Qualification by Parent or Guardian (one of four required)

To be eligible to provide home instruction, a parent or guardian must meet one of these four qualifications:

1. The parent or guardian holds a high school diploma.
2. The parent or guardian is a teacher of qualifications prescribed by the Virginia Board of Education.
3. The parent or guardian provides a program of study or curriculum, which may be delivered through a correspondence course, distance learning program, or any other manner.
4. The parent or guardian provides evidence that he or she is able to provide an adequate education for the child.

For this purpose, the Code of Virginia defines parent as a biological parent, adoptive parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of a child.

Online Private School or Home Instruction Program

To determine whether the resource you will be using to educate your child is an online private school or a home instruction program, guidance can be found by visiting Home Educators Association of Virginia.

Required Documents to Provide

1. Notice of Intent to Provide Home Instruction (NOI) must be submitted each year by August 15.

2. Evidence of meeting one of the four qualifications described above.

3. Description of curriculum limited to a list of subjects to be studied during the coming year.

4. Upon request by the Division Superintendent or designee, evidence of immunizations, medical contraindication certified by a licensed physician, or affidavit attesting that the administration of immunizing agents conflicts with religious tenets or practices.

Time Frame to Submit Notice

1. By August 15 prior to the school year in which the child will receive home instruction.

2. A parent or guardian who moves into the city of Hampton or who begins home instruction after the school year has begun shall provide notification as soon as practicable and comply with all notification requirements within 30 days. Once notice has been provided, home instruction may begin and families do not have to wait for an acknowledgement notification.

Acknowledgement

 

The information submitted is reviewed by a member of the home instruction team and a letter is sent to the parent or guardian indicating whether or not the notification documents comply with Section 22.1-254.1 of the Code of Virginia. Parents may also receive email notification that a notice has been received.

 

**Please consider sending your notice of intent for the upcoming school year when you send your evidence of progress.

Evidence of Progress Requirement

 

The parent who elects to provide home instruction shall provide by August 1, following the school year in which the child has received home instruction with either:

(i) evidence that the child has attained 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

(ii) an evaluation or assessment which the division superintendent determines to indicate that the child is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress, including but not limited to:

(a) an evaluation letter from a person licensed to teach in any state, or a person with a master's degree or higher in an academic discipline, having knowledge of the child's academic progress, stating that the child is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress; or

(b) a report card or transcript from a community college or college, college distance learning program, or home-education correspondence school.

**Please consider sending your notice of intent for the upcoming school year when you send your evidence of progress.

Parents or guardians should send evidence of progress by email to homeschool@hampton.k12.va.us or fax to 757-727-2446, or mail to Hampton City Schools Department of School Social Work, 1 Franklin Street, Hampton VA 23669 by August 1.

Acknowledgement of Progress

 

The information submitted is reviewed and a letter is sent to the parent indicating whether or not the evidence of achievement complies with Section 22.1-254.1 of the Code of Virginia. Parents may also receive email acknowledgement.

Probation or Denial

 

If the required evidence of progress is not provided by the parent or guardian and/or the evidence does not meet satisfactory evidence of progress, the home instruction program for that child may be placed on probation for one year. The parent or guardian shall file, with the Division Superintendent via the Office of School Social Work, evidence of ability to provide an adequate education and a remediation plan for the probationary year that indicates how the parent or guardian will address any educational deficiency. Upon acceptance of such evidence and plan, the home instruction may continue for one probationary year. If the remediation plan and evidence of achievement are not accepted, or the required evidence of progress is not provided by August 1 following the probationary year, home instruction shall cease and the parent or guardian shall make other arrangements for the education of the child that comply with Section 22.1-254 of the Code of Virginia.

Available Examinations

The following examinations are available to enrolled HCS students and to students receiving home instruction: Advanced Placement (AP), Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), and PreACT.

Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate (IB)

Home Instruction Exam Information provides families with registration information and deadlines. Fee waiver eligibility information is available on The College Board website or on the ACT website, depending on the assessment.

Please contact the counseling department at your base school to confirm testing location, times, and availability.  

