How Nebraska Families Can Enroll at Enlightium Academy

Enlightium Academy is a private Christian school that is accredited by Cognia and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Enlightium has served homeschool, online, and co-op school students in K-12 since 2003. In general, state institutions recognize Enlightium Academy as an out-of-state private school that allows students to transfer in or transfer out to public and private schools. Enlightium Academy provides our families with standard information about their state’s requirements, and parents are encouraged to review their state’s requirements at hslda.org/legal and/or the Nebraska Department of Education, as educational policies are subject to change over time.

Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. With this freedom comes a responsibility to understand and fulfill legal requirements. This can be worrisome, but you’re not alone in this endeavor. Enlightium Academy is here to help! As you review your state’s homeschooling requirements, please keep in mind that Enlightium Academy holds dual accreditation from Cognia and ACSI. This enables the Enlightium team to serve students in all 50 states, providing an accredited education that leads to a high school diploma recognized nationwide.

Note that the resources below serve as a starting point for your family; it is important that you also research Nebraska’s requirements.

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Homeschooling Options

Nebraska students enrolled in Enlightium Academy are “home schools” and are referred to as exempt, “non-accredited private schools”. When registering your exempt school, it is recommended to use your last name and home address. Do not use “Enlightium” as the school name, as it can confuse records. 

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Nebraska’s Requirements at a Glance

Parent Notifies State = Yes

State Educational Funds = No

Academic Calendar Requirement = Yes

Reporting Age Requirement = 6-18

Instructor Qualifications = Yes

Subjects Required = Yes

Standardized Assessment = Required by Enlightium

Immunization Requirement = Yes, with exemptions

Keep a Portfolio = Recommended

Enlightium Parents App with Group for Nebraska Families = Yes

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Notifying the State

The Nebraska Department of Education requires homeschooling families (which may be identified as “private school families'') to file an exempt school election with NDE, an online portal used by the state. NDE will notify your resident school district of your exempt status.

Any change of enrollment must be promptly reported to NDE in writing by mail or by email to nde.exemptschool@nebraska.gov. If you start homeschooling mid-year, it is highly advisable to withdraw from the accredited public/private school after NDE has received your exempt school submission. 

First year of homeschooling and each subsequent year: 

1. Go to Nebraska’s Department of Education site. 
2. Where it says the school year and then “Online Submission through the Nebraska Exempt School Program”, click on the dropdown arrow.
3. Review the resources provided in that section.
4. File the Authorized Parent Representative Form and the Statement of Election & Assurances Form upon starting courses at Enlightium Academy. 
5. Send a certified copy of your student’s birth certificate (or alternative identification) to your local school district superintendent. This only needs to be done the first year of homeschooling.

‍File both forms by July 15 or within a week of enrolling or re-enrolling your student at Enlightium Academy.

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State Educational Funds

No state educational funds are available for Enligtium families at this time.

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Age Requirement

Ages five or younger:

Students are not required to attend school, but can enroll in primary school at Enlightium Academy to have a head start and be ready for Kindergarten.

Aged six on or before December 31:

They must attend school during that academic year; this includes enrolling at Enlightium Academy. Students must continue their education at a school of their parents’ choice until they turn 18 years old.

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Academic Calendar

In Nebraska, instructional hours must occur between July 1 and June 30 of the school year.

• Grade prekindergarten: No required hours of instruction for the school year are provided, but Enlightium recommends you provide 1,032 hours of instruction for the school year, which is less than six hours per school day
• Grades kindergarten-8: You must provide 1,080 hours of instruction for the school year, which is less than six hours per school day
• Grades 9-12: You must provide  1,080 hours of instruction for the school year, which is six hours per school day. 

The particulars of your school’s “calendar” in providing those hours is up to you.

Enlightium’s school calendar has 180 school days (around 210 days with summer school). Additionally, students have access to the courses 24/7 for most days of the school year, including weekends and holidays.

