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Virginia Homeschool Laws

Know the ins and outs of complying with the Virginia statute.

Three Basic Options for Home Instruction

Understanding the law and knowing your rights as a homeschooler empowers you to educate your children at home with confidence.

1. Virginia Home Instruction Statute – §22.1-254.1

Parents must meet at least one of four criteria, file an annual Notice of Intent with a description of curriculum and submit annual evidence of progress, and comply with vaccination requirements.
To comply with the home instruction statute, parents must follow these steps:*

  1. Meet one of four criteria:
    • i) Have a high school diploma
    • ii) Be a “teacher of qualifications prescribed by the Board of Education” (certified teacher)
    • iii) Provide a program of study or curriculum which may be delivered through a correspondence course or distance learning program or in any other manner
    • iv) Provide evidence that he is able to provide an adequate education for the child.
  2. File a Notice of Intent that includes a description of curriculum, and provide proof that you’ve met one of the four options by August 15 of each year.
  3. Submit evidence of academic achievement by August 1 of each year.

2. Certified Tutor Provision – §22.1-254(A)

Parents with current Virginia teacher certification may teach under the certified tutor provision. Certification must be approved by the division superintendent. End-of-year assessments are not required.

3. Religious Exemption Statute – §22.1-254(B)(1)

Parents with bona fide or sincerely held religious beliefs are excused from attendance at school by their school board.

ALL students--public, private, tutored, home instructed and exempted–must comply with immunization requirements as indicated in §22.1-271.4 and §32.1-46.

Additional Information & Resources

*This information is to clarify the statutory procedures for home educators. It should not be construed as legal advice. HEAV encourages all homeschooling parents to seek legal counsel for specific applications of the law.