Homeschool benefits: Nome School District

Nanut Homeschool, Nome Public Schools' statewide correspondence program (formerly Extensions), gives each enrolled K-12 student a $2,700 yearly allotment, paid as $1,350 a semester, for curriculum, supplies, internet, lessons, and tutoring in your child's learning plan. Any Alaska resident student who is not enrolled full time in another district can join, and full funding requires enrolling before the October student count period.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

Who qualifies

1. Lives in Alaska

   Nanut is open to school-aged students who live in Alaska and are not enrolled full time in another school district. Kindergartners must be 5 on or before September 1.

2. Enrolls before the October count

   Allotments are prorated for students who enroll during the count period, and students who enroll after it get no allotment.

3. Completes the ILP

   Your child is not eligible for reimbursements until the Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) is finished with the teacher of record and all compliance forms are signed.

4. Takes state assessments

   As a public program, Nanut requires students to take the statewide assessments, and families who are not compliant can have their accounts limited to curriculum only.

What it is worth

The Nanut Homeschool 2026-27 Parent-Student Handbook, approved June 9, 2026, lists the allotment table and spending limits.

First semester

$1,350

Second semester

$1,350

Full year, K-12

$2,700

Fine arts, music, and PE spending

Up to 25%

Online APEX courses

$500 deducted

Two classes at a Nome campus

$772 deducted

The handbook's allotment table is still labeled FY24, so confirm the 2026-27 amount with the teacher of record when you enroll; the program web page lists $2,700 for 2025-26.

From enrolling to spending it

1. Before the October count

   Register online

   Complete the online registration and send a birth certificate or other proof of age. High school students also need an official transcript from their last school.

2. After registering

   Hold the ILP meeting

   The teacher of record sets up a meeting to write the ILP, train you on funding, and finish the forms. Students who enroll after September 30 go through an extra review.

3. From July 1

   Buy and submit receipts

   Submit the reimbursement form with original receipts no more than once a quarter. Approved items are paid within three weeks of the business office date stamp.

4. By April 30

   Send final reimbursements

   April 30 is the last day for reimbursements. Internet bills for May and June can be projected from April's bill.

5. Before the last day of school

   Ask to hold a balance

   Unused money carries to next year only if you request it in writing before the last day of school, and requests are reviewed no earlier than November 1.

What it pays for

Covered

• District-approved curriculum, including used curriculum
• School supplies, books, and magazine subscriptions
• Pre-approved tutoring and lessons
• Home internet service
• College tuition, lab, and tech fees

Not covered

• Religious or sectarian curriculum
• Services from family members
• Family memberships and furniture
• Pets and other animals
• Taxes and parking fees
• College textbooks

Items costing more than $250 belong to Nome Public Schools and must be returned when your child leaves, unless you buy them on the depreciation schedule or your child graduates from Nanut.

Good to know

• Homeschooled children across Alaska can enroll

  Nanut accepts statewide enrollments for school-aged students who live in Alaska and are not enrolled full time in another district. Your child becomes a Nome Public Schools correspondence student, and you teach at home under an ILP.

• Nanut and Extensions are the same program

  The Alaska correspondence directory still lists Extensions, and the 2026-27 handbook uses both names, but Nome Public Schools now calls the program Nanut Homeschool.

Who to contact

Rachel Ventress, the Nanut teacher of record, handles enrollment, ILPs, and allotment questions.

rventress@nomeschools.org 907-443-8935 Nanut Homeschool page

Homeschool rules and statewide help in Alaska

You do not have to file a homeschool notice.

Alaska sets these rules:

• Subjects: Alaska does not require specific subjects or a particular curriculum.
• Testing: Alaska does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
• Records: Alaska does not require homeschool records.
• Teachers: Alaska does not require a teaching certificate or degree to homeschool your own child.

Read the Alaska homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Alaska

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