Vermont Compliance Options
Explore compliance options for Vermont and decide which one works best for you.
Available Options & Instructions
Only one option is available. Here are the instructions:
1. Send a written enrollment notice.
You must annually send an enrollment notice to the secretary of education for each child. This enrollment notice can be filled out on the Agency of Education's website. The notice must include:
the name, age, andbirthdate (date, month, and year)of each child;
the names, mailing addresses,e-mail addresses,towns of legal residence, and phone numbers of the parents or guardians who are legally authorized to make educational decisions for the student;
anattestationthat the academic progress of each child will be assessed at the end of the year, and that the parent will maintain the record of the assessment;
“independent professional evidence on whether the child has a disability” for each child not previously enrolled in a Vermont public school or Vermont home study program;
anattestationthat each child will be providedeitherthe equivalent of 175 day of instruction in the required subjects for his/her age,oradaptations to support a student with documented disabilities; and
the signatures of all custodial parents or guardians who are legally authorized to make educational decisions for the students,or an attestationthat the parent seeking enrollment has sole primary decision-making authority. NOTE: As of July 1, 2023, parents are no longer required to include the following in their notice of intent: A minimum course of study; Evidence of academic progress for the previous school year (if the family homeschooled the year prior); or The names, addresses, phone numbers, and signatures of persons providing instruction to students.
2. Obtain acknowledgement of compliance.
Within 10 business days of receiving a complete enrollment notice, the Agency of Education "shall" provide you with a written acknowledgement of receipt, which verifies that your child is enrolled in a lawful home study program. Keep this acknowledgement for your records. NOTE: As of July 1, 2023, the statutory language allowing the Agency to review enrollment notices for "completeness," and to call pre-enrollment and post-enrollment hearings has been repealed.
3. Teach the required subjects.
You must teach the following subjects in your homeschool:
basic communication skills, including reading, writing, and the use of numbers,
citizenship, history, and government in Vermont and the United States,
physical education and comprehensive health education, including the effects of tobacco, alcoholic drinks, and drugs on the human system and on society,
English, American, and other literature,
the natural sciences,and
the fine arts.
4. Assess your child annually.
Parents are responsible for assessing their child's progress at the conclusion of each school year. This assessment does not need to be submitted to the Agency of Education, but a record of the assessment must be kept by the parents. The assessment may be by any one of the following methods:
A standardized assessment given by the local school district or a testing service, or administered in a manner approved by the testing company;
A report prepared by a Vermont certified teacher;
A report and portfolio with a summary of learned material and at least four samples of work;
Grades from an online academy or school; or
Evidence of passing the GED. Please note: The information on this page has been reviewed by an attorney, but it should not be taken as legal advice specific to your individual situation.