Home Study

• Announcements
• Enrollment Forms
• Minimum Course of Study (MCOS)
• End of the Year Assessment (EOYA) and Re-Enrollment
• Special Needs / Special Education
• FAQ's, Guidance Docs and Memos
• Public School and Home Study

Announcements

Enrollment Forms Update and Re-enrollment Changes 

Home Study Vermont has new enrollment and re-enrollment forms.  

In response to the May 2023 updates to Home Study law, the Agency of Education has created a new way to enroll students in a Home Study program.  

First-time enrollments 

• Students enrolling in Home Study for the first time will submit the following: 
  • A Notice of Intent form.  
  • Independent Professional Evidence (or a copy of a public Vermont school report card.) 

Re-enrollments

• Families of re-enrolling students (even if the student has since returned to school) will submit an Annual Notice form.  

Please see explanations of these forms and printable versions in the Enrollment section of this page.

Home Study Updates Summer 2023

On Wednesday, June 14, 2023, Governor Scott signed H-0461.  Within this bill is language that updates the current Home Study program rules in 16 V.S.A. 166b.  The changes in this bill are significant as the process for enrolling in home study is being simplified beginning on July 1, 2023. Please refer to the following changes and suggestions regarding students who enroll in home study programs. 

Home Study FAQ: 2023 Policy Update

Legislative Changes: 

• Enrollment/Notice of Intent forms must be submitted annually to AOE at least 10 business days prior to the intended start date of home study enrollment.

• Within 10 business days of receipt of a complete enrollment/Notice of Intent form, AOE will provide parents/guardians with written acknowledgement of their intent to enroll.  This shall constitute verification of enrollment. 

• Parents/Guardians must notify AOE in writing within 10 business days of withdrawing their student from Home Study  

• Families must attest on enrollment/Notice of Intent forms to developing a Minimum Course of Study (MCOS/curriculum) and 

  • Families are no longer required to submit an MCOS to AOE. 

• Families must attest on enrollment/Notice of Intent forms they are tracking their student’s progress and must maintain documentation of that progress using some form of assessment

  • Families are no longer required to submit an End of Year Assessment to AOE. 

• Families must attest that their student will be provided the equivalent of 175 day of instruction per year. 

• Finally, families also must attest that their student, if they have a disability, will be provided with adaptations.  

  • Families are no longer required to submit adaptations to AOE. 

• All AOE Home Study hearing procedures have been removed. 

After July 1, 2023, families will need to: 

• Complete and sign the Notice of Intent 

• Consider developing a Minimum Course of Study (MCOS) 

  • This is the curriculum that you will implement for the equivalent of 175 days 

  • Keep a copy for your records 

  • Do not send a copy to the Agency of Education 

• Assess each student at the end of the school year 

  • Keep a copy for your records 

  • Do not send a copy to the Agency of Education unless you want it to be reviewed 

First Time Enrollments must also submit either: 

• A document stating that the student was enrolled in a VT public school (like a report card or attendance report) OR 

• A copy of Independent Professional Evidence Form or other accepted alternative (i.e. a copy of an IEP or 504 plan) that identifies if the student has a documented disability. 

Enrollment: Online and Paper Forms

The Agency of Education offers a secure online method to create and submit Home Study forms. You may save and resume your work as long as you save the link provided. Upon submission, the Agency receives a copy of your forms and you will receive a pdf copy of your submission within a confirmation email. Please be sure to check your SPAM/Junk folder for the confirmation email. The confirmation email will go to the email addresses listed on the form. 

You may also print the paper forms to fill out and then scan and email, fax to (802) 828-6433, or mail them to: Home Study Office, 1 National Life Drive, Davis 5, Montpelier, VT 05602-2501.

Home Study Enrollment Forms

First Time Enrollment

For first time enrollments, two forms must be completed. 

• Home Study Enrollment: Notice of Intent Form (online) -This form includes basic information, including name, address, birthday, and school district,  

  • Parent/Guardians must attest to the requirements of Home Study Programs in Vermont

  • The Notice of Intent can also be printed, filled out and signed: Notice of Intent Form (paper version)

    • It can be scanned and emailed to us, or faxed to (802) 828-6433, or mail it to attn: Home Study, 1 National Life Drive - Davis 5, Montpelier, VT 05620-2501 

• Home Study Independent Professional Evidence (online) - This form speaks to whether the student being enrolled has a disability. It can be completed in a few ways: 

  • This online form can be filled out by a licensed professional (not related to the student). Families can send the professional or their organization this link and ask them to fill it out for each student.

  • Families can alternatively attach a signed and scanned paper copy of the Independent Professional Evidence to this online form or the Notice of Intent. 

  • A copy of a Vermont public school report card (or another accepted alternative)  

  • Note: many medical centers will want to fax the paper version to the AOE at (802) 828-6433.  

  • This is the paper version of the Independent Professional Evidence form that you can have filled out by a licensed professional instead of completing the online version: The Independent Professional Evidence Form (paper version).

    • It can be signed, scanned, and attached to the Notice of Intent, or submitted in the online Independent Professional Evidence form. 

    • This form is not needed if a report card or equivalent is submitted. 

Re-Enrollment

For all re-enrollments, there is only one form. 

• Annual Notice (online) - This form is similar to the Notice of Intent, but Parents/Guardians will attest that they successfully completed the previous year of Home Study, and maintained records of an annual evaluation.
   
• The Annual Notice can also be printed, filled out and signed: Home Study Re-Enrollment: Annual Notice (paper version)
   
  • You can then scan it and email us, or fax to (802) 828-6433, or mail it to attn: Home Study, 1 National Life Drive - Davis 5, Montpelier, VT 05620-2501 

Home Study Timeline 

Now: We are still accepting 2024-2025 enrollments.

March 1, 2025 - We will start accepting 2025-2026 enrollments.

May 1, 2025 - We will no longer accept 2024-2025 enrollments.

Please turn in paperwork at least 10 business days before you begin your program. If you plan to run a program from the start of the year, we recommend submitting by early August. After school begins, students not completely enrolled in Home Study should continue to attend school until their enrollment is complete.

10 Days before ending a Home Study Program (returning to public or independent school), families must notify the Home Office in writing or email.  

Enrollments can take up to 10 business days to process. Submission of a Notice of Intent does not mean that the student has been enrolled in a home study program. When students are officially enrolled in a home study program, we will let you know by email, and then send an official letter in the mail.

Once you receive this confirmation, you may withdraw your student from their school and begin Home Study. 

Special Needs/Special Education