HEAV was contacted by several concerned parents in relation to challenges they were experiencing with the district’s e-Notice of Intent and e-Evidence of Progress forms. Upon review of the e-forms, HEAV immediately contacted the superintendent’s office to address 23 concerns and inconsistencies with the law. Although these errors were significant and numerous, HEAV is pleased to report the district provided a courteous, prompt, and productive response.

After being advised that the superintendent’s duties were being managed by a team new to home instruction, HEAV worked closely with the director of enrollment, placement, and planning to share information pertaining to the law, provide resources, and address each concern individually. The director responded by receiving HEAV’s feedback graciously, and he promptly updated the district’s e-forms to ensure they were in compliance with the Virginia Code. We are thankful to Richmond City for setting such a positive example in resolving these concerns quickly and honoring the law and homeschool families in its district.

HEAV identified several concerns on the district’s website and e-NOI form relating to the accuracy of information and requirements of Virginia’s education laws. HEAV provided information and resources relating to the Notice of Intent, Evidence of Progress, and the description of curriculum requirements. We also offered clarification on the differences between the Virginia-certified tutor statute and option (ii) in the home instruction statute.

We are pleased to share that the superintendent’s office kindly received our concerns and suggestions, and its website and e-NOI form are now consistent with the law. HEAV is thankful to Chesterfield for this positive resolution and its dedication to the law and to the families it serves.

Your HEAV school board monitor team identified two policies and regulations that were inconsistent with Virginia’s homeschool laws in several areas. Concerns included language that described a Notice of Intent as a request that is subject to approval or permission, a requirement for all parents to produce evidence of curriculum or enrollment in a correspondence course in English and mathematics, misrepresentation of the Virginia-certified tutor and religious exemption (RE) laws as home instruction, and a requirement for parents to submit annual requests for RE to the superintendent or designee in writing.

After working with the school board over several months, HEAV is pleased to share that all of these policies and regulations have been updated and are now consistent with the law. We are thankful to the school board for this positive resolution. HEAV would like to extend special appreciation to school board members Melanie Salins and Thomas McFadden for their hard work and dedication to the homeschool community in seeing this effort through to completion.

HEAV took immediate action after hearing from several concerned parents related to calls received from a district employee who indicated homeschool parents were “required by the state” to set an appointment and take the Virginia Language & Literacy Screening System (VALLSS) test. In addition to posting a priority news alert on HEAV’s social media page and groups, HEAV contacted Carroll County’s assistant superintendent to investigate.

HEAV learned two misunderstandings had occurred in the district. There was, apparently, a communication received from the VDOE relating to the VALLSS program, and district personnel interpreted the communication to apply to homeschoolers. The second misunderstanding occurred as a district employee thought homeschoolers had to take the VALLSS test rather than simply being offered the option to do so.

HEAV is pleased to report that Carroll County’s assistant superintendent worked quickly to address the concern with district personnel. He also agreed to ensure that all parents who received inaccurate information would be contacted to rectify the situation. HEAV is thankful to Carroll County for taking swift and effective action to resolve these concerns for homeschool families.

On 07/18/24, HEAV posted an alert in regard to an alarming email sent to Prince William County homeschool families soliciting participation in a “student emotional well-being” assessment. The message was delivered through a company called SchoolStatus in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. While HEAV’s investigation has confirmed this communication was sent to homeschoolers in error, we remain focused on addressing the apparent privacy breach.

State law prohibits public school districts from disclosing information that is provided by a parent or student to satisfy the home instruction statute or subdivision B1 of §22.1-254 to any person or entity outside the local school division.

PWCS does not deny they have provided homeschoolers’ information to SchoolStatus. However, the division’s attorney responded to HEAV by stating that, based on his discussions with staff, the division operates in full compliance with Va. Code § 22.1-254.1 and any other statute related to home instruction.

HEAV believes the division’s attorney has failed to sufficiently investigate and address the apparent privacy breach, and we are currently working with Scott Woodruff of HSLDA to address these privacy considerations. We are not recommending that families take action at this point as we continue to work with PWCS’s Office of Division Counsel. Please be assured, we will continue to provide updates as this situation develops.

For immediate assistance, please call the HEAV office at 804-278-9200, and ask for Patricia Beahr, HEAV’s Director of Government Affairs.

Your HEAV school board monitor team found a concern in the district’s most recent religious exemption (RE) policy draft. The policy draft would have required parents who have already received an RE to resubmit a request annually to the superintendent by mail or in the school board office.
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HEAV reached out to the school board chair regarding this policy draft. We explained the historical and state-wide practice for processing REs as an exemption from compulsory attendance law. Highland County now understands that the RE law does not include an annual notification.
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We are pleased to report Highland County promptly responded, and our concerns were immediately addressed during the following school board meeting. The policy of concern has been removed.
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We are thankful to Highland for taking quick and corrective action to achieve this positive resolution.

HEAV immediately contacted the school board upon discovering an agenda attachment that directly named six children and five parents, including their grade levels and physical addresses. Although HEAV is thankful to the district for taking swift corrective action, we are reminded of the legislature’s continued failure to provide reasonable, student privacy protections by adding homeschoolers to the closed meeting exemptions already protecting public school student privacy.

Over the last two years, HEAV and HSLDA initiated HB1953 and HB873 – bills that would require school boards to have closed meetings when discussing personal information on homeschool documents or religious exemption letters unless parents objected. Both bills failed along party lines. HEAV intends to have such legislation introduced again during the 2025 session. Stay tuned!