Homeschooling in Virginia

The first question most families have when deciding to homeschool their children is how it works. What are the requirements and how do we meet them. Luckily, homeschooling in Virginia is pretty straightforward.

You have thirty days from the time you decide to homeschool to notify the school board. It is best to give notice as soon as possible to avoid missing this important deadline. After the first notice is given, an annual NOI is required by August 15th of each year. When giving notice, simply fill out the NOI form provided by HEAV. Remember, you are not asking the school board for permission to education your child; you are giving them notice of your decision to do so.

Let's take a look at the form:

Option 1

If you have a diploma from high school or later, you may choose to homeschool under Option 1. Fill out the NOI and attach a copy of your diploma as proof. No other documentation is required.

Option 2

If you have a valid Virginia teaching license, you qualify to homeschool under Option 2, commonly referred to as "certified tutor." You must keep your license current for the duration of your time schooling under this option.

Option 3

If you are unable to provide a diploma or license, you may homeschool under Option 3, by enrolling your child in an online school. This does not mean an accredited public or private institution, but simply an educational online program such as Acellus Academy, The Keystone School, or Penn Foster.

Option 4

Finally, you are able to submit a letter explaining your capability of teaching your children. Personal educational experience and the knowledge of your child's academic needs, are excellent points to include in your letter.

Regardless of the option you file under, all families are required to submit a description of the curriculum they will use. This does not need to be a detailed list of specific books, topics, and worksheets. You may simply list "math, reading, writing, history" to fulfill the requirement.

After submitting the required information, you should receive a letter from your school district acknowledging receipt. Keep this letter handy in the unlikely event you need to provide proof that you are legally homeschooling your child.

If you are interested in learning how to file under religious exemption , please visit HEAV for more information.

In our next post, we will go over how to show Proof of Progress at the end of the school year.