Arlington County

HEAV’s School Board Monitor Team identified two district policy documents containing items that were NOT consistent with the homeschool law. HEAV respectfully requested the district to correct the following inaccurate items:

an inaccurate requirement that parents who elect to provide home instruction must meet one “or more” of the four NOI filing options;

an incomplete list of evidence of progress options;

an incomplete list of academic tests (AP, PSAT/NMSQT, & PreACT) and financial assistance options;

a description of curriculum was not limited to a “…list of subjects;”

an appeal process that stated a parent who disagrees with a decision, should go to the superintendent or his/her designee and then to the School Board instead of an independent hearing officer as the law requires;

and an incorrect Code was cited when referring to the home instruction statute.

Working with Arlington’s director of policy and legislative affairs, HEAV addressed these concerns, providing references to the Virginia Code as well as case law (Reference: VA Supreme Court Sosebee v Franklin County). HEAV’s school board monitoring team tracked the policy through to its final draft and adoption. HEAV is pleased to share that our concerns have been addressed.

HEAV thanks the Arlington district for their commitment to honor the compulsory attendance and homeschool laws on behalf of the families they serve.