| Over the years, the Virginia schools (like many school | | | | - Requirement 1 - Effective July 1, 2006, the parent, |
| systems across the nation) have been losing their | | | | who will be teaching the child, must have a high |
| public school students to home schooling. Henry | | | | school diploma and provide to the Virginia schools a |
| County, for example, has seen an increase in | | | | description of the curriculum he/she plans to use for |
| home-schooled students from eight to 99 over the | | | | the child. The child does not have to meet Virginia |
| past 11 years. | | | | schools' graduation requirements and receives no |
| In April 1999, the nation watched in horror the news | | | | diploma; however, progress must be shown to the |
| reports on Colorado's Columbine High School | | | | Virginia schools at the end of each year. |
| shootings, where 12 students and one teacher were | | | | - Requirement 2 - The parent, who will be teaching |
| fatally shot and 24 others were wounded by two | | | | the child, must have a current teacher certification |
| teens who then killed themselves. Afterwards, the | | | | and provide to the Virginia schools a description of |
| Virginia schools saw a steady increase of applications | | | | the curriculum he/she plans to use for the child. The |
| from parents who wished to home school their | | | | child does not have to meet Virginia schools' |
| children. | | | | graduation requirements and receives no diploma; |
| Though the number of children who are home | | | | however, here too progress must be shown to the |
| schooled has continued to increase within the Virginia | | | | Virginia schools at the end of each year. |
| schools, the reasons have changed. Though school | | | | - Requirement 3 - Parent enrolls child into a Virginia |
| violence and security remains to be a primary | | | | schools' recognized correspondence home school. |
| concern of Virginia schools' parents, they now have a | | | | There are approximately 19 such schools across the |
| variety of other reasons, including: | | | | nation. A list may be obtained from the Virginia |
| - Too much emphasis on the standardized testing | | | | schools. Correspondence schools are private |
| now required within the Virginia schools, fearing their | | | | businesses that operate as schools, charging for their |
| children are being taught only to pass tests rather | | | | services. They usually cost $800 to $1,200 annually |
| than a focus on actual learning that is retained and | | | | per student, though some charge as much as $4,000 |
| useful later in life; home-schooled children are not | | | | a year. The more you pay, the more services you |
| required to take the Standards of Learning (SOL) | | | | get, including report cards, transcripts and diplomas. |
| tests; | | | | Though coursework is administered by the parent, he |
| - The ability of Virginia schools' children to adjust to | | | | she has no educational level requirement. The child |
| the middle and high school environments; many | | | | meets the graduation requirements of the |
| parents home school their children during the middle | | | | correspondence school; however, progress must be |
| school years and place them back into the Virginia | | | | shown to the Virginia schools at the end of each |
| schools for high school; | | | | year. |
| - Virginia schools' parents' perception of negative | | | | - Requirement 4 - No educational level must be met |
| influences within the traditional school environment; | | | | by the parent teaching the child. They must provide |
| this is especially true for families with strong religious | | | | to the Virginia schools a description of the curriculum |
| beliefs; and | | | | he/she plans to use for the child, which must include |
| - Some Virginia schools' parents simply want to keep | | | | the Virginia schools' SOL in language arts and |
| their children at home for a longer period, placing | | | | mathematics. The child does not have to meet |
| them back within the Virginia schools for high school. | | | | Virginia schools' graduation requirements and receives |
| Religious Exemption. If a parent applies for release of | | | | no diploma; however, progress must be shown to |
| their child from the Virginia schools for religious | | | | the Virginia schools at the end of each year. |
| reasons, they are exempt from enrolling their child in | | | | Description of the curriculum in requirements one, |
| any other form of education through age 18. They | | | | two and four above includes a list of the subjects |
| may wish to do so and can, but they are not | | | | that will be taught and the textbooks that will be |
| required to do so by the Virginia schools. If they do | | | | used for language arts and mathematics. |
| enroll the child elsewhere or home schooling, they | | | | In all four requirements above, the child's academic |
| also are not required to keep the Virginia schools | | | | progress must be proved to the Virginia schools |
| apprised of the child's progress. | | | | either with SOL test scores (the child would have to |
| Other Exceptions. In order for parents to home | | | | submit to testing by the Virginia schools and score |
| school their children, other than under the religious | | | | above the 23rd percentile) or through a provided a |
| exemption, they must meet one of four | | | | portfolio of the child's work. |
| requirements developed by the Virginia schools: | | | | |