§ 166b. Home study program
(a) Enrollment notice. A parent or legal guardian shall send the Secretary notice of intent to enroll the
parent’s or legal guardian’s child in a home study program at least 10 business days
prior to commencing home study. Such notice shall be submitted via a form developed
by the Agency of Education. A notice under this subsection shall include the following:
(1) The name; age; and date, month, and year of birth of the child.
(2) The names, mailing addresses, email addresses, town of legal residence, and telephone
numbers of all parents or guardians with legal custody who are legally authorized
to make educational decisions for the student.
(3) An attestation that the academic progress of each child enrolled in a home study program
will be assessed at the end of each school year and that the parent or guardian will
maintain the record of such assessments. Permitted means of assessment shall include:
(A) a standardized assessment, which may be administered by the local school district
or a testing service or administered in a manner approved by the testing company;
(B) a review of the student’s progress by an individual who holds a current Vermont teacher’s
certificate;
(C) a parent or guardian report and portfolio to include a summary of what the student
learned during the school year and at least four samples of student work;
(D) grades from an online academy or school; or
(E) evidence of passing of the GED.
(4) For each child not previously enrolled in a Vermont public school or Vermont home
study program, independent professional evidence regarding whether the child has a
documented disability and how the disability may affect the student’s educational
progress in a home study program.
(5) An attestation that each child being enrolled in home study will be provided the equivalent
of at least 175 days of instruction in the minimum course of study per year, specifically:
(A) for a child who is younger than 13 years of age, the subject areas listed in section 906 of this title;
(B) for a child who is 13 years of age or older, the subject areas listed in subdivisions
906(b)(1), (2), (4), and (5) of this title; or
(C) for students with documented disabilities, a parent or guardian must attest to providing
adaptations to support the student in the home study program.
(6) [Repealed.]
(7) The signatures of all parents or guardians with legal custody who are legally authorized
to make educational decisions for the student. In the alternative, the parent seeking
enrollment may provide attestation of sole primary educational decision-making authority.
(b) Enrollment. Within 10 business days following submission of a complete enrollment notice, the
Secretary or designee shall send the home study program a written acknowledgment of
receipt, which shall constitute sufficient enrollment verification for purposes of
section 1121 of this title.
(1) [Repealed.]
(2) [Repealed.]
(c) Withdrawal. The parent or guardian shall notify the Secretary in writing within 10 business days
following the date that any student is withdrawn from the student’s home study program.
(d) [Repealed.]
(e) [Repealed.]
(f) [Repealed.]
(g) [Repealed.]
(h) [Repealed.]
(i) [Repealed.]
(j) Waiver. After the filing of the enrollment notice, if the home study program is unable to
comply with any specific requirements due to deep religious conviction shared by an
organized group, the Secretary may waive such requirements if the Secretary determines
that the educational purposes of this section are being or will be substantially met.
(k) Annual notice. A parent or guardian who has provided a complete enrollment notice as described in
subsection (a) of this section shall notify the Secretary on or before the start of
each following year of the parent’s or guardian’s intention to continue to provide
instruction through a home study program via a form provided by the Agency of Education.
This notice shall be provided at least 10 business days prior to the intended start
date of the home study program.
(l) [Repealed.] (Added 1987, No. 97, § 3, eff. June 23, 1987; amended 1989, No. 44, § 6, eff. June 1, 1990; 1989, No. 118, § 3; 1991, No. 24, § 11; 1995, No. 100 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 2005, No. 107 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 14, eff. Feb. 14, 2014; 2019, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 55; 2023, No. 66, § 5, eff. July 1, 2023.)