Students receiving home instruction are not required to take the Virginia Standards of Learning Assessments (SOLs).  These tests are designed to measure the curriculum taught in HCS and other public schools.

 

Part-Time Enrollment in Public Schools

 

Students provided home instruction may be allowed to enroll in Hampton City Schools for participation in curricular activities on a part-time or single course basis in any mathematics, science, English, history, social science, vocational education, fine arts, foreign language, health education, or physical education or on-line courses when available. Enrollment will be on a space-available basis with the approval of the school principal. 

 

Children who are being tutored under the provisions of § 22.1-254 of the Code of Virginia or have received a religious exemption under those provisions are not eligible to enroll in a public school on a part-time basis.

 

Students provided home instruction will not be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities. Additionally, students provided home instruction will not be allowed to participate in certain interscholastic activities such as varsity sports as the criteria for participation is governed by policies of the Virginia High School League (VHSL).

JROTC Membership for Homeschooled Students

 

Homeschooled students who reside in the division and who are otherwise eligible for membership in a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corp (JROTC) unit maintained by a secondary school but for their lack of enrollment in the division are permitted to be members of the unit.

 

Homeschooled students who are members in a division JROTC unit are required to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with established standards for student behavior and must comply with behavioral, disciplinary, attendance and other policies and rules applicable to all students, including rules governing the use of the division’s electronic device policy.  If a student fails to comply, the school may withhold credit and/or terminate the student’s participation in addition to taking any disciplinary action that would be taken against a full- time student for similar conduct.

Transitioning Back Into Public School

 

When an elementary or middle school student enters HCS from a period of home instruction, the principal shall determine grade placement based on evidence of achievement provided by the parent or guardian. If further evidence is necessary, consultation with school staff or testing may be required.

 

A student requesting credit for high school courses taken in an approved home instruction program must provide HCS with a list of courses taken, the objectives for the courses, and evidence of achievement. The courses for which credit is desired must correspond to courses offered by HCS. If the evidence of achievement is determined to be insufficient, the student may be required to take an examination for course for which he or she wishes to establish placement or credit. Any credit granted by HCS for courses taken under home instruction shall be designated on the student's scholastic record as credit transferred from home instruction. Contact the school assigned to your home address.  For information on the registration process, view General Registration Requirements (Grades 1 -12), Kindergarten Registration, or Online Registration.

Withdraw from Home Instruction

 

If you do not intend to continue home instruction or move to another location in which you plan to homeschool, please inform the HCS Home Instruction Office by email homeschool@hampton.k12.va.us.

Home Instruction Resources

 

Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Resources

Home Educators Association of Virginia

Religious Exemption from School Attendance

 

In accordance with Virginia Code § 22.1-254.B.1, the School Board may excuse a student from attending school if the student and their parents or guardians are conscientiously opposed to school attendance due to bona fide religious training or belief. This exemption does not apply to views that are essentially political, sociological, philosophical, or based on a personal moral code.  This exemption does not fall under homeschool guidelines. 

 

To request a religious exemption, parents or guardians must submit the HCS RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION  APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION FROM COMPULSORY  SCHOOL ATTENDANCE  detailing their religious beliefs that conflict with public school attendance. Older children (14 years or older) should also provide their own individual statements explaining their religious objections. Families must also submit two additional letters of support from religious leaders or individuals in the community who can verify the authenticity of these beliefs.

 

While religious exemption is unrelated to our homeschooling process, please return all religious exemption information to our home school office at Email: homeschool@hampton.k12.vs.us  Or mail or hand deliver to HCS, Office of School Social Work, 1 Franklin Street, Hampton VA 23669  Phone: 757-727-2440  Fax: 757-727-2446 

 

The HCS School Board Office will send a letter of approval for the religious exemption to the parents or guardians.  Once granted, the exemption remains valid for one school year. Parents should notify the School Board in writing, referencing their religious exemption status prior to each school year using this form. Comment end  In addition, as younger children reach compulsory school attendance age, a request should be made for each student.