalent hours) per year. There is no requirement to follow the public school calendar, and you set your own daily schedule.

If Withdrawing from Public School

If your child is currently enrolled in public school, take these additional steps:

  1. File your Notice of Intent with the school district
  2. Send a withdrawal letter to your child's current school
  3. Request student records for your files
  4. Begin homeschooling - do not leave a gap between withdrawal and instruction
Important

File your Notice of Intent within 10 days of beginning homeschool instruction. While the district cannot deny your right to homeschool, filing on time keeps you in full compliance with the law and avoids any potential truancy questions.

Tip

Keep a copy of your Notice of Intent and any confirmation from the district. Send it via certified mail or email so you have proof of delivery. Blue Folder can generate your notice and withdrawal letter, pre-filled with your information. Try it free →

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Attendance Requirements

Nevada requires 180 days of instruction per year, or the equivalent in hours. This matches the standard public school calendar but gives you full flexibility in how you schedule those days.

You are not required to follow the public school calendar, and you can spread your instruction across the year however you choose. Year-round schooling, four-day weeks, or any other schedule that totals 180 days (or equivalent hours) is acceptable.

What Counts as an Instructional Day?

Nevada does not define a minimum number of hours per day. A reasonable approach is to plan for:

  • Grades K-6: Approximately 4-5 hours per day
  • Grades 7-12: Approximately 5-6 hours per day

Field trips, library visits, educational activities, and hands-on projects all count toward instructional time. You do not need to submit attendance records to anyone.

Best Practice

Even though Nevada does not require you to submit attendance records, keeping a simple log of your school days is strongly recommended. It provides documentation if questions ever arise, helps with college applications, and makes it easy to verify you have met the 180-day requirement.

Records & Portfolio

Nevada does not require you to submit records to anyone. Your educational records, attendance logs, and curriculum materials are kept for your own purposes. The district has no authority to request or review them.

However, experienced Nevada homeschool families strongly recommend maintaining organized records for practical reasons.

Recommended Records to Keep

  • Notice of Intent copy - proof you properly filed with your district
  • Attendance log - track your 180 instructional days
  • Curriculum list - what materials you used for each subject each year
  • Work samples - examples of student work showing progress
  • Grades and transcripts - essential for high school students planning for college
  • Subject coverage notes - brief documentation showing all 8 required subjects were covered
Organization Tip

With 8 required subjects, it is especially helpful to organize your records by subject area. Use Blue Folder to track attendance, upload work samples, and build a compliance binder - so you always have documentation if you need it. Try it free →

For High School Students

If your child is college-bound, detailed records become essential. Parents create their own transcripts in Nevada. Nevada public universities (UNLV, UNR, Nevada State College) accept homeschool graduates with parent-created transcripts, ACT/SAT scores, and course descriptions.

Annual Evaluation

Nevada does not require any annual evaluation, testing, or assessment of homeschool students. There are no standardized tests, portfolio reviews, or progress reports to submit. You are the sole judge of your child's educational progress.

This is a significant advantage of Nevada homeschool law. Many states require annual testing or portfolio review, but Nevada trusts parents to manage their children's education without government oversight.

Optional Testing

While not required, some families choose to administer standardized tests for their own purposes:

  • SAT/ACT - for college admissions
  • PSAT - for National Merit Scholarship eligibility
  • Iowa Test of Basic Skills - to benchmark academic progress
  • Stanford Achievement Test - another widely recognized benchmark
Millennium Scholarship

Nevada homeschoolers may be eligible for the Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship, which provides funding at Nevada colleges and universities. The scholarship has GPA and ACT/SAT score requirements. Check current eligibility criteria, as requirements may vary for homeschool students.

Required Subjects

Nevada requires homeschools to provide instruction in 8 subject areas. This is more subjects than many states require, but there are no specific curriculum standards, textbook requirements, or benchmarks to meet. You have complete freedom in how you teach each subject.

English (Reading, Composition, Writing) Mathematics Science Social Studies Health Music Art Computer Education

Subject Coverage Tips

You do not need to cover every subject every day. Many families rotate subjects on different days or integrate them into projects. Here are some practical approaches:

  • English and Math - typically covered daily as core subjects
  • Science and Social Studies - can be covered 2-3 times per week through unit studies
  • Health - can be woven into science or covered as a separate short unit
  • Music and Art - lessons, instrument practice, art projects, museum visits, and creative activities all count
  • Computer Education - typing programs, coding classes, digital literacy, or using computers for research and schoolwork

What Counts as "Social Studies"?

Nevada's Social Studies requirement encompasses history, geography, economics, and government. This can be taught through textbooks, historical reading, documentaries, current events, community involvement, or any other approach.

Tip

The Music, Art, and Computer Education requirements are often the easiest to overlook. Keep brief notes showing how you covered these subjects - even informal activities count. A child learning piano, drawing, or using educational software all satisfy these requirements.

Key Deadlines

Nevada has very few deadlines for homeschool families. The one-time notice filing is the primary time-sensitive requirement, and after that, compliance is ongoing and straightforward.

When What Details
Within 10 days of starting File Notice of Intent One-time filing with your local school district. Includes child's name, age, and parent contact information.
If moving districts File new Notice of Intent Required only if you move to a different school district. Same process as initial filing.
Throughout the year 180 days of instruction Provide 180 instructional days (or equivalent hours). Schedule is flexible.
Fall (annually, optional) SAT/ACT registration Optional. Only if your student is college-bound and needs test scores for admissions.
When you decide Graduation Parents determine when the student has met graduation requirements and issue the diploma.
Compare This to Other States

Most states require annual notification, yearly evaluations, or regular progress reports. Nevada's one-time filing means that after your initial notice, you have no recurring paperwork with the state - just provide 180 days of instruction in 8 subjects each year.

