Virginia
Homeschooling in Virginia
The summaries below describe three different approaches, or alternative ways, the state of Virginia offers homeschooling families to meet state compulsory education requirements. Additional and more extensive help can be found within our e-book: Virginia Homeschool Legal Workbook: Your Guide to Compliance - Facts & Forms, prepared by HomeSchoolLegal.com.
Approach 1 |
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| Approach: | Establish a home instruction program |
| Restrictions: | Requirements as of July 1, 2008: Choose any one of these four: (1) Teaching parent holds a high school diploma or higher credential; (2) Teaching parent is a certified teacher in Virginia; (3) Teaching parent provides a program of study or curriculum which may be delivered through a correspondence course or distance learning program or in any other manner; or (4) Teaching parent provides evidence of ability to provide an adequate education for the child. |
| Reporting: | Submit an annual notice of intent with local division superintendent no later than August 15 for the coming school year. If moving to a new school district in Virginia, or starting to homeschool during the school year, submit a notice of intent as soon as practicable and then comply with state requirements within 30 days of submitting notice. |
| Recordkeeping: | None required |
| Requirements: | Children must receive home instruction for same number of days as public school, or 180 days. |
| Testing: | Requirement as of July 1, 2008: After submitting a Notice of Intent, by the following August 1st, submit either: a) Scores from any nationally-normed standardized achievement test. Score must show that child has attained a composite score in or above the fourth stanine. b) An evaluation which the superintendent determines to indicate that the child is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress. The type of evaluation sent to the superintendent may include but is not limited to: (1) A letter from a person who is licensed to teach in any state or has a master’s degree or higher, having knowledge of the child’s academic progress, or, (2) a report card or transcript from a community college, college, college distance learning program, or a home education correspondence school. |
| Compulsory Attendance: | Applies to children 5 years of age on or before September 30 but who have not passed their 18th birthday. A five-year-old may be exempt until the following year upon notification to the school board. |
| Source of Law: | Code of Virginia, Title 22.1 (Chapter 14) |
| Further Info: | The specific wording of the legislative changes that took effect on July 1, 2008, can be found in a letter dated April 4, 2008, from Commonwealth of Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction, Billy K. Cannaday, Jr., to the division superintendents, informing them of 2008 Code of Virginia legislative changes, effective July 1, 2008, governing home school instruction. |
| NOTE: | This is not intended to be legal advice and is offered only as an educational service for visitors to www.Home-School-Inc.com and www.HomeSchoolLegal.com. It is not a substitute for competent legal advice. Requirements may change at any time, and interpretations of the law and regulations can differ. Consult a legal services provider and a local homeschooling support group for more specific information. |
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Approach 2 |
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| Approach: | Homeschool under the religious exemption statute which excuses attendance by reason of a bona fide religious training or belief, is conscientiously opposed to attendance at school |
| Restrictions: | Teacher certification not required |
| Reporting: | Submit request for a religious exemption to the chairman of the local school board. |
| Recordkeeping: | None |
| Requirements: | None |
| Testing: | None |
| Compulsory Attendance: | Applies to child 5 years of age on or before September 30 but who has not passed teh 18th birthday. A five-year-old may be exempt until the following year upon notification to the school board. |
| Source of Law: | Code of Virginia, Title 22.1 (Chapter 14) |
| NOTE: | This is not intended to be legal advice and is offered only as an educational service for visitors to www.Home-School-Inc.com and www.HomeSchoolLegal.com. It is not a substitute for competent legal advice. Requirements may change at any time, and interpretations of the law and regulations can differ. Consult a legal services provider and a local homeschooling support group for more specific information. |
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Approach 3 |
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| Approach: | Hire a private tutor or be a private tutor |
| Restrictions: | Teacher certification required |
| Reporting: | Seek approval of the tutor with local superintendent |
| Recordkeeping: | None |
| Requirements: | None |
| Testing: | None |
| Compulsory Attendance: | Applies to child 5 years of age on or before September 30 but who has not passed the 18th birthday. A five-year-old may be exempt until the following year upon notification to the school board. |
| Source of Law: | Code of Virginia, Title 22.1 (Chapter 14) |
| NOTE: | This is not intended to be legal advice and is offered only as an educational service for visitors to www.Home-School-Inc.com and www.HomeSchoolLegal.com. It is not a substitute for competent legal advice. Requirements may change at any time, and interpretations of the law and regulations can differ. Consult a legal services provider and a local homeschooling support group for more specific information. |
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