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West Virginia Homeschool Attendance Requirements & Record Keeping
One of West Virginia’s biggest advantages: no mandated instructional hours or days. The state doesn’t care if you homeschool 15 hours a week or 30—only that your child learns and demonstrates progress through annual assessment. This guide explains what you actually need to track, how to document instruction, and what to keep for compliance.
Key Takeaways
- No mandated hours or days in West Virginia (Notice of Intent option)
- No attendance log required by state law
- Assessment results prove learning—that’s what matters
- Record-keeping: Keep assessment results for three years (not daily logs)
- Documentation options: Portfolio, curriculum receipts, lesson plans, work samples—whatever you choose
- School Board Approval option (less common) may require 180 instructional days
- Flexibility is the feature—self-paced learning is legal and encouraged
The Attendance Freedom
West Virginia’s Notice of Intent option gives you something many states don’t: freedom from attendance requirements.
What you DON’T need:
– Minimum hours per week (e.g., 25 hours/week)
– Minimum days per year (e.g., 180 days)
– Daily attendance logs
– Regular school schedule
– Fixed school hours
What this means:
– You can homeschool 3 days/week or 7 days/week
– You can school year-round or traditional school year
– You can focus on intensive units (4-week math focus, 3-week history project)
– You can take breaks whenever you want
– You can adjust pace based on your child’s learning speed
The legal basis:
– WV Code § 18-8-1(c)(2) (Notice of Intent option) specifies no instructional hours or days requirement
– School Board Approval option does require “instruction for time equal to public school instructional term” (180 days)—but this is rarely used
Most West Virginia homeschoolers choose NOI specifically because of this flexibility.
What Replaces Attendance Requirements
Since West Virginia doesn’t mandate attendance hours, annual assessment becomes your accountability measure.
The trade-off:
– Freedom from attendance tracking = responsibility for demonstrating learning
– You don’t log hours; instead, you prove progress through assessment
– Assessment results (standardized test, portfolio, narrative) show your child is actually learning
This is why assessment matters:
– Grades 3, 5, 8, 11: You submit assessment results to State Board by June 30
– All other grades: You keep assessment results for three-year record
– Assessment is your evidence that instruction happened and learning occurred
What to Keep: Record-Keeping Requirements
West Virginia requires you to maintain records for three years. Here’s what that means:
Required Records (Must Keep)
1. Assessment Results
– Test scores, percentile rankings, grade equivalency (if standardized test)
– Portfolio review narratives (if portfolio method)
– Public school test printouts (if public school assessment)
– ACT/SAT score reports (if college exams)
– Any other assessment documentation
2. Evidence of Parent HS Diploma/GED
– Copy of diploma or GED credential
– Keep with your initial Notice of Intent records
3. Grades 3/5/8/11 Assessment Submissions
– Confirmation of submission to State Board
– Copy of what you submitted
Keep these for: Three years from date of assessment
Recommended Records (Smart to Keep)
4. Curriculum Documentation
– Curriculum receipts or enrollment confirmations
– Curriculum materials (books, worksheets, guides)
– Online curriculum login confirmations
– Co-op enrollment records
5. Work Samples
– Student assignments showing learning in five required subjects
– Written work, projects, creative pieces
– Photos of hands-on projects (experiments, models, art)
– Field trip notes and reflections
6. Learning Plans/Lesson Plans
– Outline of what you planned to teach
– Learning objectives for each term/quarter
– Curriculum scope and sequence
7. Progress Records
– Notes on student progress
– Informal assessments you create
– Book lists/reading logs
– Course descriptions (helpful for high school transcripts)
8. Communication Records
– Emails with tutor/co-op instructors
– Messages about learning plan adjustments
– Documentation of any accommodations or interventions
Optional Records (Nice to Have)
9. Schedule Documentation
– Your planned school schedule
– Calendar showing school days/weeks
– Proof of instructional time (even though not required, helpful context)
10. Attendance/Participation
– Records of field trips, co-op classes, tutoring sessions
– Certificates of completion for online courses
– Proof of extracurricular participation
Three-Year Record Retention
Timeline example:
– School year 2023-24: Assess in May 2024 (grade 3)
– Keep results: Through May 2027 (three years)
– Can discard: June 2027 (after three-year window closes)
What “three years” means:
– Three calendar years from assessment date
– Example: Test taken May 2024 = keep through May 2027
– Example: Portfolio review June 2024 = keep through June 2027
Exception—grades 3/5/8/11:
– Also submitted to State Board
– Keep submission confirmation permanently (part of permanent educational record)
– Keep assessment result even after three years for transcript/college purposes
What NOT to Keep Daily
You don’t need to maintain:
– Daily attendance log (state doesn’t require it)
– Hour-by-hour schedule (no tracking required)
– Daily assignment tracking (just results)
– Signed lesson plans (not required)
– Daily journal of activities (optional)
Why? Because assessment results—submitted annually—prove you’re teaching and your child is learning. The state’s oversight mechanism is annual assessment, not daily monitoring.
