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West Virginia · Some paperwork
West Virginia asks you to file a notice before you begin. Here is what goes in it, when it is due, and what happens after.
VerifiedMarch 2026
Written from West Virginia's own rules. If a step is missing below, it is because your state does not ask for it.
Withdraw from the school your child attends now
If your child is currently enrolled in a public school, tell the school in writing that you are moving to home education. Keep a dated copy for yourself — it is the record that closes out their enrollment.
Send your notice of intent
West Virginia asks families to file a notice before they begin. The deadline is: A one-time notice of intent goes to the county superintendent or county board when home instruction begins (if your child is enrolled in public school, on or before the date home instruction begins). Tell the county superintendent when you end home instruction. If you move to a new county, notify the previous county superintendent and file a new notice with the new county. (Option 1 is a request to the county board rather than a notice.) This is a one-time filing — you will not repeat it each year. It goes to West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) / County Superintendent.
Cover the subjects the state names
West Virginia names 5 subject areas to teach. How you teach them, in what order, and with which materials is entirely up to you.
Keep a light record as you go
Attendance, a few work samples each term, and a running list of what you covered. West Virginia expects records to be kept for 3 years.
Plan the assessment early
West Virginia asks for an assessment. You can choose from: Nationally normed standardized achievement test published or normed not more than 10 years before it is given, covering reading, language, mathematics, science and social studies; acceptable progress is a mean result within or above the fourth stanine, or improvement over the previous year if below it; The state public school testing program, taken at a public school in your county of residence; Written narrative evaluation from a certified teacher reviewing student portfolio; Alternative academic assessment mutually agreed upon by the parent or guardian and the county superintendent. Deciding early which route you will take saves a scramble.
Hope Scholarship
Run by West Virginia State Treasurer · payments through Student First Technologies
$5,435.62 per student for 2026-27.
How you get it: The money stays inside the Hope Scholarship portal and is spent with approved providers — funds are never paid out to families.
Eligibility and application dates are set by the program. Check the program's official page before you apply.
Is homeschooling legal in West Virginia?
Yes. Homeschooling is legal in West Virginia. West Virginia has moderate homeschool regulation — some requirements apply but they are generally manageable. Koydo can put the dates your state lists on your calendar.
Do I need to file a Notice of Intent to homeschool in West Virginia?
Yes. West Virginia requires families to file a Notice of Intent by A one-time notice of intent goes to the county superintendent or county board when home instruction begins (if your child is enrolled in public school, on or before the date home instruction begins). Tell the county superintendent when you end home instruction. If you move to a new county, notify the previous county superintendent and file a new notice with the new county. (Option 1 is a request to the county board rather than a notice.). This is a one-time filing when you begin homeschooling.
How many instruction days are required in West Virginia?
West Virginia does not mandate a minimum amount of instruction time.
What subjects are required by law in West Virginia?
West Virginia requires instruction in the following subjects: Reading, Language (English/grammar/writing), Mathematics, Science, Social Studies.
Does West Virginia require annual assessment for homeschoolers?
Yes. West Virginia requires annual assessment. Accepted methods include: Nationally normed standardized achievement test published or normed not more than 10 years before it is given, covering reading, language, mathematics, science and social studies; acceptable progress is a mean result within or above the fourth stanine, or improvement over the previous year if below it, The state public school testing program, taken at a public school in your county of residence, Written narrative evaluation from a certified teacher reviewing student portfolio, Alternative academic assessment mutually agreed upon by the parent or guardian and the county superintendent.
Do I need a teaching certificate to homeschool in West Virginia?
West Virginia has teacher qualification requirements: For the notice and learning pod options, the person giving instruction submits satisfactory evidence of a high school diploma or equivalent, or a post-secondary degree or certificate from a regionally accredited institution or one authorized by the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education or the Higher Education Policy Commission. Under Option 1, the instructor must be qualified, in the judgment of the county superintendent and county board, to teach the subjects required in public elementary schools.
Can homeschoolers participate in public school sports in West Virginia?
West Virginia has a law on this. WV Code 18-2-25(d) (amended by 2023 HB 2820) requires the Secondary School Activities Commission to treat students receiving home instruction, Hope Scholarship participants, and microschool or learning pod students as eligible for interscholastic athletics and other extracurricular activities if they: show satisfactory academic progress (average test results within or above the fourth stanine in all subject areas); have not reached age 19 by August 1 of the school year; are amateurs; agree to follow the commission and county board disciplinary rules; and agree to follow commission rules on awards, all-star games, parental consents, physicals and vaccinations. Eligibility is limited to the public secondary school serving the attendance zone where the student lives, and reasonable participation fees may be charged.
West Virginia asks for a one-time notice of intent, evidence of a high school diploma or equivalent (or a post-secondary credential), an annual assessment, results submitted for grades 3, 5, 8 and 11 by June 30, and copies of assessments kept for 3 years. WVDE says there is no set instructional year and parents are not required to be certified teachers. Compulsory attendance starts with the school year in which a child turns six before July 1 and continues to the 17th birthday (WV Code 18-8-1a).
The free tools below work whether or not you ever pay us a penny; each tile says what it needs. Use what helps with West Virginia's requirements and ignore the rest.
Last checked in March 2026. Laws change between checks, so confirm anything you are about to file with West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) / County Superintendent. This is information for families, not legal advice.