Home Instruction

2025-2026 School Year

Any parent/guardian of any child who will have reached the fifth birthday on or before September 30 of any school year and who has not passed the eighteenth birthday may elect to provide home instruction in lieu of school attendance if the parent/guardian:

Holds a high school diploma; or
Is a teacher of qualifications prescribed by the Board of Education; or
Provides a program of study or curriculum which may be delivered through a correspondence course or distance learning program or in any other manner; or
Provides evidence that the parent/guardian is able to provide an adequate education for the child.

Any parent/guardian who elects to provide home instruction shall annually notify the superintendent/designee no later than August 15 of the intention to instruct the child and provide a description of the curriculum, limited to a list of subjects to be followed for the coming year, and evidence of having met one of the criteria for providing home instruction. Any parent/guardian who moves into the division or begins home instruction after the school year has begun shall notify the superintendent/designee of the intention to provide home instruction as soon as practicable and shall comply with the requirements of VA Code §22.1-254.1 within 30 days of such notice.

Contact Information
Forms

Contact Information

Forms

2026-2027 School Year

In Virginia, a child must attend school in compliance with the state compulsory attendance law. This means they must begin attending school when the child has reached their fifth birthday on or before September 30 and has not passed their eighteenth birthday.

Home instruction (also referred to as homeschooling) is one alternative to school attendance.

Parents may provide home instruction following requirements as stated in §22.1-254.1 of the Code of Virginia.

Visit the VDOE website on home instruction for more details about guidelines and requirements. A staff member is available to help with the necessary steps to legally provide home instruction.

Students, together with their parents, have the right at any time to request religious exemption from compulsory school attendance, as outlined in Va. Code § 22.1-254(B)(1). Additional information concerning making such a request can be found under the "Other Options for Parents" tabs on this page.

Notice of Intent

A parent or guardian who elects to provide home instruction must notify the superintendent’s designee of this intention annually by August 15. A parent who moves into Stafford County or begins home instruction after the beginning of the school year must provide notification as soon as practicable and comply within 30 days.

When submitting a notice of intent please submit all the required documents, including evidence of progress and the list of subjects to be studied to expedite the process.

Evidence of progress must be submitted annually by August 1 for the previous school year.

Once all documents are received for the current school year, you will receive a confirmation letter. If applicable, your student will be withdrawn from Stafford County Public Schools.

Submit the 2026-27 SY Notice of Intent Form

The notice of intent and evidence of progress may be submitted via email (preferred) or by mail/drop off:

Stafford County Public Schools
ATTN: Home Instruction Office
31 Stafford Avenue
Stafford, VA 22554

Please note that submitting documents in this manner will require additional time to process.
To help us process your paperwork as quickly as possible, please provide only one copy of your documentation. Multiple submissions can lead to administrative delays.

To begin home instruction, follow these steps:

Stafford County Public Schools does not provide curriculum materials or curriculum advice. Visit the Virginia Department of Education for more information about curriculums. Additionally, there is no master list of correspondence schools and distance learning programs for parents to review. Parents must identify a program that meets their child’s unique needs.

Step 1:

The parent must provide evidence of having met one of the following criteria as noted:

Documentation of a high school diploma or higher credential, or a transcript: The parent must submit to the school superintendent/designee documentation that the parent has earned a high school diploma or a higher credential (e.g., a certificate, an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, or a doctorate).
The teaching parent meets the qualifications for a teacher prescribed by the Virginia Board of Education. Provide a copy of a valid teaching license or a statement to this effect from the Virginia Department of Education.
The teaching parent provides the child with a program of study or curriculum which may be delivered through a correspondence course or distance learning program or in any other manner. (For a correspondence course or distance learning program, attach a notice of acceptance or other evidence of enrollment and a list of subjects to be studied. For a program of study or curriculum delivered through any other manner, attach a list of subjects to be studied for the coming year. Submission is for information purposes only; no judgment is required by the superintendent/designee.)
Show evidence that you are able to provide an adequate education for your child.
(Write a statement indicating why you are able to provide an education for your child).

