Vermont Homeschooling Laws
Homeschooling is regulated by the statute under 16 V.S.A, 11(a) (21) and 16 V.S.A 166b. The homeschooling laws are easy to follow and straightforward. The website on the Education Agency makes available the forms that must be filled to homeschool, the laws regulating homeschools, the most common questions parents might have and an online platform where all these can be submitted.In essence, the primary regulations to homeschool in Vermont are as follows:
1. Send a written enrollment notice
2. Submit a narrative
3. Obtain acknowledgement of compliance
4. Teach the required subjects
5. Test the student yearly
This page provides information on the homeschooling laws as well as:
· Requirements to Homeschool in Vermont
· Recordkeeping for Homeschoolers in Vermont
· Requirements for Graduation
· Switching from Homeschool to Public School
*This information is by no means intended as legal advice; its purpose is merely informational. It is each parent’s responsibility to get informed and understand the applicable homeschooling laws which regulate homeschooling in his or her state.
Requirements and Laws on Homeschooling in Vermont
The requirements to homeschool in Vermont include:
1. File a form on starting homeschooling your child
2. Submit a reporting form on Independent Professional Evidence
3. Submit the intended course work for the homeschool
4. Provide instruction in the mandatory subjects
5. Maintain accurate records
6. Give a yearly assessment starting from the second year of homeschooling
Enrollment must commence by 1st of May for the year you decide to start the homeschool. The Education Agency accepts the notices as early as 1st March and has up to 1st of August to process the notices. These forms can be submitted online, via Email or have hard copies delivered in person or via fax to the Education Agency. The address for walk-ins is 219 North Main Street, Suite 402, Barre, VT 05641 while the fax is 802-479-4320. The homeschool office has 14 working days to either approve or reject the notices counting from the date of receipt.
Notice of Intent to Homeschool in Vermont
Every student in a homeschool in Vermont must have a notice submitted on their behalf by 1st of August every academic year. The enrollment form must:
· Have the signatures of both parents
· Have a reporting form of Independent Professional Evidence attached
· Have a comprehensive summary of the course work intended to be used unless one has already homeschooled for 2 consecutive years or the homeschool program began after the child was 12 years or there is an exemption from the Minimum Course of Study to exclude the summary.
· Completed in all the 3 sections
Reporting Form of Independent Professional Evidence
The law in Vermont requires the parent to submit one copy of the child’s report card for the past year if the child was enrolled in a public school in place of this form. For students who were not previously enrolled in any school, the report form easily accessible here must be submitted. The form is filled by either a healthcare professional, provider of mental health or an educator who is licensed. A special education assessment or other professional form from a certified individual is used for children with special needs.
Testing and Course Study Requirements to Homeschool in Vermont
Testing Requirements for Homeschoolers in Vermont
Starting from the second year of consecutive homeschooling, students are subjected to annual testing requirements to evaluate the children’s progress and submit the assessment results as stipulated by the statute under 16 V.S.A 166b (d). The form on Minimum Course of Study provides the areas that progress must be assessed. The assessment methods parents are allowed to use include:
1. Evaluation by a Teacher
The student is required to meet with the teacher for a one on one conversation to evaluate the knowledge of the student in the mandatory subjects as well as the homeschool curriculum.
2. Evaluation using the report form on Teacher Advisory Service published by a commercial publisher of curriculums and portfolios
A student assessed using this form should submit the report on the grade awarded together with the homeschool portfolio.
3. Home based portfolio and a letter from the parent
Parents should submit at least 4 to 6 work samples completed by the student in every mandatory subject. A tutorial on how one can create a homeschool portfolio is provided by the Education Agency.
4. Standardized tests results
Students take a standardized test approved by the secretary in a manner provided by the company. The test is graded by the testing company or a licensed teacher who administered it. Students who wish to take nationally standardized tests at a public school should first inquire from the school on the requirements and dates for testing.
Course of Study for Homeschools in Vermont
This is a form that shows the specific topics, sequence, scope and skills that you intend to teach in that academic year. Families who have homeschooled for two consecutive years in the past 5 can apply for an exemption and be excluded from submitting this form. The condition to get an exemption is that the homeschool program must be continuous for a whole year, have the enrollment letter and the annual evaluation report submitted by 1st August of the school year. Students who began homeschooling after 12 years and special needs students are required to submit the form, whether the parent applies for an exemption or not. Special needs students must also submit an Adaption form provided here.
