Vermont Homeschool Laws & Requirements

Vermont Homeschool Requirements

Follow these Vermont homeschool requirements to start your homeschooling journey:

1. Submit a Home Study Enrollment form
2. Submit an Independent Professional Evidence Reporting Form
3. Submit a Minimum Course of Study (MCOS)
4. Submit an End of Year Assessment (Required after your second year enrollment)
5. Keep good records

The deadline for home study enrollment is May 1 for the current year, but the Vermont Agency of Education begins accepting enrollment notices for the next school year as of March 1 and processes enrollment up to August 1.

Parents can choose to submit forms electronically online, by email to [email protected] or manually by printing them, filling them out, and submitting via mail, walk-in or fax to Home Study/VT Agency of Education 219 North Main Street, Suite 402, Barre, VT 05641 Fax: 802-479-4320.

Once submitted, the Home Study Office has 14 business days to review enrollments once they are received. Within the 14 business days of receiving an enrollment notice. Parents will receive a letter indicating whether the enrollment packet is complete or incomplete.

Vermont Homeschool Enrollment Notice

Homeschool laws in Vermont require families to submit a Home Study Enrollment notice. The form must be completed for each student and be received or postmarked by August 1st of each year.

The enrollment form has the following requirements:

• Must be signed by both parents
• Must include the Minimum Course of Study (required if homeschooling a 12 year old student or if you do not have the MCOS Exemption)
• Must include Independent Professional Evidence Reporting Form (read below for full details)
• Must complete all three sections of the form

Independent Professional Evidence Reporting Form

If you are new to homeschooling in Vermont, and your child was previously enrolled in a Vermont public school, then Vermont homeschool laws require you to submit a copy of one of their report cards from the previous year. If your child is not enrolled in a Vermont public school or a Vermont homeschool program then you will need to submit the Independent Professional Evidence Reporting form, that can be found here.

This form cannot be completed by a parent and should be completed by a healthcare professional, licensed educator, or mental health provider. Additionally, if your child is a special needs student you can submit a special education evaluation, or other professional evidence from a certified individual, in lieu of form B.

Vermont Homeschool Testing Requirement

Vermont homeschool laws require students in their second year of home study enrollment, and every year thereafter, to submit an End of Year Assessment (EOYA). According to the Vermont Statute16 V.S.A §166b(d), homeschool parents should assess the progress of their students on an annual basis, based on the areas listed in the Minimum Course of Study form.

Parents are required to use one of four types of assessments listed below:

1. Teacher Assessment
   • This assessment needs to be completed in a face-to-face meeting with a student and currently licensed Vermont teacher. During the meeting, the teacher will review the student’s curriculum and the student’s knowledge in each subject area in the MCOS.
2. Parent Letter and Portfolio
   • This option requires parents to submit 4-6 samples of work for each subject area listed in the MCOS. The Agency of Education offers a video for parents on how to create a portfolio.
3. Teacher Advisory Service Report from a publisher of a commercial curriculum and Portfolio
   • According to the Agency of Education, if the student accessed a Teacher Advisory Service Report or Correspondence Program during the school year and they received a grade report, they may submit this in addition to the student portfolio to satisfy the EOYA requirement.
4. Results from a Standardized Achievement Test
   • This option gives students the ability to take a Standardized Achievement Test that is approved by the secretary, administered in a manner approved by the testing company, and be scored by either a testing company or a Vermont licensed teacher who has administered the test. According to the Agency of Education, if you would like your child to participate in a statewide assessment at a public school, you may contact the local school as soon as possible for information on testing availability and dates. You may find more information on this option, here.

Vermont Minimum Course of Study

Vermont homeschool requirements include submitting a Minimum Course of Study (MCOS) along with the enrollment notice and End of Year Assessment, mentioned above. The MCOS is a form containing the skills, topics, scope and sequence, and outlines for specific topic areas that you will cover during the course of the school year.

Parents can also apply to receive a Minimum Course of Study Exemption if “at least one student in the family has completed two full consecutive years within the last five” of home education. The student must also be homeschooled for an entire school year, as opposed to being withdrawn during the school year.

Families who wish to be eligible for a Minimum Course of Study Exemption, must submit their enrollment forms and End of Year Assessment for each student, by August 1 of the current year.

Regardless of exemption, parents who are homeschooling a 12 year old student at the time of enrollment or a student with a documented disability are still required to submit an MCOS. Homeschool students with a disability must fill out the MCOS Adaption form, here.

Homeschool Recordkeeping in Vermont

Homeschool laws in Vermont encourage parents to keep copies of curriculum, samples of student work, and assessment results as they may be useful for college admissions, military service opportunities, and other institutions they may want to attend. Student work portfolios are only required if parents opt to submit the Parent Report and Portfolio or Teacher Advisory Report and Portfolio as their End of Year Assessment.

Homeschool Graduation Requirements in Vermont

Vermont’s Agency of Education does not have strict graduation requirements. According to their Home Study Guidelines, high school students enrolled in a home study program do not receive a high school diploma from the Agency of Education. Parents can request the Agency to provide a verification letter that can be used as evidence that the student was enrolled in a home study program. As homeschoolers, parents can provide their own diploma as well as decide homeschool graduation standards for their students. You can learn how to assign credits to your high school homeschool courses here.

Enrolling in Public School after Homeschooling

If you decide to withdraw your child from the Vermont Home Study Program you must notify the Secretary of Education within 7 days of the day your child stops enrollment in the program. An End of Year Assessment is required to be completed for the time your child was enrolled in the program in order to finalize the student’s home study record.

It is important to note that upon returning to public school, the student’s grade level and academic standing will be at the discretion of the school. Students may also not receive credit for courses that were attempted at home and may need to repeat them.

Additional Resources Related to Homeschooling in Vermont

If you have additional questions about homeschooling in Vermont, you will find the following pages helpful.

• Homeschooling in Vermont
• Vermont Homeschooling Groups & Co-ops
• Homeschool Field Trips in Vermont

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