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Withdrawing from public school

How to Withdraw From School in Virginia

Pulling your child out of public school in Virginia to homeschool is usually a short, one-time process. Here are the steps, the letter you send, and how to time it so the district doesn't flag your child as truant.

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How withdrawal works in Virginia

If your child is enrolled in a Virginia public school, file your notice of intent with the division superintendent by August 15 (or as soon as you decide mid-year), listing subjects and your qualification to teach, and notify the school so attendance reflects the change. Keep a copy. Families using the religious-exemption path (§ 22.1-254(B)(1)) follow a separate school-board process instead of the § 22.1-254.1 notice.

Step by step

  1. 1

    Confirm your child is currently enrolled

    This guide is for moving a currently enrolled student to homeschooling. If your child has never attended public school in Virginia (a kindergartner you're starting at home, for example), there's usually nothing to withdraw from. A quick call to the school confirms their status.

  2. 2

    Send a written withdrawal letter to the school

    Moving a child from public school to homeschool in Virginia starts with a written withdrawal to the current school and a notice of intent to the local district. Together they put the new arrangement on record. Homeschool Fox can draft the withdrawal letter for you. It fills in the student, district, and date fields automatically.

    Download the free Virginia withdrawal letter
  3. 3

    File your notice of intent

    Yes, Virginia requires you to file notice of your intent to homeschool. You must notify your local school district.

  4. 4

    Keep dated copies for your records

    Save a copy of the withdrawal letter and anything you file, noting the date you sent it. If the district ever asks about attendance, dated proof that you withdrew on time is what closes the question.

  5. 5

    Set up your homeschool

    With the withdrawal handled, the rest is starting your homeschool: planning subjects, setting an hours or days target, and keeping records. Your next stop is the how-to-start guide for Virginia.

    Read the Virginia how-to-start guide

Free Virginia printables

Two ready-to-use PDFs for Virginia homeschoolers. No account needed.

Virginia hour log Printable daily log, prefilled with the state's hour and day target. Withdrawal letter template A fillable letter to withdraw from public school, with Virginia guidance.

Templates, not legal advice. Confirm the current rule with your state or district.

What Homeschool Fox tracks for Virginia

Everything Virginia expects you to keep, in one place — no spreadsheets, no lost notebooks.

  • Required hours or days
  • Required subjects & core hours
  • Daily activity logs
  • Attendance records
  • Notes & portfolio records
  • Printable PDF reports
  • High school transcripts
  • State-specific progress tracking
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More Virginia guides

Withdrawn? Start your Virginia homeschool

Set up your Virginia dashboard, log your first activity, and watch your hours and records build automatically.

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