Provide Instructions in the Mandatory Subjects
The law requires homeschoolers to receive instruction in the following subjects:
· Natural sciences
· History and citizenship
· English American as well as other literature
· Health and physical education
· Basic skills in communication including use of numbers, reading and writing
· Fine arts
Recordkeeping for Homeschoolers in Vermont
Parents are advised to maintain accurate records of the student’s homeschool activities including samples of written work, test results and the curriculum which are useful when applying for colleges, universities or the military. Homeschool portfolios may be required when the parents are submitting either the parent report and academic portfolio or the advisory report by a teacher and the academic portfolio as the annual assessment report.
Lernsys Homeschooling makes it easy to keep a summary of the curriculum used including grades, topics covered, quiz and test scores, teacher credentials, etc.Requirements for Graduation in Vermont
The requirements to graduate are simple and easy to follow since they are made by the parents in charge of the homeschools. The education agency does not give diplomas to homeschoolers but may grant a letter that verifies the student has completed high school education in a home school. Homeschoolers receive their diplomas from parents. More information on how to assign credits to individual courses taught in the home study program is provided below.
The chart below shows the comparison between graduation requirements in public school and homeschool in Vermont.
| Public/Private School | Homeschool | |
|---|---|---|
|
Diploma requirements in Vermont |
To receive a diploma in Vermont, a minimum of 24 credit courses must be completed. The courses include Math, Social Studies, Science, Language Arts, Physical education, Arts and 7 electives. |
Parents in Vermont have the liberty to determine when their student will graduate. They then proceed to award the high school diploma under their own terms. |
| Testing requirements in Vermont | The law does not provide for any test to graduate. Seniors must take the annual tests like all students. |
There is no law in Vermont that compels or forces homeschoolers to undertake a test as a requirement in order to graduate high school. |
|
Vermont high school transcripts |
Students can choose to contact their school or use E-transcript system to submit a duplicate of the student’s transcript to the college they wish to join. Unless prices are offset, there is a reasonable charge. |
Parents in Vermont can create the homeschoolers’ transcripts which may include information they considered relevant to institutions the homeschoolers may intend to apply to. This may include schools, colleges, workplace organizations, or the military. |
|
High school course credits in Vermont |
English - 4 credits Religion* - 4 credits Social Studies - 3 credits (including US History) Science - 3 credits Mathematics - 3 credits Foreign Language - 2 credits Fine Arts - 1 credit Physical Education - 1 credit Health - .5 credit Information Technology - .5 credit |
Many parents in Vermont choose to specify or assign academic credits to the courses taken during the homeschooling period as this may aid during the transcript creation process. |
|
Eligibility for GED in Vermont |
Anyone 16 years or older that is not enrolled in a high school may take the GED tests. In Vermont, young adults 16 or 17 years of age must have parental permission to take the GED tests. To earn your GED high school equivalency (HSE) diploma in Vermont. you'll need to take and pass the four independent modules (subtests) of the GED exam. You will need to reach a score of at least 145 on each subject and a total score of 580 or higher across four subject tests in order to receive the GED test certificate. |
Homeschoolers in Vermont are eligible if the meet the same criteria as public school students. |
Homeschool High School Transcript Template
Track your homeschooler’s credits, courses, and accomplishments with this free homeschool high school transcript template.
Switching from Homeschooling to Public School in Vermont
Parents are required to submit a notice of withdrawal to the education secretary within 7 days of withdrawing the student from the homeschool program. An annual assessment for the homeschooling period should be submitted to finalize the student’s record while homeschooling. The school decides the child’s grade as well as the academic standing of the child. Some homeschool course credits may be inadmissible to the school forcing the child to retake the course.
Lernsys Homeschooling makes it easy to keep a summary of the curriculum used including grades, topics covered, quiz and test scores, teacher credentials, etc.
Additional Resources Related to Homeschooling in Vermont
Have other questions about homeschooling in Vermont? You may find the following pages helpful.
