Homeschool reimbursement and benefits in Virginia
No homeschool tax credit, ESA, or voucher. Local programs can still help with specific costs and services.
What public funding exists, and what it asks of you
State law requires school boards to make AP, PSAT/NMSQT, and PreACT exams available to your child. Each board sets a registration deadline and must tell you about financial help for low-income students who take these exams.
Your child may also be able to take college courses through dual enrollment, which means college classes taken during high school. Homeschool students apply directly to a local community college as non-degree-seeking students and must meet placement or GPA requirements. The state guarantees no-cost dual enrollment only to public school students, so homeschool families usually pay tuition.
If your school division lets your child take a public school course in subjects such as math, science, or English part time, state law counts each course toward the division's enrollment for state funding, at 0.25 of a student and up to one-half.
If you save in Invest529, the state's 529 plan, it says K-12 tuition withdrawals are free from federal and Virginia tax, but that Virginia does not allow homeschool expenses.
Local help in Virginia
The local programs we have checked across the state cover recreation, college and dual credit, grants and scholarships, transportation, library resources, and school services. Each local program sets its own rules for who qualifies. Search your ZIP code to see the ones that serve your address.
The state's homeschool rules
You must file the annual notice of intent by August 15. If you move into a Virginia division or begin after the school year starts, notify the division as soon as practicable and complete the filing within 30 days of the notice.
- Subjects: Provide a curriculum and include a list of the coming year’s subjects with the annual notice. The home-instruction statute does not require the public-school curriculum.
- Testing: Submit evidence of progress by August 1 after the school year. Children under six on September 30 of that school year are exempt from this assessment requirement.
- Records: Submit the annual notice, subject list, proof of a qualifying route, and required evidence of progress. Keep copies; no routine portfolio or attendance-log filing is required.
- Teachers: Qualify through a high-school diploma, Board-prescribed teaching qualifications, providing a curriculum or program of study, or evidence that you can provide an adequate education.
Read the Virginia homeschooling guide
Questions parents ask
- What should I confirm before buying or applying?
- Who qualifies, what the program pays for, who receives the payment, and whether you need approval before you buy. Confirm each with the provider. Keep receipts and any award or payment confirmation; a listing does not guarantee an award.
The coursework alongside those local services
Local services can help with books, travel, and activities. We teach the courses and grade the work, so you can use those services alongside your child’s learning.
$149/month per child after the trial.