Step 2:

Step 3:

Evidence of Progress

To comply with Virginia state law, evidence of academic progress must be submitted to the Stafford County Public Schools home instruction office annually by August 1. Note: the evaluation requirement does not apply to children under the age of six as of September 30. Evidence of academic progress may be provided in one of the following ways:

Attainment of a composite score in or above the fourth stanine on any nationally normed standardized achievement test; or an equivalent score on the ACT, SAT or PSAT test; or
An evaluation or assessment which the division’s superintendent/designee determines to indicate that the child is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress, including:
1. an evaluation letter stating the child is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress from
  - a person licensed to teach in any state or
  - a person with a master’s degree or higher in an academic discipline who has knowledge of the child’s academic progress; OR
2. A report card or transcript from a college, college distance learning program or home-education correspondence school.

Examples of nationally normed, standardized tests include, but are not limited to: the California Achievement Test (CAT), the IOWA Assessments, the Stanford Achievement Test (Stanford 10), TerraNova2, PSAT, SAT and ACT tests. Parents may submit their child’s test scores from a nationally normed, standardized achievement assessment of their choosing. Stafford County Public Schools does not maintain a list of test publishers; parents must identify and access an applicable test for their child. Any evaluation or assessment must be sufficient to allow the division's superintendent/designee to determine the child is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress.

Note: Score reports for the ACT, SAT or PSAT test may not contain scores expressed in stanines. These tests may show reports in percentiles. Students with a national composite score at or above a percentile score of 23 meet the requirement for academic progress.

If the child’s performance does not fall within the fourth stanine, the equivalent or higher, or the required evidence of progress is not provided, the child may continue with home instruction the following school year. The home instruction program may be placed on probation for one year and the parent/guardian must file a remediation plan and evidence of the ability to provide an adequate education. The division's superintendent is not required to place the program on probation or accept the remediation plan. However, if the plan and evidence are not accepted or the required evidence is not provided by Aug. 1 following the probationary year, home instruction must end and the parent must make other arrangements that comply with the compulsory attendance law.

For more information, contact:
Cathy White
Executive Assistant, Home School Support
📧 homeinstruction@staffordschools.net
📞 (540) 658-6631

Two people looking at school work with pencils.

Other Options for Parents

Tutor

Virginia Certified Tutor option to provide home instruction under §22.1-254(A) of the Code of Virginia: Under the certified tutor option, parents do not file a Notice of Intent.

Notification should be in the form of a letter indicating that you are in compliance with §22.1-254(A) of the Code of Virginia. The notification letter should be sent to the Designee of the Superintendent (the Office of Division Counsel) either by email at whiteca@staffordschools.net or by mail/drop off to 31 Stafford Avenue, Stafford, VA 22554.

A child may receive instruction from a tutor who holds a valid Virginia teaching license and has been approved as a tutor by the superintendent/designee. An approved tutor remains approved as long as they hold a valid teaching license. The tutor may be a parent if they meet the tutor qualifications.

Parents who select this option must notify the division home instruction office in writing.
A copy of the tutor’s valid Virginia teaching license must be provided. Upon renewal, it must be resubmitted to retain the tutor status.
Instruction may take place in or outside of the home.
Completion of a notice of intent is not required.
Proof of academic progress is not required.

Religious Exemption

Parents seeking a religious exemption must petition the School Board. Pursuant to § 22.1-254(B)(1) of the Code of Virginia, school boards shall excuse a pupil from attendance if: “Any pupil who, together with his parents, by reason of bona fide religious training or belief is conscientiously opposed to attendance at school”. Upon receipt of a religious exemption request, the request will be placed on an upcoming School Board meeting agenda for consideration as a confidential agenda item. If the School Board concludes that a family’s beliefs are bona fide and religious, an acknowledgement letter will be provided at that time excusing the child(ren) from compulsory school attendance.

