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About the Homeschool “Exemption”

by | Feb 16, 2023 | Articles, Legislative, WV Law

If you’ve attended CHEWV’s Homeschooling 101 classes, you’ve heard us emphasize something: WV homeschool law 18-8-1(c)(2) is an exemption to WV’s compulsory attendance law.

WV children who turn 6 before July 1st of any calendar year are required to attend public school the following school year UNLESS they satisfy one of a few exemptions found in the law. 18-8-1 (c)(2) is one of those exemptions.

Gratefully, educational options added to 18-8-1 in recent years have not been added to nor confused with Exemption c. They rightly were added as separate exemptions. It is vital that Exemption c, which defines and protects private homeschooling, remains separate and distinct.

We have now color coded 18-8-1 to help define the separate exemptions. CHEWV defends 18-8-1 (c)2 (colored blue) while we closely monitor other parts of the law that affect homeschooling. Changes to Exemption c can totally change the future of homeschooling as we know it.

By God’s grace, WV parents have the legal right to homeschool. Thousands have taken advantage of that freedom – with great success! May thousands more find the beauty of the individualized approach that homeschooling makes possible!