---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 7886"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "7886"
heading: "Private, religious, and home schools"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/7886"
units:
  - "Chapter 70 — Strengthening and Improvement of Elementary and Secondary Schools"
  - "Subchapter VIII — General Provisions"
  - "Part F — Uniform Provisions"
  - "Subpart 1 — private schools"
---

# §7886. Private, religious, and home schools

- (a) **Applicability to nonrecipient private schools—** Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect any private school that does not receive funds or services under this chapter, nor shall any student who attends a private school that does not receive funds or services under this chapter be required to participate in any assessment referenced in this chapter.
- (b) **Applicability to home schools—** Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect a home school, whether or not a home school is treated as a home school or a private school under [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6) law, nor shall any student schooled at home be required to participate in any assessment referenced in this chapter.
- (c) **Rule of construction on prohibition of Federal control over nonpublic schools—** Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to permit, allow, encourage, or authorize any Federal control over any aspect of any private, religious, or home school, whether or not a home school is treated as a private school or home school under [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6) law. This section shall not be construed to bar private, religious, or home schools from participation in programs or services under this chapter.
- (d) **Rule of construction on State and local educational agency mandates—** Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require any [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) or [local educational agency](/usc/20/7713.md?p=9-A) that receives funds under this chapter to mandate, direct, or control the curriculum of a private or home school, regardless or[^1] whether or not a home school is treated as a private school under [state](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6)[^2] law, nor shall any funds under this chapter be used for this purpose.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “of”.
[^2]: So in original. Probably should be capitalized.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–10, title VIII, § 8506, formerly title IX, § 9506, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title IX, § 901, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1979; renumbered title VIII, § 8506, Pub. L. 114–95, title VIII, § 8001(a)(5), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2088, 2089.)