Generally, your first option is your neighborhood school. Your neighborhood school offers the advantage of proximity to your home
School Transfers
North Carolina does not have a state standard for school transfers. Instead, school districts generally set their own policies for intradistrict transfers (from one school in the district to another) and interdistrict transfers (to a school outside the district). Preferences are often given to children whose child care provider is near a particular school, or whose parents work in the city where the school is located.
Most school districts have an appeals process if your request is denied. Space limitations often make transfers difficult, and each district's process has its own regulations, so be sure to check with your local district for specific requirements.
Charter Schools
In North Carolina there are 96 charter schools that offer a variety of different educational methods and opportunities. To read more about North Carolina charter schools, see Charter Schools Offer an Array of Choices.
For the state legislation concerning charter schools, check the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
For more information on charter schools in North Carolina, check the North Carolina Office of Charter Schools.
Magnet Schools
Magnet schools are another option offered by many school districts. Magnet schools generally have a particular focus, such as art or technology, or follow a different structural organization, such as mixing different grade levels within one classroom, or operating on a year-round schedule. Magnet schools are not governed by neighborhood boundaries; they draw students from throughout the school district and must accept students on a nondiscriminatory basis.
Alternative Schools
Alternative schools are generally schools whose educational philosophies are different from traditional programs. Typically, alternative schools have small classes, a social and emotional development curriculum, and a self-paced academic curriculum. This title is used officially as well as informally to describe a wide range of schools, so it's important to ask specific schools why they are classified as "alternative."
See a list of alternative schools in North Carolina.
Private Schools
Private schools are schools that do not receive funding from the state. They set up their own criteria for admission. Families of the students pay tuition or, in some cases, students receive scholarships to attend. The teachers, principal, board of directors (and sometimes the parents and students) decide upon curriculum, teaching methodology and enrollment requirements. Private schools are not required to hire credentialed teachers.
Check out Public Schools versus Private Schools to determine whether private schools are for you. See the article Frequently Asked Questions About Private Schools to learn even more.
For more on North Carolina private schools, check out the State of North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education.
Homeschooling
Another option is for parents to teach their children at home instead of sending them to a public or private school. North Carolina has several requirements for homeschoolers. The instructor must hold at least a high school diploma. The attendance and immunization records of each student need to be duly noted. There must be a regular schedule that includes at least nine calendar months. Unlike some other states, North Carolina requires that all homeschooled students take a nationally standardized test each year and have it inspected by a state representative. All this information should be reported to the State of North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education.
Additional Resources:
For more information on public school choice and No Child Left Behind, see the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction information on public school choice.
You can also check North Carolina's School Report Cards to look up the state's assessment of a specific school.
Updated October 2006
