How to Homeschool in Vermont

Vermont homeschool law in detail

Each requirement below links to the statute that governs it, so you can read the law yourself instead of taking our word for it. The governing law is 16 V.S.A. section 166b, 16 V.S.A. section 906.

Notice / letter of intent

Vermont calls homeschooling a home study program under 16 V.S.A. section 166b. You submit a Home Study Enrollment Notice to the Agency of Education at least 10 business days before you begin, using the online form on the Agency website or paper Form A. The notice includes each child's name, age, and birthdate, parent contact information, signatures, and an attestation that you will assess academic progress at the end of the year. First-time enrollees who have not attended a Vermont public school also submit an Independent Professional Evidence form regarding disabilities, or a copy of a Vermont public school report card. The Agency confirms enrollment within about 10 business days, and you re-enroll each year with a shorter Annual Notice form.

Read the law: 16 V.S.A. section 166b

Required subjects

Your minimum course of study comes from 16 V.S.A. section 906: basic communication skills including reading, writing, and the use of numbers; citizenship, history, and U.S. government; physical education and comprehensive health education; English, American, and other literature; natural sciences; and the fine arts. For children under 13 the full list applies; from age 13 on the statute narrows the required subdivisions. You choose the materials and methods yourself.

Read the law: 16 V.S.A. section 906 The record attributes the minimum course of study to 16 V.S.A. section 906; the sources array provides a statute link only for 16 V.S.A. section 166b, so that URL is used to confirm the home study framework.

Required days or hours

Vermont expects the equivalent of at least 175 days of instruction per year. There is no daily hour requirement, and the days do not have to mirror a public school calendar.

Read the law: 16 V.S.A. section 166b The record states the equivalent of at least 175 days of instruction with no daily hour requirement, but does not name a specific subsection; the governing statute 16 V.S.A. section 166b is used.

Recordkeeping

Keep the Agency's written enrollment acknowledgement for your records each year. Since the July 2023 law change you do not submit curriculum plans or progress evidence to the state, but you should keep your end-of-year assessment records at home, along with work samples if you use the portfolio assessment option. HSLDA reports that assessment records stay with the parent rather than being filed

Read the law: 16 V.S.A. section 166b The record describes keeping the enrollment acknowledgement and assessment records at home post-2023 but cites no specific subsection; the governing statute 16 V.S.A. section 166b is used.

Testing and assessment

When you enroll, you attest that each child's academic progress will be assessed at the end of the year. Accepted methods include a standardized test through a district or approved testing service, a report from a Vermont-certified teacher, a parent-kept portfolio with work samples, grades from an online academy, or documentation of passing the GED. Under the post-2023 rules the assessment is something you complete and keep rather than a report you mail in, but verify current practice with the Agency before relying on that

Read the law: 16 V.S.A. section 166b The record ties the end-of-year assessment attestation to the home study enrollment under 16 V.S.A. section 166b without naming a specific subsection.

Withdrawing from public school

If your child is in public school, send the school a short written withdrawal letter and submit your Home Study Enrollment Notice at least 10 business days before home study begins, so there is no gap in enrollment. If you later end your home study program mid-year, notify the Secretary of Education in writing within 10 business days. Many families simply let enrollment lapse at year end if the child returns to school.

Read the law: 16 V.S.A. section 166b The record describes the withdrawal letter and mid-year notice to the Secretary of Education within 10 business days under the home study program but names no specific subsection; the governing statute 16 V.S.A. section 166b is used.

Good to know

Vermont home study students may access public school courses and activities in some districts, and the state has dual enrollment options for older students; policies vary by district, so ask locally. The Agency of Education runs a dedicated Home Study Office reachable by mail, fax, and an online portal.