West Virginia Homeschool Requirements Checklist
Everything you need to do to homeschool legally in West Virginia, based on W.Va. Code 18-8-1(c). West Virginia is classified as Moderate regulation.
This is the general checklist for Option 2: Less Regulated Pathway (Annual Standardized Testing), the most common of West Virginia's 3 pathways. Our free wizard customizes this for your family, including grade, pathway, enrollment status, and IEP.
Your compliance checklist
Do first
File your Notice of Intent
Submit to county superintendent. Deadline: before commencing home instruction.
Deadline: before commencing home instruction
Send a withdrawal letter
If your child is currently enrolled in school, send a withdrawal letter to county superintendent and current school.
Deadline: Before you start (if enrolled)
Confirm your qualification
This pathway requires a high school diploma or GED. Alternatives: GED; Post-secondary degree or certificate from a regionally accredited institution.
Deadline: Before you start
Ongoing
Required subjects
reading, language arts, mathematics, science, social studies
Meet instructional time requirements
Minimum: 180 days/year.
Show your child's progress
Standardized test or Portfolio review or Teacher evaluation or Other approved method — annually. At grades: 3, 5, 8, 11. Minimum: 4th stanine or above, or showing improvement from prior year.
More details
Process: Additional evidence of appropriate instruction required. Timeline: Must demonstrate progress; two consecutive years of unacceptable progress triggers additional requirements. Consequence: Must provide additional evidence of appropriate instruction to superintendent
Submit at grades 3, 5, 8, and 11 (by June 30) progress reports
Submit at grades 3, 5, 8, and 11 (by June 30) progress reports to county superintendent.
Good news
Education savings: Hope Scholarship
Hope Scholarship: Varies by application window (see notes). Covers tuition, homeschool curriculum, and qualifying expenses. — WV residents enrolled or eligible for enrollment in a WV public school (K-12); must be under 21 and not have completed secondary education; kindergartners must be at least 5 by July 1
Filing requirements
- What to file
- simple notice
- Send to
- county superintendent
- Deadline
- before commencing home instruction
- How often
- one time
W.Va. Code §18-8-1(c)(2)
Ongoing requirements
Required subjects
- ✓reading
- ✓language arts
- ✓mathematics
- ✓science
- ✓social studies
Varies by pathway. Option 1: School Board Approval Pathway: ["reading","language arts","mathematics","science","social studies"]; Option 2: Less Regulated Pathway (Annual Standardized Testing): ["reading","language arts","mathematics","science","social studies"]; Option 3: Learning Pod or Microschool: ["reading","language","mathematics","science","social studies"]
W.Va. Code §18-8-1(c)(2)
Instructional time
Varies by pathway. Option 1: School Board Approval Pathway: true; Option 2: Less Regulated Pathway (Annual Standardized Testing): false; Option 3: Learning Pod or Microschool: false
- Days per year:
- 180
W.Va. Code §18-5-45
Testing and assessment
Varies by pathway. Option 1: School Board Approval Pathway: undefined; Option 2: Less Regulated Pathway (Annual Standardized Testing): ["State public school testing program","Portfolio review by certified teacher with written narrative","Alternative assessment mutually agreed upon with county superintendent"]; Option 3: Learning Pod or Microschool: ["State public school testing program","Portfolio review by certified teacher with written narrative","Alternative assessment mutually agreed upon with county superintendent"]
- Accepted types
- Standardized test, Portfolio review, Teacher evaluation, Other approved method
- Frequency
- annually
- At grades
- 3, 5, 8, 11
- Minimum score
- 4th stanine or above, or showing improvement from prior year
If scores fall short:
- Process: Additional evidence of appropriate instruction required
- Timeline: Must demonstrate progress; two consecutive years of unacceptable progress triggers additional requirements
- Consequence: Must provide additional evidence of appropriate instruction to superintendent
See our full assessment guide for West Virginia for details.
W.Va. Code §18-8-1(c)(2)
Reporting
Varies by pathway. Option 1: School Board Approval Pathway: "annual"; Option 2: Less Regulated Pathway (Annual Standardized Testing): "at grades 3, 5, 8, and 11 (by June 30)"; Option 3: Learning Pod or Microschool: "at grades 3, 5, 8, and 11 (by June 30)"
- Progress reports
- at grades 3, 5, 8, and 11 (by June 30) reports to county superintendent
W.Va. Code §18-8-1(c)(2)
Instructor qualifications
Varies by pathway. Option 1: School Board Approval Pathway: true; Option 2: Less Regulated Pathway (Annual Standardized Testing): false; Option 3: Learning Pod or Microschool: true
The instructor must have a high school diploma or GED.
Alternatives: GED; Post-secondary degree or certificate from a regionally accredited institution
W.Va. Code §18-8-1(c)(2)
What you don't need to worry about
Education savings: Hope Scholarship
Hope Scholarship: Varies by application window (see notes). Covers tuition, homeschool curriculum, and qualifying expenses. — WV residents enrolled or eligible for enrollment in a WV public school (K-12); must be under 21 and not have completed secondary education; kindergartners must be at least 5 by July 1
Other ways to homeschool in West Virginia
This checklist covers Option 2: Less Regulated Pathway (Annual Standardized Testing), the most common pathway. West Virginia offers 3 different ways to homeschool, each with different requirements:
- •Option 1: School Board Approval Pathway : You submit a detailed educational plan to the county superintendent on or before the date home instruction begins, and the county board reviews it for adequacy. Annual assessment by a certified teacher, standardized test, or portfolio review is required, and the board determines whether your child is making acceptable progress. More oversight than Option 2, but offers portfolio review as an alternative to standardized testing.
- •Option 2: Less Regulated Pathway (Annual Standardized Testing)(this checklist) : You file a one-time notice of intent with the county superintendent — no educational plan to submit and no board approval needed. Your child takes an annual standardized test and must score at or above the 4th stanine (or show improvement from the prior year). Test results are submitted at grades 3, 5, 8, and 11. The teaching parent needs a high school diploma or equivalent. Most West Virginia homeschool families choose this less-regulated pathway.
- •Option 3: Learning Pod or Microschool : You organize or join a learning pod (parent-organized group) or enroll your child in a microschool (teacher- or entity-operated, charges tuition). File a one-time notice with the county superintendent. Same instructor and assessment requirements as Option 2, but no 180-day instructional minimum. Multiple families can group their children together, and outside instructors can teach. Established by SB268 (2022).
Our wizard helps you choose the right one. Compare all pathways for West Virginia
Education savings available
West Virginia offers Hope Scholarship. Learn about ESA programs
Get your personalized checklist
This is the general checklist for the most common pathway. The wizard customizes it for your family's specific situation, including grade, pathway, and IEP status.
Get your West Virginia checklistRequirements sourced from W.Va. Code 18-8-1(c). Verified against primary legal sources. Last verified: March 2026