Can someone give the basic laws for homeschooling in WV?

Question

I have researched West Virginia's homeschooling laws, but it is all twisted like most legal stuff. Can someone explain the basic laws for homeschooling in WV

Answer 1

Wow, those are convoluted.  Here's the legal analysis from the same site: http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/West_...

From what I can see, you have two different options:

1) you can ask the school board for permission to homeschool, and they will inspect every little bit of your education and what you intend to teach your child up front.  You have to be a certified teacher or be deemed "qualified to teach" by them.  Basically, if they'd hire you to teach in one of their schools, they'll allow you to homeschool.  They can require you to teach certain subjects, keep certain records, and give certain progress evaluations as part of the approval process.

The upside seems to be that after they give approval, they don't bother you again because you're basically running a public school out of your home without funding.  I'm not completely sure why anyone would go this route, but it's an option.

2) You don't ask for their approval.  If your child is currently in public school, you send a note to the superintendent's office two weeks prior to pulling them.  This can be any sort of written notification.  I'm not sure if this is just to give them time to process the paperwork so your child isn't considered truant, or if they will then contact you and try to get you to stay with public school.  I would talk with other homeschool parents in your area to get the details on that.  If your child isn't in public school - if they're in private or not of school age yet - you just send a notice to the superintendent and start homeschooling.

Under this option, you only have to have a high school diploma, not a teaching certification.  You are not required to teach any certain subjects or curriculum and you are not required to keep records or have a minimum number of days attended (though if your child is jr high or high school, you'll want to keep records and grades for transcript purposes.)

You will have to have an annual evaluation, either by a standardized test that tests reading, language arts, math, science, and social studies (can be any standardized test that is less than 10 years old) or have an annual eval by a certified teacher.  With this, a teacher will come to your house and look through a sampling of your student's work.  They'll talk with you (and possibly your student, briefly) about what you did and learned this year and will then write up a written report stating whether your child is progressing (showing improvement from last year).  If your child does not score 50% or above on the standardized test OR show improvement from last year by test or eval (not both the 50% and improvement), the school board can require you to put your child back in school.

I hope that explains it better?  With such convoluted laws, it looks like there's a lot of gray area there.  I would consider strongly joining HSLDA or another legal organization that defends homeschoolers.  It's inexpensive - something like $80-100 per year - and if you ever get a note from the school administration saying something that doesn't make sense to you, or someone shows up on your doorstep claiming that you're not following the law by homeschooling your kids, you simply send it to them or call them and they take care of everything for you.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

Here you go, this should tell you the basic laws http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp?St...

Answer 3

Infoirmation is below.

Answer 4

The best way for you to homeschool in West Virginia is under Option #2, "Operate a Home School."  Follow what it says to the letter; inform them of your intention to homeschool two weeks before you begin.  Under testing, you have four options, and you should pick the one that is easiest/least expensive for you.

The West Virginia homeschooling laws are included in the following link:

http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp?St...

Do not choose Option 1, as it will cause the most interference for you.  They will hold you to the same standard as the local public schools, and we already know that most of the schools are substandard.  When you homeschool, you will easily soar above and beyond those standards.

Also, consider joining the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA); you probably will not need them, but if you do, they will help you.  Membership is not expensive, and they have a monthly payment plan.

http://www.hslda.org/join/apply.asp

I hope the above is helpful.