Understanding CNMI Scholarship Office Requirements and Educational Landscape

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the CNMI Scholarship Office requirements and the broader educational landscape in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). It encompasses aspects of private schooling, home schooling, and relevant regulations, offering a structured understanding for students, parents, and educators alike.

Private Schools in CNMI

The CNMI government oversees private schools through specific regulations and guidelines. These cover various operational aspects, ensuring that private education meets certain standards.

Accreditation, Registration, Licensing, and Approval

Private schools in CNMI face specific requirements regarding their operation.

Accreditation: There are no specific accreditation requirements mandated by the CNMI government for private schools.
Registration: Registration is not a mandated requirement for private schools operating within the CNMI.
Licensing: Similar to accreditation and registration, private schools are not required to obtain a license to operate.
Approval: No specific approval process is outlined by the CNMI government for private schools.

Teacher Certification

Currently, there is no territory policy that dictates specific certification requirements for teachers in private schools within the CNMI.

Length of School Year and Days

There is no territory policy specifying the length of the school year or the number of school days for private schools.

Curriculum

Legislation exists for a nonpublic elementary and secondary education fund to provide secular educational services for nonpublic students, paid for by the superintendent of education. These educational services could include English, reading, social studies, music, mathematics, modern foreign languages, physical science, and physical education, as outlined in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Code (CNMI Code) Title 3 §1175.

Recordkeeping and Reports

No territory policy currently exists regarding recordkeeping and reporting requirements for private schools.

Health and Safety Requirements

Health and safety are paramount for students attending private schools.

Immunization: At the time of first enrollment in a nonpublic school, a parent must present proof that a child has received the immunizations required by the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Public Health and Environmental Services, as stated in CNMI Code Title 3 §1163. Exemptions from the immunization requirement are granted with a physician’s statement that a child is exempt, according to CNMI Code Title 3 §1164.
Vision and Hearing Tests: At the time of first enrollment, a parent must provide proof that any child has received vision and hearing tests required by the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Public Health, as per the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Administrative Code (CNMI Admin. Code) §60-20-478(a).

Transportation

The Northern Mariana Islands Board of Education must provide safe and adequate transportation to registered nonpublic school students who reside beyond a reasonable distance from the school, as per CNMI Code Title 3 §1152. Nothing in Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Code Title 3 Division 1 Chapter 1 Article 7 is to prevent the Department of Education from offering free bussing to nonpublic school students, according to CNMI Code Title 3 §1178.

Textbooks

The Northern Mariana Islands Department of Education may offer secular textbook loans to nonpublic schools, as per CNMI Code Title 3 §1178.

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Testing

There is currently no territory policy that exists regarding standardized testing in private schools.

Special Education

There is currently no territory policy that exists regarding special education services in private schools.

Nursing and Health

At this time, there are no specific policies in place regarding nursing and health services in private schools.

Technology

There is no territory policy that currently exists regarding technology use or integration in private schools.

Professional Development

No territory policy currently exists concerning professional development for teachers and staff in private schools.

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Reimbursement for Performing State and Local Functions

There is no territory policy that currently exists regarding reimbursement for private schools performing state and local functions.

Tax Exemption

Currently, there are no specific tax exemptions outlined for private schools.

Public Aid for Private Education

The CNMI government's stance on public aid for private education is defined by the following.

Constitutional Provisions: No constitutional provisions currently exist that address public aid for private education.
Programs for Financial Assistance: There are no established programs for financial assistance for students attending private schools.

Nonpublic School Advisory Committee

A nonpublic school advisory committee composed of nonpublic schools principals meets on a monthly basis with the federal programs officer to share updates on the progress of the education of students attending nonpublic schools and to share information and guidance of the federal programs made available to nonpublic schools, according to the CNMI Department of Education.

Home Schools in CNMI

Home schooling is another educational option available in CNMI, governed by specific rules and guidelines.

Home Education Programs

A parent who wishes their child to participate in a home-study program must receive a waiver from the commissioner of education, as outlined in CNMI Code Title 3 §1141.

Initial and Renewal Applications

The application process for home study programs involves specific requirements.

The application for home study must be submitted 60 days prior to the beginning of the school year to the commissioner of education.
The application must contain:
1. The name, address, and telephone number of the parents, student, and if applicable, tutor.
2. Justification for the program.
3. The curriculum.
4. Description and qualifications of the parent or tutor who will instruct, and if a hired tutor, his or her police clearance for the past three years.
5. Dates and hours of instruction.
6. If using a hired tutor, negative active tuberculosis records for that person, as per CNMI Admin. Code §60-20-535(a).

Curriculum and Instruction

A home-study program must consist of 300 minutes of secular instruction each day and operate 180 days a year, as per CNMI Admin. Code §60-20-535(f)(1).

Assessment and Diplomas

Assessment in home-study programs is structured to monitor student progress.

A home-study program must keep records of attendance, goals, and other information requested by the commissioner of education.
Those records will be transferred to the public school to which the student would otherwise be assigned and be kept on file for at least five years, as per CNMI Admin. Code §60-20-535(d).
The parent/guardian must submit reports on the progress of the home study program monthly, quarterly, and annually to the Commissioner.

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