Special Programs & Resources

Nevada offers several resources and programs that homeschool families should be aware of.

Nevada Education Savings Account (ESA)

Nevada has an Education Savings Account program that, when active, provides approximately 90% of state per-pupil funding for educational expenses. The ESA can cover curriculum, textbooks, online courses, tutoring, testing fees, and other educational services.

Important: Check Current Status

Nevada's ESA program has faced legal challenges and implementation issues. The program's availability has fluctuated. Before planning around ESA funds, verify the current program status with the Nevada Department of Education. Your right to homeschool exists independently of the ESA program.

Special Education Services

Homeschooled children in Nevada can access some special education services through their local school district:

  • Evaluations - available through the district
  • Limited services - some therapeutic or support services may be available
  • Full services - typically require enrollment in public school

Public School Access

Access to public school activities in Nevada is at district discretion. Nevada does not have a statewide law guaranteeing homeschool students access to public school sports or extracurricular activities.

  • Sports - at district discretion (check with your local school)
  • Extracurricular activities - at district discretion
  • Part-time enrollment - at district discretion

Alternatives for Sports and Activities

If your local district does not allow participation, Nevada has active homeschool communities, especially in the Las Vegas area:

  • Homeschool sports leagues - Las Vegas has particularly active options
  • Community recreation programs
  • Club sports
  • Church leagues
Tip

The Las Vegas area has one of the largest homeschool communities in Nevada, with active co-ops, sports leagues, and group activities. Clark County Library also offers dedicated homeschool programs. Connect with local groups for social opportunities and shared resources.

High School & College Preparation

Nevada homeschool parents have full authority to issue diplomas and create transcripts. Nevada public universities accept homeschool graduates, and there are scholarship opportunities available.

Transcripts and Diplomas

  • Parents create the transcript - include courses, grades, credits, and GPA
  • Parents issue the diploma - this is fully legal in Nevada
  • No state diploma is available for homeschoolers (or needed)

Nevada Public Universities

Nevada's public colleges and universities accept homeschool graduates. Each school may have slightly different requirements:

  • University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)
  • University of Nevada, Reno (UNR)
  • Nevada State College
  • College of Southern Nevada
  • Truckee Meadows Community College

Generally, you will need ACT/SAT scores, a parent-created transcript, course descriptions, and letters of recommendation. Contact admissions offices directly for specific requirements.

Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship

Nevada homeschoolers may be eligible for the Millennium Scholarship, which provides funding for attending Nevada colleges and universities. The scholarship has GPA and standardized test score requirements. Check current eligibility criteria with the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Nevada homeschool law is simple, but new families still make avoidable errors. Here are the most common ones.

  1. Missing the 10-day notice deadline. You must file your Notice of Intent within 10 days of beginning homeschool instruction. While the district cannot deny your right to homeschool, filing late puts you out of compliance and could raise truancy questions.
  2. Thinking you need to re-file every year. Nevada's notice is one-time only. You do not need to file annually. The only reason to re-file is if you move to a new school district.
  3. Forgetting the "extra" subjects. Nevada requires 8 subjects, including Music, Art, and Computer Education. These are easy to overlook, but they are legally required. Even informal instruction counts - keep notes showing coverage.
  4. Waiting for district approval. Your notice is a notification, not a request for permission. You do not need the district to respond or approve your filing before you begin teaching.
  5. Not keeping any records. While Nevada does not require record submission, keeping zero records can cause problems for college applications, re-enrollment in public school, or if questions arise about your homeschool program.
  6. Relying on the ESA program without verifying status. Nevada's ESA has faced legal and implementation challenges. Do not plan your educational budget around ESA funds without confirming the program is currently active and accepting applications.
  7. Not tracking 180 instructional days. Nevada requires 180 days of instruction. Without a simple attendance log, you have no way to verify you have met this requirement if it is ever questioned.
Critical

Keep a copy of your Notice of Intent and proof of delivery. This is your primary legal documentation showing you are a lawful homeschool. Without it, you could face truancy questions. Send it via certified mail or email with delivery confirmation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Nevada's ESA program available now?

Check current status with the Nevada Department of Education. The program has faced legal and implementation challenges, and availability has fluctuated. Your right to homeschool exists independently of the ESA program.

Is the notice really one-time only?

Yes. Unlike most states, Nevada does not require annual re-filing. You file once when you begin homeschooling, and you only need to file again if you move to a new school district.

What if the district does not respond to my notice?

You do not need a response. Your filing is a notification, not a request for approval. As long as you filed within 10 days, you are in compliance regardless of whether the district acknowledges receipt.

Can my homeschooler play public school sports?

Access is at district discretion. Nevada does not have a statewide law guaranteeing homeschool student access to public school athletics or activities. Contact your local district and the NIAA (Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association) for current policies.

Do I need a teaching degree or certification?

No. Nevada does not require any qualifications for homeschool parents. You do not need a degree, teaching certificate, or high school diploma to homeschool your children.

Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Homeschool laws can change. Always verify current requirements with the Nevada Department of Education or consult a qualified attorney. For more information, see the Nevada Department of Education and the Nevada Homeschool Network. Last updated February 2026.

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