Homeschool benefits: Omaha Public Schools
Omaha Public Schools (OPS) Policy 5004 lets district residents who attend an exempt school, Nebraska's legal term for a home school, enroll part time in any OPS course that has room and whose prerequisites your child meets. Taking at least one course in a semester also opens that semester's extracurricular activities.
Who qualifies
Lives in the OPS district
Part-time enrollment is for district residents of school attendance age who have not graduated or earned a GED.
Attends an exempt school
The policy covers students in private, denominational, or parochial schools and in schools that elected not to meet state accreditation or approval under Nebraska law (section 79-1601), which is how Nebraska home schools operate.
Completes regular enrollment
Your child goes through the normal OPS enrollment process, including birth certificate, immunization, physical exam, and vision requirements.
Meets course prerequisites
Your child can take any course whose prerequisites they meet, unless it is at capacity. The principal can waive a prerequisite.
What part-time enrollment gives you
These terms come from OPS Board Policy 5004, adopted in 2016 and last revised November 15, 2021.
- Courses open to your child
- Any with seats
- Extracurricular activities
- With 1+ course
- Length of commitment
- Whole course
- District transportation
- Not provided
- Class rank and honor roll
- Not given
Each school's principal and counselor set part-time capacity every semester, so ask the school about open seats before you enroll.
How to enroll part time
- Before you enroll
Gather documents
Get a proof of address in the parent's name that is no older than three months, your child's immunization records, and proof of identity and age.
- Each semester
Check for seats
Ask the school which courses have room for part-time students and whether your child meets the prerequisites.
- To enroll
Submit enrollment papers
Enroll online, by email to studentplacement@ops.org, by mail, or in person at the Teacher Administrative Center, 3215 Cuming St.
- Within 30 days
Prove identity and age
Students enrolling in a Nebraska public district for the first time must show proof of identity and age within 30 days.
- During the course
Attend like a full-time student
Your child takes the course's tests, including state and district assessments, comes to campus only for class times unless the principal approves more, and signs in and out.
What it includes
Included
- OPS courses with open seats
- Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) activities, if NSAA rules are met
Not included
- District transportation or reimbursement
- Courses at capacity
- Class rank and honor roll
- An OPS diploma, unless Policy 5003 graduation rules are met
Who to contact about part-time enrollment
The Student Placement office enrolls new students and answers questions about enrollment paperwork and school choice.
studentplacement@ops.org 531-299-0302 Enroll My Child
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Nebraska
You must file the annual exempt-school election and assurances with NDE by July 15. For a midyear start, file promptly and begin after NDE receives it. NDE advises waiting for that receipt before withdrawing. Include identity documents in your first filing. Report address and enrollment changes. An active abuse-investigation notice blocks withdrawal and new elections for 14 days after receipt or until further agency notice, whichever comes first.
Nebraska sets these rules:
- Subjects: Provide basic skills in language arts, math, science, social studies, and health, with 1,032 instructional hours annually for K–8 and 1,080 for grades 9–12. Midyear hours may be prorated. Curriculum details are no longer filed with NDE.
- Testing: Nebraska does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: NDE does not require progress reports or a prescribed portfolio. Keep immunization or exemption evidence unless you filed for religious reasons.
- Teachers: No formal education credential is required; assure that instructional monitors are qualified for the five basic subjects. Instructors and monitors cannot have convictions for the felony offenses specified in §79-1601(5)(b).
Read the Nebraska homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Nebraska
Questions parents ask
- Can a homeschooled child take classes at an OPS school?
- Yes, if you live in the district. Policy 5004 opens part-time enrollment to exempt-school students, which includes Nebraska home schools.
- Does part-time enrollment replace our homeschool?
- No. The policy says your home school stays the primary school, and OPS courses add to your program rather than replace it.
- Can my child play sports or join activities?
- Yes, in any semester your child takes at least one OPS course. Activities governed by the Nebraska School Activities Association also require meeting its bylaws.
- Will OPS provide a bus?
- No. Part-time students are not entitled to district transportation or transportation reimbursement.
- Can my child earn an OPS diploma this way?
- Only by meeting every requirement in Policy 5003, including minimum credits and semesters of attendance.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Local classes cover the subjects they offer. We teach the remaining subjects, so a local class can stay part of the year without becoming the whole curriculum.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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