Vermont Homeschool Requirements Checklist
Everything you need to do to homeschool legally in Vermont, based on 16 V.S.A. Section 166b (Home Study Program). Vermont is classified as Moderate regulation.
This is the general checklist for Home Study Program, the most common of Vermont's 2 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 Vermont Secretary of Education / Vermont Agency of Education. Deadline: At least 10 business days prior to commencing home study.
Deadline: At least 10 business days prior to commencing home study
More details
Enrollment notice must include child's name, age, and date of birth; all custodial parents'/guardians' names, addresses, email, town of residence, and phone numbers; attestation that annual academic assessments will be conducted and records maintained. For children with disabilities: attestation of providing adaptations. Must be signed by all custodial parents or include attestation of sole educational decision-making authority. The Secretary sends written acknowledgment within 10 business days. This is a notification, not an approval process — the Secretary does not approve or deny.
Withdrawal letter recommended
A formal letter isn't required, but it is recommended if your child is enrolled in school. Send it to child's current school.
Deadline: Before you start (if enrolled)
More details
File the home study enrollment notice with the Secretary of Education, then notify the child's current school of the withdrawal. Filing the enrollment notice effectively transitions the child from public school enrollment to home study. Some school districts may have their own withdrawal procedures.
Ongoing
Required subjects
basic communication skills (reading, writing, numeracy), citizenship and government (Vermont and U.S. history and civics), physical and health education (including substance abuse education), literature (English, American, and other), natural sciences, fine arts
More details
Six subject areas from the minimum course of study (Section 906). Children under 13 must cover all six areas; children 13+ must cover four specified areas (sections 906(b)(1), (2), (4), (5)). No prescribed curriculum, textbook series, or instructional methodology. Families have flexibility in choosing materials and approaches. Subjects must be appropriate to the child's age and ability level.
Meet instructional time requirements
Minimum: 175 days/year.
More details
Home study programs must provide the equivalent of at least 175 days of instruction in the minimum course of study per year, per Section 166b.
Show your child's progress
Standardized test or Teacher evaluation or Portfolio review or Other approved method — annually.
More details
Annual assessment required. Results are retained by the family — not submitted to the Agency of Education (AOE). Options include: (1) standardized testing, (2) review by a Vermont-certified teacher, (3) parent portfolio with work samples and learning summary, (4) grades from an online academy/school, (5) GED passage evidence. Families must attest on enrollment forms they are conducting annual assessments and maintaining documentation.
Renew each year
You must renew your homeschool notice each year by At least 10 business days before start of each school year.
More details
Annual enrollment notice must be submitted to the Agency of Education. Assessment results are retained by the family, not submitted to the state. Notify the Agency of Education within 10 business days if the home study program is terminated (child re-enrolled in public or private school).
Filing requirements
- What to file
- simple notice
- Send to
- Vermont Secretary of Education / Vermont Agency of Education
- Deadline
- At least 10 business days prior to commencing home study
- How often
- annual
- Official form
- Download / access form
Enrollment notice must include child's name, age, and date of birth; all custodial parents'/guardians' names, addresses, email, town of residence, and phone numbers; attestation that annual academic assessments will be conducted and records maintained. For children with disabilities: attestation of providing adaptations. Must be signed by all custodial parents or include attestation of sole educational decision-making authority. The Secretary sends written acknowledgment within 10 business days. This is a notification, not an approval process — the Secretary does not approve or deny.
Ongoing requirements
Required subjects
- ✓basic communication skills (reading, writing, numeracy)
- ✓citizenship and government (Vermont and U.S. history and civics)
- ✓physical and health education (including substance abuse education)
- ✓literature (English, American, and other)
- ✓natural sciences
- ✓fine arts
Six subject areas from the minimum course of study (Section 906). Children under 13 must cover all six areas; children 13+ must cover four specified areas (sections 906(b)(1), (2), (4), (5)). No prescribed curriculum, textbook series, or instructional methodology. Families have flexibility in choosing materials and approaches. Subjects must be appropriate to the child's age and ability level.
Instructional time
- Days per year:
- 175
Home study programs must provide the equivalent of at least 175 days of instruction in the minimum course of study per year, per Section 166b.
Testing and assessment
- Accepted types
- Standardized test, Teacher evaluation, Portfolio review, Other approved method
- Frequency
- annually
Annual assessment required. Results are retained by the family — not submitted to the Agency of Education (AOE). Options include: (1) standardized testing, (2) review by a Vermont-certified teacher, (3) parent portfolio with work samples and learning summary, (4) grades from an online academy/school, (5) GED passage evidence. Families must attest on enrollment forms they are conducting annual assessments and maintaining documentation.
See our full assessment guide for Vermont for details.
Reporting
- Annual renewal
- Required by At least 10 business days before start of each school year
Annual enrollment notice must be submitted to the Agency of Education. Assessment results are retained by the family, not submitted to the state. Notify the Agency of Education within 10 business days if the home study program is terminated (child re-enrolled in public or private school).
Other ways to homeschool in Vermont
This checklist covers Home Study Program, the most common pathway. Vermont offers 2 different ways to homeschool, each with different requirements:
- •Home Study Program(this checklist) : You file an enrollment notice with the Vermont Agency of Education at least 10 business days before starting, including your child's information and an attestation that you will conduct annual assessments. You must assess your child annually — via standardized test, certified teacher evaluation, portfolio, online academy grades, or GED — but results are retained by the family, not submitted to the state.
- •Enrollment in an Approved Independent (Private) School : You enroll in an approved independent (private) school, which satisfies compulsory attendance without the home study enrollment notice or annual assessment submission to the state. Some independent schools support home-based learning models. Best for families who want an institutional framework or prefer to avoid direct state reporting.
Our wizard helps you choose the right one. Compare all pathways for Vermont
Related guides
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 Vermont checklistRequirements sourced from 16 V.S.A. Section 166b (Home Study Program). Verified against primary legal sources. Last verified: March 2026