Homeschool benefits and savings in Kinston
The CSS Neuse Museum in Kinston runs monthly Homeschool Day programs from September through April, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., for $2.00 plus tax per student, with parents, chaperones, and children 3 and under admitted free. Pre-registration is required and closes the Monday before each program.
Who qualifies
Is a homeschool student
Homeschool Day is set aside for homeschool families, and this school year all homeschool field trips have their own registration.
Registers by the Monday before
Everyone attending must register, including parents and chaperones who get in free.
Names your co-op or group
Staff assign every student to a group after registration closes, so list the co-op or group your family wants to be with.
What it costs
The fees come from the CSS Neuse Museum's 2026-27 homeschool page and the state historic sites' field trip fee notice.
- Homeschool Day activity fee, per student
- $2.00 plus tax
- Parents, chaperones, and guardians
- Free
- Children 3 and under
- Free
- Admission and self-guided tour for registered students
- Free
- Program length
- 90 minutes
You can register for every program at once; if you register month by month, the next registration opens after each program ends.
How to attend
- By the Monday before
Register
Use the registration link on the homeschool page, list your co-op or group, and register every adult and child attending.
- Before the program
Get your group
Staff organize the groups and send the list by email after registration closes.
- Program day, 10:00 a.m.
Rotate through stations
Groups visit hands-on stations of about 12 minutes each, led by museum staff, other state agencies, volunteers, and nonprofits, until 11:30 a.m.
- If you miss a date
Book a field trip
Email Randi Shaw to schedule a separate field trip with the orientation film, a scavenger hunt, and one or two activities.
What it includes
Included
- Hands-on activity stations
- A different history theme each month
- Free entry for adults who register
Not included
- Sales tax on the student fee
- Attendance without pre-registration
Good to know
Six topics are set, and April is to be announced
The remaining Homeschool Day topics are Civil War ironclads and weapons (Oct. 15), blockades (Nov. 19), a Victorian Christmas (Dec. 17), World War I trenches (Jan. 21), World War II foxholes (Feb. 18), and 19th-century medicine (March 18). April 15 is to be announced.
Who to contact about Homeschool Day
Randi Shaw at the CSS Neuse Museum answers homeschool program and field trip questions; call extension 223.
randi.shaw@dncr.nc.gov 252-526-9600 Homeschool programs
Homeschool rules and statewide help in North Carolina
You must file the Notice of Intent with DNPE at least five business days before home instruction begins; wait for DNPE acknowledgment before withdrawing or starting. No annual renewal is required while operating; notify DNPE when the school closes.
North Carolina sets these rules:
- Subjects: Parents choose the curriculum. Operate on a regular schedule for at least nine calendar months each year, excluding reasonable holidays and vacations.
- Testing: Administer a nationally standardized achievement test each year covering English grammar, reading, spelling, and mathematics.
- Records: Keep attendance and immunization records. Retain annual test results for at least one year and make them available to DNPE on request.
- Teachers: The teaching parent needs a high school diploma or equivalent in North Carolina.
North Carolina also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- Education Student Accounts (ESA+) pay $9,000 a year, or $17,000 for certain disabilities, to students with a documented disability, including homeschooled students. Funding can run out before the school year starts.
Read the North Carolina homeschooling guide See statewide programs in North Carolina
Questions parents ask
- Can our co-op attend CSS Neuse Homeschool Day together?
- Yes. Write your co-op or group name on the registration form and staff will place your students together.
- Do adults pay?
- No. Parents, chaperones, and guardians get in free, but each one still has to register.
- Is there a homeschool prom?
- Yes. The Friends of the CSS Neuse Museum host an annual homeschool prom, which drew 277 homeschoolers from across North Carolina in March 2026. The next one is March 20, 2027.
- Does the museum hold a homeschool graduation?
- Yes. The Friends group plans an annual ceremony, set for May 29, 2027, with registration opening later.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Museum and arts visits can spark a new interest. We turn your child's interests into lessons and projects across their subjects.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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