What Virginia requires to homeschool — instruction time, testing, and the exact legal citation, in plain English. A starting point to help you stay compliant.
Last verified June 2026 · A starting point, not legal advice — Virginia sets the rules and they change.
Virginia: file a Notice of Intent by Aug 15 (no superintendent approval needed). There is no minimum number of instructional days or hours. The parent must meet one of four qualification options (e.g., a high-school diploma). By Aug 1 each year you must provide evidence of academic progress — a standardized test at or above the 4th stanine (about the 23rd percentile), an evaluation letter from a licensed teacher or master's-degree holder, a school transcript, or another superintendent-approved assessment.
Laws change — always confirm the current rules for Virginia yourself before relying on them. See Virginia's official requirements on HSLDA →
This is a plain-English summary for your convenience, not legal advice. Cultivate helps you store, organize, and produce your homeschool records — it isn't the authority on what your state requires. Homeschool laws change; always confirm current rules with your state or a homeschool legal resource (e.g., HSLDA) before relying on them.
The general path most families follow. Virginia's specific requirements are in the summary above — confirm the exact steps and deadlines with your state before relying on them.
Withdraw from public school first (if your child is enrolled)
If your child is currently in public school, you'll typically send a written withdrawal or notice to the school before you begin — check your district's process. If your child has never been enrolled, this usually doesn't apply.
Check whether Virginia requires notice or paperwork — and by when
Some states require a notice of intent, affidavit, or registration with a filing deadline; others require nothing. Virginia's specific rule is summarized above — confirm the exact form and deadline with your state or HSLDA before you start.
Teach the required subjects on a schedule that fits your family
Choose your curriculum and teach, staying within any instruction-time rule shown above. Most states let you school year-round or in the evenings — the hours and days are what matter, not when you do them.
Keep records as you go
Keep a simple log plus samples of your child's work from the start — it's far easier than reconstructing it later. See "What records to keep" below.
Complete Virginia's required testing or assessment
Virginia requires a standardized test or evaluation (see above). Confirm the grades, timing, and accepted tests with your state, and keep the results with your records.
Even where Virginiadoesn't require it, keeping these from day one protects you and makes any future review — or a college application — painless:
This is exactly what Cultivate keeps for you — log your homeschool day in plain English and it tracks attendance, hours by subject, work samples, and assessments, then produces a print-ready report or transcript for Virginia whenever you need it.
Virginia: file a Notice of Intent by Aug 15 (no superintendent approval needed). There is no minimum number of instructional days or hours. The parent must meet one of four qualification options (e.g., a high-school diploma). By Aug 1 each year you must provide evidence of academic progress — a standardized test at or above the 4th stanine (about the 23rd percentile), an evaluation letter from a licensed teacher or master's-degree holder, a school transcript, or another superintendent-approved assessment.
Yes — standardized testing/assessment required. Confirm the details with Virginia or HSLDA.
It varies by state. Virginia's specific rule is summarized on this page — confirm the exact form and any deadline with your state or HSLDA before you start.
Even where it isn't legally required, it's good practice to keep an attendance log, samples of your child's work, the curriculum you used, any test or evaluation results, and grades/transcript for high school. Good records make any future review — or a college application — far easier.
Most states don't require the teaching parent to be a certified teacher; a few require a high-school diploma or GED. Check Virginia's rule and confirm with your state or HSLDA.
Virginia's homeschool law: Va. Code 22.1-254.1. Always confirm the current rules with Virginia or a homeschool legal resource such as HSLDA.
Stop tracking this on paper
Virginia sets the rules. Cultivate handles the rest: log your homeschool day in plain English, and it stores it, organizes it by subject, tallies your hours and days, reminds you before filing deadlines, and produces print-ready transcripts and compliance reports for Virginia on demand. One place to keep it all — homeschool and home life.
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