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Instructor Qualifications

Nebraska does not require parents to provide home instruction to hold teaching credentials. However, the parent or guardian must attest that they are qualified to supervise and monitor their child’s education.

As a part of Enlightium Academy’s dual accreditation, Enlightium teachers are state* and/or ACSI-certified. A number of our faculty members have Master's and Doctorate degrees in their fields. 

*For students living in the U.S., this does not necessarily mean that their teachers are certified in the student’s state of residence, but instead in the teacher’s state of residence. For most states, this distinction is not important to the student’s academics.

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Required Subjects

The Nebraska Department of Education requires that the following subjects be taken by the student and that you, as the parent, are satisfied with the instructors’ ability to teach the subjects:

• Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Social Studies
• Science
• Health

The first four bullet points are core courses at Enlightium Academy and should be assigned by your student’s counselor. Health is available as an elective at Enlightium Academy. 

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Standardized Assessment

The Nebraska Department of Education does not require a standardized test for students enrolled at Enlightium. However, Enlightium Academy requires students to take an annual assessment to keep track of how students are progressing. Enlightium provides the following options per grade level:

• Grades PreK-8: IXL diagnostic assessments or Iowa Complete Annual Assessment. We recommend the IXL diagnostic assessment, as it provides more flexibility in scheduling and does not have an additional fee.

• Grades 9-12: Guidance for college-preparatory assessments such as the PSAT, SAT, and/or ACT

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Immunization Requirement

Immunization is required in the state of Nebraska; therefore, parents are required to keep their children’s immunization records or exemptions for medical or religious reasons. Enlightium Academy does not require student immunization as we serve homeschool students. You may find the Nebraska state exemption form here. 

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Keep a Portfolio

Nebraska law does not require families to maintain or submit records such as attendance or portfolios. However, many families choose to keep records for personal tracking or future school transitions. Enlightium recommends you keep a digital record every year you are enrolled at Enlightium Academy, which should include the following:

• Attendance - Enlightium provides your family with progress reports via email. You can screenshot the details in these emails to show attendance.
• Curriculum information and samples - Enlightium provides its families with both curriculum overviews by grade level and samples by course.
• Academic plans - Enlightium Academy counselors provide academic plans during the admission process for each of our four divisions of grades: primary school (PreK-2), elementary school (3-5), middle school (6-8), and high school (9-12).
• Grades - Enlightium provides report cards for all students at the end of each quarter. Transcripts are available upon request.
• Test scores - This can include occasional screenshots of test scores and/or standardized assessment scores.
• Academic Awards - Enlightium provides qualifying students with certificates for Honor Roll, Scholar’s List, Dean’s List, Outstanding Improvement, and the Presidential Award.
• Social/Competition Achievements - Enlightium holds social events and competitions throughout the school year, such as art competitions and involvement in the Student Council.

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Enlightium Parents App with Group for Nebraska Families

Enlightium Academy has an app and a desktop platform for families of currently enrolled students. Within this app is a group just for families living in Nebraska to inform and support each other in fulfilling their state’s requirements. Your family will be provided a link to download the app after enrolling.

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Ready to Enroll at Enlightium Academy?

1. Explore Enlightium Academy’s website
2. If you have any questions:
   
   1. Chat with a team member
   2. Email consultants@enlightiumacademy.com
   3. Call (866) 488-4818 option 2
3. Ready to enroll? Click here to start the enrollment process, and select the “Enroll Now” button.

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Since 2003, Enlightium faculty and staff have served partner schools, hybrid, online, and book-based program K-12 students. With parental support, excellent instruction, and a personalized approach to learning, Enlightium equips students with the academic, spiritual, physical, social, and emotional skills they need to succeed in life. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (509) 319-2288 or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com.

We review state requirements and regulations annually; however, each state may update its guidelines more frequently. If you have additional questions, please contact your state board of education.

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Sources reviewed in April 2026:

• https://hslda.org/legal
• https://www.education.ne.gov/fos/exempt-schools/ 
• https://miacademy.co/homeschool-curriculum/by-state/homeschooling-in-nebraska