Organization System
Simple three-year record file:
Create a folder or file box for each school year. Inside, keep:
2023-24 Homeschool Records
├── Notice of Intent confirmation
├── Parent HS diploma/GED copy
├── Assessment Results (all grades)
│ ├── Grade 3 test scores (May 2024)
│ ├── Grade 4 portfolio narrative (June 2024)
│ └── Grade 5 test scores (May 2024)
├── State Board Assessment Submissions
│ ├── Grade 3 result submission confirmation
│ └── Grade 5 result submission confirmation
├── Curriculum Documentation
│ ├── Curriculum receipts
│ └── Online program confirmations
├── Work Samples
│ ├── Writing samples
│ └── Project photos
└── Lesson Plans (optional)
└── Semester outlines
Keep current three years in your filing cabinet.
Archive older records (optional—some families keep permanently).
Documentation Suggestions by Method
If Using Standardized Testing
Keep:
– Test score report (official document from test company)
– Student test booklet (if applicable)
– Administration confirmation (date/time of testing)
– Instructions/answer key (if you administered at home)
If Using Portfolio Review
Keep:
– Work samples included in portfolio
– Portfolio index (list of what you submitted)
– Certified teacher’s narrative report
– Photos of work if not including originals
If Using Public School Assessment
Keep:
– School’s test printout or report
– Confirmation that school submitted to state
– Any score reports provided
If Using ACT/SAT
Keep:
– Official ACT/SAT score report
– Student verification of testing
Attendance-Like Documentation (Optional)
Even though not required, some families like to document their teaching for their own records:
Simple approach:
– Month-by-month curriculum outline
– List of books read/completed
– Field trips taken (with dates)
– Co-op classes attended
– Units completed
Purpose: This is for you (not the state)—helps with transcript creation, college applications, and year-to-year planning.
Format:
September 2024:
- Math: Fractions (Chapter 3-4, Khan Academy)
- Science: Ecosystems unit (hands-on experiments)
- Reading: Charlotte's Web (completed)
- Field trip: Kanawha State Forest (Sept 15)
- Co-op: History (weekly, Colonial America)
October 2024:
...
Not required. Not submitted. Just helpful for your records.
Special Situation: Sports Participation
If your child plays public school sports:
Assessment requirement: Test scores must show 4th stanine or above in all subjects
Documentation:
– Keep standardized test results as proof of eligibility
– Provide scores to WVSSAC when registering for sports
– School may request test report for athletic eligibility file
This is why you’ll want standardized testing (not just portfolio) if sports are part of your plan.
Checking Your Records
Annual checklist:
□ Assessment completed by end of school year
□ Assessment results received/organized
□ Grades 3/5/8/11 results submitted to State Board by June 30
□ Confirmation of submission saved
□ Work samples from year collected and filed
□ Curriculum documentation saved
□ Oldest-year records (3+ years old) archived or discarded per your preference
Common Questions
What if I didn’t keep good records the first year?
Go back and gather what you have (tests, curriculum materials, work samples, emails). Organize going forward. Not a legal violation if you missed first year—just establish the habit now.
What if I didn’t assess my child?
Conduct an assessment immediately and submit results (if grades 3/5/8/11). Going forward, assess annually.
Can the state inspect my records?
No routine home visits. The state receives only assessment results for grades 3/5/8/11 by June 30. Home inspections require probable cause and court order.
Do I need to share work samples with the state?
Only if you use portfolio review method (certified teacher reviews work). Otherwise, you keep work samples; state only sees assessment results.
What if my child falls behind?
Keep documentation showing your intentional efforts. West Virginia allows self-paced learning; no grade-level requirement. Your assessment results and work samples show your child is learning, even if not grade-level pace.
The Bottom Line
West Virginia’s lack of attendance requirements is a gift—but it comes with responsibility. You’re accountable for annual assessment, not daily compliance. Keep assessment results, curriculum documentation, and work samples for three years. That’s it. The flexibility to school at your own pace, on your own schedule, is what makes West Virginia homeschooling so attractive.
The state trusts you to teach well. Prove it through assessment. Everything else flows from that.