Virginia Homeschool Evaluation FAQ

Virginia’s home instruction statute follows a yearly rhythm anchored by two dates — one before the school year and one after it. Before the school year begins, the parent files a Notice of Intent with the division superintendent by August 15, including a list of subjects to be studied and evidence that the parent meets one of the qualifying criteria. Then, after that school year ends, the parent submits evidence of academic progress by August 1 of the following summer for each child who was age six or older as of September 30 of that school year.

Virginia gives families a great deal of freedom in how they teach. There is no required day or hour count, no affidavit, and no mandated subject grid for the year-end evidence — you list your subjects on the Notice of Intent and teach them.

For the most current details, we recommend reviewing the Virginia Department of Education Home Instruction page and Code of Virginia § 22.1-254.1.

To provide home instruction, the parent must meet one of four criteria in the statute:

• Hold a high school diploma or higher (the most common option), or
• Be a teacher licensed to teach in any state, or
• Provide the child a program of study or curriculum through a correspondence or distance-learning program, or
• Provide evidence that you are able to give the child an adequate education.

For most families, the high school diploma option is the simplest, and you confirm it right on the Notice of Intent.

By August 1 after the school year ends, you satisfy the evidence-of-progress requirement in one of two main ways:

• A standardized test — a composite score at or above the fourth stanine (the 23rd percentile) on any nationally normed achievement test, or an equivalent ACT, SAT, or PSAT score.
• 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, stating the child is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress. A transcript or report card from a college or correspondence program also qualifies.

The Homeschool Evaluator provides the evaluation letter route.

Each child who was age six or older as of September 30 of that school year. Children five or younger on that date are not yet required to show evidence of progress.

Your evaluator reviews samples of your student’s work and progress from the school year and, on that basis, writes a letter stating whether the student is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress.

There is no minimum score to clear — unlike the standardized-test route, the evaluation letter looks at the whole year rather than a single number on a single day. The goal is to give a clear, honest picture of the learning that happened.

The Homeschool Evaluator was started by Jennifer Horrocks, a teacher, evaluator, and homeschooling mom. The process was built with those experiences in mind so families can complete year-end evaluations in a way that feels simple, supportive, and less stressful.

Because Virginia accepts an evaluation letter from a teacher licensed in any state, you are not limited to evaluators inside Virginia. Online evaluations let you work from home at your own pace, in a familiar place, with clear guidance along the way.

Start with the What You Will Need page and gather a few samples of your student’s work from this year.

When you are ready, use the Evaluations page to begin. After payment, you are taken straight to the evaluation form — we also email you a private link so you can finish later if you need to. When the form is complete, submit it and it will be on its way to The Homeschool Evaluator. If you have another student, repeat the process for that student.

Checkout only takes a few minutes. After payment is processed, you go straight to the evaluation form — we also email you a link so you can finish later if you need to.

If you review the What You Will Need page first and gather your materials ahead of time, the form usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Every student is different, so your time may vary.

The evaluation letter is not a pass/fail test, and there is no minimum score to clear. Your evaluator reviews the information you submit and attests to whether your student is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress.

The form is designed to walk you through what your evaluator needs. If something important is missing, your evaluator may follow up so the evaluation can be completed as smoothly as possible.

Our goal is to return completed evaluation letters as quickly as we can.

Most evaluations happen in the late spring and summer ahead of the August 1 deadline. Since each evaluation is reviewed individually, we appreciate your patience during those busy months — and we encourage you not to wait until the last week.

Each student needs a separate purchase and a separate evaluation form. Complete and submit the first student’s form, then return and purchase the next student’s.

This keeps each student’s information complete and makes sure every student receives the correct evaluation letter.

The test route rests on a single composite score clearing the fourth-stanine cutoff on one day. The evaluation-letter route looks at the whole year and has no minimum-score cutoff.

Families often lean toward the test when a child tests well and already has a recent qualifying score, and toward the evaluation letter when a child has test anxiety, has uneven results across subjects, is twice-exceptional or has special needs, or simply when they prefer a low-stress, whole-year review.

No. Virginia accepts 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. That is what makes a trusted online evaluator a valid choice.

Yes. Each year you choose which form of evidence to submit, so you can use an evaluation letter one year and a test another.

If you do not submit evidence of progress, your home instruction program can be placed on probation for one year, during which you must show your ability to teach and a remediation plan. Submitting on time avoids this, so we encourage families not to wait until the final week.

Each purchase creates access to an evaluation form for one student. Once payment is processed, the evaluation form opens right away, and a private form link is also emailed to the address provided at checkout.

Because that form access is created after purchase, we are not able to offer refunds for incomplete submissions. The form is designed to guide you through what your evaluator needs so the process can stay simple and clear.

The Virginia evaluation is a flat $60 per student. Every student receives their own complete review and their own signed letter, so each purchase is a full evaluation, not an add-on.

We keep pricing simple instead: one flat rate for every family, with no surge pricing near deadlines and no extra fees.

The Homeschool Evaluator currently serves Virginia, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania — each with its own requirements and deadlines. Choose your state on the Evaluations page to see the details and options that apply to you. We hope to offer evaluations in more states in the future.