Dear Friend,
If your school division opened an unjust truancy investigation against your family, would you know where to turn?
Cassie (not her real name) was a licensed teacher who knew the law. She followed the homeschooling process carefully, submitted her “teacher or tutor of qualifications” paperwork correctly, and withdrew her child from school.
She thought that was the end of it.
But the school division insisted its Notice of Intent packet was also required, refused to recognize the withdrawal, and even activated a truancy investigation.
Frightened—and heartbroken—Cassie put her child back in school.
Then she called HEAV.
We were able to show the superintendent that the law provides the “teacher or tutor of qualifications” paperwork as an alternative to the Notice of Intent, not an addition to it. The division reversed its decision.
For Cassie, HEAV did more than explain the law. It gave her something fear had taken away: the confidence to stand up for her family and exercise the educational choice the law gave her.
And here’s the thing: When HEAV helps correct a problem like this, the impact reaches far beyond one family. Correcting one school division’s factual misrepresentation of the law, or the harmful policy it produced, can protect hundreds of other homeschool families.
No homeschool family should have to face a school division alone when their freedom or privacy is at risk.
Yet this year, some families had to wait for help because our workload significantly outgrew our small staff’s capacity.
That’s why I’m asking you to help us raise $59,800 by September 30.
September 30 marks the end of HEAV’s fiscal year. Reaching this goal will allow us to begin the new year with greater capacity—not carrying today’s backlog and strain into the challenges of 2027.
Virginia’s homeschool population has grown nearly 50% since COVID, according to VDOE data. The demand for guidance has grown with it—35,501 incoming calls just this year—and HEAV has fewer staff members because of budget constraints.
Protecting homeschool freedom requires far more than watching bills during the General Assembly session. Our team monitors policies across all 131 public school divisions, investigates concerns, obtains records when necessary, works with school officials, and follows problems until they are resolved. Over the last two years, we have handled 626 incidents and currently have a 97% resolution rate.
At the same time, we must be ready for threats at the General Assembly.
In 2025, SB1031 threatened religious exemption and homeschool privacy. HEAV alerted families and our coalition partners, explained the danger, and helped generate thousands of calls to lawmakers. The bill was defeated and did not return in 2026, but its sponsors told us they intend to bring it back.
We must be ready when it—or another threat—returns.
Right now, urgent cases are crowding out essential work that doesn’t make headlines—research, strategy, bill development, networking, communications, follow-up. Projects stall, and some never get finished.
Your gift can help change that.
Reaching this $59,800 goal will allow HEAV to make three critical investments in our capacity:
- $20,800 for a part-time government relations assistant for one year, including payroll taxes—adding capacity to investigate problems, follow up with school divisions, and respond when families need help.
- $20,800 for executive and communications support—freeing senior leadership to focus on legislative strategy and serious statewide threats while increasing HEAV’s capacity to write urgent alerts, explain policy developments, and equip families with clear, timely information.
- $18,200 to ensure families can reach a real person when they need help—protecting HEAV’s year-round, five-day-a-week live phone counseling and providing the additional staff hours needed.
Without additional help, the next parent like Cassie may have to wait.
Will you make a special one-time gift of $25, $50, $100, $250—or whatever amount is right for you—by September 30?
Your gift can help a family receive an answer sooner, identify a harmful policy before it spreads, and make sure Virginia is ready for the 2027 General Assembly session.
Help protect Virginia families. »
For 43 years, the Lord has used HEAV to serve families and defend homeschool freedom in Virginia. With your help, we can be ready when the next family needs someone in their corner
