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In Virginia, parents/guardians must ensure that a child attends school in compliance with the state compulsory attendance law as specified in § 22.1-254 of the Code of Virginia when the child has reached their 5th birthday on or before September 30 of any school year and has not passed their 18th birthday. Home instruction, also referred to as homeschooling, is one alternative to school attendance.
Please refer to the Home Instruction Handbook: Information for Parents for more details about guidelines and requirements. Contact the Home Instruction Designee if you have any questions about the home instruction process.
Home Instruction Designee:
Jennifer McGuire
(804) 733-2730
A parent/guardian or guardian who elects to provide home instruction must provide written notification of this intent annually by August 15th. A parent /guardian who moves into Prince George County or begins home instruction after the beginning of the year must provide notification as soon as possible, but no more than 30 days.
Submit the 2025-2026 Notice of Intent Form
Parents/guardians who believe that a child is not mentally, physically, or emotionally prepared to attend school may inform the School Board that they want to delay school attendance until the following year if the child has not reached his 6th birthday on or before September 30. A letter requesting a delayed start must be submitted to the Clerk of the Board for submission to the School Board for approval.
Submission of Notice of Intent
Submission of Notice of Intent
To expedite the process, please upload all the required documents, including evidence of progress and the list of subjects to be studied, when submitting the Notice of Intent form electronically.
Evidence of progress must be submitted annually by August 1st for the previous school year.
Once all documents are received, you will receive a verification letter. If applicable, your student will be withdrawn from Prince George County Public Schools.
The Notice of Intent and evidence of progress may also be submitted via email to the Home Instruction Designee or US mail to PO Box 400, Prince Goerge, VA 23875, Attn. Home Instruction Designee. Please note that submitting documents in this manner may require additional time for processing.
Steps to Begin Home Instruction
Steps to Begin Home Instruction
Step 1:
Step 1:
I. The teaching parent holds a high school diploma. (Option I)
The parent/guardian must submit to the school superintendent documentation that shows that the parent/guardian has earned a high school diploma or a higher credential (e.g., a certificate, an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, or a doctorate). A high school equivalency certificate (e.g., a GED) would not meet this requirement.
II. The teaching parent/guardian meets the qualifications for a teacher prescribed by the Board of Education. (Option II)
To qualify under this option, the parent/guardian must hold a teaching license or a letter of eligibility for licensure in Virginia and submit it to the school superintendent.
III. The teaching parent/guardian provides the child with a program of study or curriculum which may be delivered through a correspondence course or distance learning program or in any other manner. (Option III)
If the child is enrolled in a correspondence course or distance learning program, the parent must submit evidence of such enrollment and a list of the subjects to be studied for the coming year to the school division; however, no judgment of the materials is required of the school division superintendent. If the teaching parent/guardian provides a program of study or curriculum that is delivered through any other manner, a list of the courses to be studied for the coming year must be submitted to the school division. Submission of these materials is for information purposes only.
Additionally, there is no master list of correspondence schools and distance learning programs for parents/guardians to review. The selection of a program should be based on the child's unique needs.
For driver education correspondence courses, VDOE approves these programs as specified in § 22.1-205, Code of Virginia. (See DMV's webpage for information about driver education correspondence programs for homeschooled students.)
IV. The teaching parent/guardian provides evidence that he or she is able to provide an adequate education for the
child. (Option IV)
Evidence of a parent’s ability to provide an adequate education is locally determined. Prior to submitting the notice of intent and other required documents, it is recommended that the parent/guardian contact the local school division to determine what its requirements are for this option. Parents/guardians may continue to use the Standards of Learning (SOL) objectives as a basis for their programs of study under any of the options in § 22.1-254.1 if they choose to do so. Information about the SOL objectives is available on the VDOE SOL webpage.
Step 2:
Step 2:
Research, select and/or acquire your curriculum. Prince George County Public Schools does not provide curriculum materials. Visit the Virginia Department of Education for more information about curriculums.
Step 3:
Step 3:
As prescribed in § 22.1-254.1 of the Code of Virginia, provide the school division with a description of the curriculum, limited to a list of subjects to be studied during the coming school year.
Evidence of Academic Achievement
Evidence of Academic Achievement
To comply with Virginia state law, evidence of academic achievement must be submitted to the PGCPS Home Instruction Designee annually by August 1st. The evaluation requirement does not apply to children under the age of six as of September 30th. Evidence of academic achievement may be provided in one of the following ways:
Attainment of a composite score in or above the fourth stanine on any nationally normed standardized achievement test; or an equivalent score on the ACT, SAT, or PSAT test (Note: Score reports for the ACT, SAT, or PSAT test may not contain scores expressed in stanines. These tests may show reports in percentiles. Students with a national composite score at or above a percentile score of 23 meet the requirement for academic progress.);
or
An evaluation or assessment which the division's superintendent determines to indicate the child is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress, including, but not limited to:
A. An evaluation letter stating the child is achieving an adequate level of education growth and progress from
a person licensed to teach in any state or
a person with a master's degree or higher in an academic discipline who has knowledge of the child's academic progress.
B. A report card or transcript from a college, college distance learning program, or home-education correspondence school.
Parents/guardians may submit their child's test scores from a nationally normed standardized achievement assessment of their choosing.
