Check out this Patch.com post on Homeschooling Stats in Virginia State! The article states:
More than 43,500 Virginia students study at home instead of attending a public or private school — a 20% increase in five years.
About 1.3 million students across Virginia went back to school after summer vacation - 2019
Statewide, home-schoolers make up about 3% of the total student enrollment. In some communities, the proportion is a lot higher.
SHOW FAIRFAX COUNTY, ARLINGTON ETC HERE:"
REASON WHY PEOPLE HOMESCHOOL
VACCINE REQUIREMENTS
SPECIAL NEEDS
EMF -RADIATION EXPOSURE
OUTDATED EDUCATION SYSTEM
RELIGIOUS REASONS
SAFETY - Drugs, Gun Violance, Gangs, Racism, Bullying, Health exposure and issues
The article outlines several groups that help parents home-school their children by providing teaching materials, organizing field trips and events, and offering legal assistance and other support. The groups include:
- The Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers
- The Home Educators Association of Virginia
- The Home School Legal Defense Association
If you become a member of the Home Educators Association and the Legal Defense Association, you can use your membership for teachers discounts, legal counsel, state requirements for school and diplomas, blogs, podcasts, education tips etc
The Virginia Department of Education also has resources for home-schooling families.
Under state law, parents who want to home-school their children must notify their local school division by Aug. 15. By the following Aug. 1, the parent must provide:
- "Evidence of the child's academic progress," such as scores on a nationally normed standardized achievement test
- A report card from a distance learning program or
- Correspondence school, or
- An evaluation by a licensed teacher.
Virginia has relaxed its laws on home schooling over the past 15-20 years, according to Charles Pyle, the director of media relations at the Virginia Department of Education. For instance, a parent is no longer required to have a four-year college degree to home-school a child.
DISADVANTAGES
There can be disadvantages to home schooling. For one thing, home-schoolers cannot join the sports teams of their local public high school. The Virginia High School League, which oversees interscholastic competitions, forbids home-schooled students from participating.
For years, home-schooling advocates have pushed for a state law to let school districts decide whether local home-schooled students can play school sports.
"Legislation in the 2019 General Assembly to remove barriers to participation was defeated in the House Education Committee," Pyle said. "At present, the level of participation of home-schooled students is determined by the local school board and Virginia High School League rules."