School Choice in North Carolina
North Carolina runs 2 private school choice programs, together serving about 112,310 students. Its strongest program reaches EdChoice's universal eligibility tier.
Opportunity Scholarships
Voucher- Students
- 106,587
- Eligible
- 100%
- Average award
- $5,435
- Launched
- 2014
The average award is 51% of what the state spends per pupil in its public schools.
Education Student Accounts (ESA+)
Education Savings Account- Students
- 5,723
- Eligible
- 11%
- Average award
- $5,689
- Launched
- 2022
The average award is 111% of what the state spends per pupil in its public schools.
Homeschooling in North Carolina
Homeschooling is legal in every state. North Carolina recognises one legal route to it, compulsory attendance runs from age 7–16, and notice to the state is required. The North Carolina homeschool requirements are set out in full on their own page.
How North Carolina compares
Nationally, 36 jurisdictions run 82 private-choice programs serving roughly 2,279,109 students, and 18 have at least one program any student may apply to. The state-by-state guide sets out how the programs differ.
Where this comes from
Program data from EdChoice's School Choice in America dashboard, retrieved 2026-09-16; homeschool requirements from HSLDA. Participation and award figures are the most recent EdChoice publishes and lag the current school year. Educational information, not legal or financial advice — confirm eligibility with the program before you rely on it.
More on North Carolina: its freedom score and rank