Examples include but are not limited to:
California Achievement Test (CAT)
IOWA Assessment
Standard Achievement Test (Standford 10)
TerraNova2
PSAT, SAT, ACT tests
Prince George County Public Schools does not maintain a list of test publishers; a parent/guardian must identify and purchase an applicable test for their child. Any evaluation or assessment must be sufficient to allow the division's superintendent to determine whether the child is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress.
If the child's performance does not fall within the fourth stainine, the equivalent or higher, or the required evidence of progress is not provided, the child may continue with home instruction for the following school year; however, the home instruction program may be placed on probation for one year and the parent/guardian must file a remediation plan and evidence of the ability to provide an adequate education. If the plan and evidence are not accepted or the required evidence is not provided by August 1st following the probationary year, home instruction must end and the parent must make other arrangements that comply with the compulsory attendance law.
Other Options
Other Options
Certified Tutor
Certified Tutor
Virginia Certified Tutor option to provide home instruction under §22.1-254(A) of the Code of Virginia: Under the certified tutor option, parents do not file a Notice of Intent
Notification should be in the form of a letter indicating that you are in compliance with §22.1-254(A).
A child may receive home instruction from a tutor who holds a valid Virginia teaching license and has been approved as a tutor by the superintendent. An approved tutor remains approved as long as they hold a valid teaching license. The tutor may be a parent if they meet the tutor qualifications.
Parents who select this option must notify the division's home instruction office in writing.
A copy of the tutor’s valid Virginia teaching license must be provided. Upon renewal, it must be resubmitted to retain the tutor status.
Instruction may take place in or outside of the home.
Completion of a notice of intent is not required.
Proof of academic progress is not required.
Religious Exemption
Religious Exemption
Parents seeking a religious exemption must petition the School Board. Contact the Clerk of the School Board, Becky Kirk at (804) 733-2700 or bkirk@pgs.k12.va.us for more information.
Part-Time Enrollment in PGCPS
Part-Time Enrollment in PGCPS
To enhance the educational experience, students who live in Prince George County and receive home instruction may enroll in Prince George County Public Schools on a part-time basis. This is defined as participation in one or two academic courses per school year based on the availability of space. Please contact your child’s school of residence for additional information or to enroll in a course.
Partially enrolled students are not eligible to participate in Virginia High School League-designated school-sponsored athletics, student organizations, and clubs.
Testing and More
Testing and More
PSAT/SAT/AP Testing
PSAT/SAT/AP Testing
Homeschool students at the high school level may participate in advanced placement tests and the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Typically, the PSAT exam is given in October, and AP exams are administered in May. Contact the school counseling department at Prince George High School by September 15 for registration information and the cost for each test.
Learn more about registering for the SAT and ACT as a homeschooler.
High school-aged home instruction students may participate in Advanced Placement (AP) and Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) examinations.
AP tests will be administered in May 2026. Homeschooled students who wish to participate must be included in student counts sent both to the state and the College Board. For AP test registration information, including the availability of financial assistance from College Board for students who qualify for fee reduction assistance, please contact Wade Kliebenstein, Coordinator of Assessment & Accountability, at (804) 733-2700 no later than October 31.
The PSAT/NMSQT will be administered on October 11, 2025. To register, please contact the Prince George High School (PGHS) School Counseling Department at (804) 733-2725, by October 3, 2025.
Learn more about Testing for College-Bound High School Students here.
Special Education
Special Education
Prince George County Public Schools is responsible for identifying and evaluating children residing in Prince George County who need special education and related services, including students receiving home instruction. Parents/guardians who suspect their child has a disability and needs special education services should contact the principal of the school in their attendance zone. To determine your child's elementary school, use the following locator map, please click here.
Prince George County Public Schools has a responsibility to actively and continuously locate, identify, and evaluate children, ages birth to 21, inclusive, who reside in Prince George County, may be suspected of having a disability, and may need special education and related services. This includes home-instructed students. Screenings, assessments, evaluations, and all special education programs and services that are determined to be necessary are provided at no cost. If you suspect your child may have a disability or your child has previously been identified with a disability, please contact your student’s school of residence to make a referral or request a meeting to consider an Individualized Services Plan (for students who are already eligible for special education and related services).
Driver's Education
Driver's Education
Home school students may take driver education via home instruction. The Prince George County Public Schools home instruction acknowledgment letter serves as verification they are being educated under the home instruction statute, §22.1-254.1.
Visit the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Driver Information for Home Schooling website for details.
Transitioning To Public School
Transitioning To Public School
Parents/Guardians who wish to enroll their home-instructed child in Prince George County Public Schools should use the following link to register: PGCPS Registration Information Additionally, the home instruction designee must the notified of this change.
The school staff will review the instructional placement of any student returning to the school system from home instruction. Grade placement and credits awarded will be based on a review of the student’s academic history and evidence of achievement, provided by the parent/guardian. This may be standardized testing scores or a homeschool program report card. If further evidence is necessary, consultation with school staff or testing may be required.
Upon enrollment, parents/guardians of high school students should present documentation of coursework to the counseling department of the student’s school to determine what credit(s) may be awarded. Secondary schools accept credits toward graduation from Virginia nonpublic schools accredited by an approved accrediting constituent member of the Virginia Council for Private Education.
Additional information is available in the Code of Virginia regarding Transfer Students and the Guidelines for Home Instruction in Virginia.
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