The Office of Division Counsel facilitates religious exemption requests. Contact the Office of Division Counsel at whiteca@staffordschools.net or 540-658-6631 for any additional filing questions

Part-Time Enrollment in Stafford County Public Schools

To enhance the educational experience and as outlined in School Board Policy 2112-P (Admission of Nonpublic Students for Part-Time Enrollment), students who live in Stafford County and receive home instruction (or attend private school) may enroll in Stafford County Public Schools on a part-time basis. This is defined as taking a maximum of two courses per academic year.

Students must attend the school in the attendance zone for their residence.
At the elementary level, only electives courses (i.e., art, music, physical education, technology, and library) are available for part-time enrollment.
At the high school level, a maximum of two credits shall be awarded in any single academic year to a student taking courses in Stafford County Public Schools in conjunction with home instruction.
Students enrolling in courses must satisfy the legal requirements for school enrollment as well as the prerequisite criteria of the course (as applicable). In addition, space must be available.
The ONLY exception for enrollment is for Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC). Pursuant to federal law (10 USC §2031), home-instructed students residing in Stafford County and who are otherwise eligible for membership in a JROTC unit maintained by the division but for their lack of enrollment in the division are permitted to be members of the unit and to take the course. Such students are eligible to participate in the JROTC program located at the high school in their attendance zone; space availability is not a consideration. Find your school here and contact the Counseling Office of the high school in your attendance zone for more information.
The division reserves the right to deny a part-time student from enrollment as set forth in School Board Policy 2112-P (Admission of Nonpublic Students for Part-Time Enrollment).

In order to be considered for enrollment, parents or guardians must notify in writing, not less than 30 days prior to the start of any course, the principal of the school in their attendance zone. The parent or guardian shall provide the principal with documentation of the student’s home instruction or private school student status. A student who relocates to Stafford County after March 1 of the preceding school year may register for part-time enrollment by August 15.

Partially enrolled students are not eligible to participate in Virginia High School League designated school-sponsored athletics, student organizations, and clubs.

Testing and More

PSAT/PreACT/AP Testing

Home instructed students may take the Advanced Placement (AP) and Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) through Stafford County Public Schools. You should contact the Counseling Office of the high school in the attendance zone in which you reside for information concerning testing dates, application deadlines, fees, and the availability of financial assistance for eligible students. For more information you may also go to https://professionals.collegeboard.org/testing.

You should also contact the Counseling Office for information concerning the PreACT.

Special Education

Stafford County Public Schools is responsible for identifying and evaluating children residing in Stafford County who need special education and related services, including students receiving home instruction. Parents/guardians who suspect their child has a disability and needs special education services should contact the Department of Student Services and Special Education at 540-658-6500 to receive information regarding your family’s special education rights.

Drivers Education

Home school students may take driver education via home instruction. The Stafford County Public Schools home instruction confirmation letter serves as verification they are being educated under the home instruction statute, §22.1-254.1 of the Code of Virginia.

Visit the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Driver Information for Home Schooling website for details.

GED Testing

Parents interested in their child obtaining a general equivalency diploma (GED) should reach out to The Phoenix Center for Innovative Learning at 540-286-8985 for more information.

Transitioning To Public School from Home Instruction

Students who are currently participating in home instruction and would like to transition from home instruction and enroll in a Stafford County school should contact staff at their base school for guidance. Additionally, the home instruction office must be notified of this change. Notification can be provided via email and the Notice to Discontinue Home Instruction is available for use.

Find your school here, and make an appointment at the school to register your child.

For enrollment in grades K—8, the child shall be placed at the appropriate grade level as determined by the school administrators. The child may be required to take examinations to determine the appropriate grade level.
For enrollment or credit in grades 9—12, a child shall be required to take examinations in each course for which they wish to receive credit. In order for credit to be awarded, the child shall take and pass a final examination which was required of students enrolled in the same course offered at the division high school. Credit shall not be granted unless the child has been home instructed the entire school year. A maximum of 11 credits earned by home instruction can be applied toward the requirements for a division diploma. A grade of pass (P) shall be granted for credits earned by home instruction and any such credits shall not be included in determining the grade point average of a student.

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