Virginia homeschool requirements
Last checked October 2026. This is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. Your division superintendent has the final say.
Ways to homeschool in Virginia
Most families use home instruction under Code of Virginia 22.1-254.1. Other options are a religious exemption from school attendance, a tutor or teacher with state-approved qualifications, or a private school.
What you file, and when
A notice of intent to your division superintendent each year by August 15. With it you send a list of subjects for the coming year and evidence that you meet one of these:
- You hold a high school diploma.
- You are a teacher with qualifications set by the Board of Education.
- You give your child a program of study or curriculum, which can be a correspondence course, distance learning or any other kind.
- You can show you are able to give your child an adequate education.
If you move into a division or start after the school year begins, notify the superintendent as soon as you can, then send the rest within 30 days.
Subjects
Virginia doesn't list required subjects for home instruction. You list the subjects you plan to teach in your notice.
Days or hours
Virginia law doesn't set days or hours for home instruction.
Evidence of progress
By August 1 after each school year, you send one of these:
- A composite score in or above the fourth stanine on a nationally normed achievement test, or an equal score on the ACT, SAT or PSAT.
- An evaluation the superintendent accepts, such as a letter from a licensed teacher or a person with a master's degree who knows your child's work, saying your child is making adequate progress, or a report card or transcript from a college, college distance learning program or home-education correspondence school.
This doesn't apply to children under 6 on September 30. If you don't send evidence, home instruction can go on probation for a year with a remediation plan.
Records
Virginia law doesn't require a portfolio or log. Many parents keep one anyway to share with the person who writes their evaluation.
Where Gallop fits
Gallop's Records report prints, for each child and any date range, the days and minutes they worked, the subjects covered, each skill mastered with its date, and sample questions your child answered correctly. Minutes count time in Gallop only, not all of your teaching. Most parents add it to their own records rather than using it as their only record.
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FAQ
When is the Virginia notice due?
By August 15 each year. If you start after the school year begins, notify your superintendent as soon as you can and send the rest within 30 days.
Can I show a Gallop report to my evaluator?
Yes, as part of what you share. The evaluator writes the letter, and your superintendent decides whether it shows adequate progress.
What if my child doesn't reach the fourth stanine?
You can send an evaluation letter instead. If you send no evidence by August 1, home instruction can go on probation for one year with a remediation plan.
Can I try it first?
Yes. Try 7 sample questions, or start the 7-day free trial. No card needed.
Sources
- Code of Virginia 22.1-254.1, Requirements for home instruction of children: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title22.1/chapter14/section22.1-254.1/
- Code of Virginia 22.1-254, Compulsory attendance: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title22.1/chapter14/section22.1-254/
- Virginia Department of Education, Home Instruction: https://www.doe.virginia.gov/parents-students/for-parents/home-instruction