If you have a high school diploma, you may now file your notice of intent under option i (section 22.1-254.1 A). You will need to send your local school district a copy of your high school diploma. If you don’t have a copy of your high school diploma, you may send a copy of your high school transcript instead. (You can get a copy of your transcript by contacting your old high school. There may be a processing fee charge.)

As an option i filer, you will no longer need to submit a description of how your curriculum includes the Standards of Learning, or an explanation of why you are qualified to educate your child at home. Like all parents who file under the home instruction statute, you will still need to submit a description of your course of study to the school district. (section 22.1-254.1 B). However, according to the Virginia Department of Education, “the superintendent is not required to evaluate or judge the curriculum or program of study [for option i or ii filers]. Submission of the curriculum materials is for information purposes only.” Source.

Update, February 2007): The Virginia Department of Education Home Instruction Manual (p 5) says that a GED is not considered a high school diploma for the purposes of satisfying option (i) of the home instruction statute §22.1-254.1. This is because the GED is “equivalent” to a high school diploma, not an actual “high school diploma” as required by law. Parents with GEDs who have received an Associate’s Degree or higher may substitute that diploma for the high school diploma. Parents with GEDs may also file under option (iii) or option (iv) of the home instruction statute §22.1-254.1. For more information on filing options, see Filing Your NOI.

The Virginia Board of Education has told the Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers that anything above a high school diploma will be considered acceptable documentation for option i filers. So a college diploma should be acceptable for option i filing purposes. If your local school district already has a copy of your college diploma on file, there is no need to provide additional documentation.

Under the new law, option iv filers must either submit a program of study or curriculum which includes the standards of learning objectives for language arts and mathematics or provide evidence that you are able to provide an adequate education for your child. Under the old law, you had to provide both; now you may choose one or the other. (Section 22.1-254.1 A) Regardless of which option you choose, you will still need to submit a description of the curriculum, as do all home instruction filers (section 22.1-254.1 B).

That’s up to you. Your notice of intent paperwork for the 2006-2007 school year is due on August 15, 2006. If you submit this paperwork after July 1, your paperwork will be processed under the new laws. If you submit this paperwork before July 1, your paperwork will be processed under the old laws. Depending on your filing situation, you may wish to wait until after July 1 to file your notice of intent paperwork.

The new law provides objective testing options for families who submit achievement test scores to their local school district. If you submit results in or above the fourth stanine from any nationally normed standardized achievement test after July 1, 2006, the school district is now required to accept those results as proof of progress. (The old law concerning the fourth stanine only applied to tests “approved by the Board of Education”; there have been no such tests for several years.) If you submit any other forms of evaluation, they will still be considered under option ii, and must simply determine that the child is achieving adequate progress. (Section 22.1-254.1 C)

Again, that’s up to you. Your testing/evaluation paperwork for the 2005-2006 school year is due on August 1, 2006. If you submit this paperwork AFTER July 1, your paperwork will be processed under the new laws. If you submit this paperwork BEFORE July 1, your paperwork will be processed under the old laws. Some parents may wish to wait until after July 1 to submit their child’s test scores to the school district.

Note: All testing/evaluation paperwork for the 2006-2007 school year will be processed under the new laws.

The new law clarifies the home instruction statute regarding mid-year withdrawals, stating that a parent who begins home instruction after the school year has begun shall notify the division superintendent of his intentions as soon as practicable, and then has 30 days thereafter to file the notice of intent and accompanying paperwork (curriculum, copy of high school diploma, etc.). (Section 22.1-254.1 B)

The new law requires public school districts to make the PSAT and AP exams available to home instructed students. (Section 22.1-254.1 F) To sign up for the PSAT or AP tests, contact your local public or private high school guidance office. Some school districts have registration information for these exams on their websites.

If your teen wishes to take the PSAT this fall, we recommend registering as soon as possible to avoid last-minute disappointments. Some school districts ask that students register in the spring if they wish to take the exam in the fall.