CHEWV Timeline
1897
1st WV Compulsory Attendance Law
Exemptions to Compulsory Attendance Added
Several exemptions were added to the compulsory attendance law, one of which allowed home education IF families could obtain county approval. Significant county oversight was required.
1919
1939
“Exemption B”
All of the ten existing exemptions were labeled “A” through “J.” The homeschooling exemption was Exemption B.
Exemption K
County approval to homeschool under Exemption B was difficult to obtain and requirements weren’t uniform county to county. 1983’s Exemption K for Christian, parochial, and private schools included a reference to “other nonpublic schools.” Homeschool families began registering as private schools under Exemption K.
1983
1985
Ruling Against Exemption K
County and State Boards of Education were questioning the use of Exemption K by homeschoolers. A ruling was made by the Attorney General that families must use Exemption B to homeschool.
*New Exemption B Births Modern Home Education*
In the 1986 legislative session, new wording was put in Exemption B that allowed families the right to home educate without county approval and without county oversight!
1986
1990
CHEWV Birthed
Christian Home Educators of WV was begun by a group of home educators who wanted to honor God as the foundation of home education. Adopted verse: Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. (Psalm 127:1)
CHEWV Services Expand
CHEWV grows from a small group to a statewide presence as it adds its inaugural state conference featuring well-known homeschool pioneer Gregg Harris, a statewide testing service to help families meet the testing requirement, and a bi-monthly mailed newsletter, The Homeschool Banner.
1991
1991
1993
CHEWV’s 1st Homeschool Graduate
The first student to graduate at a state homeschool commencement comes down the aisle on the campus of WV Wesleyan College.
Portfolio Review Assessment Option Added
Prior, homeschoolers had to score in the top 60% of national scores to continue to homeschool. When the portfolio review option was added, special needs children and other students could be homeschooled if they progressed according to their abilities.
1991
1994
1993
CHEWV.org
WV’s first home education website was introduced. With one page, operated via DOS, by one homeschool student, CHEWV was ushered into a new way of communicating (with the few who had internet access at the time).
Four-Year Rule Removed Temporarily
Homeschooling parents had to have at least four more years of education than their most advanced homeschool student. This requirement was temporarily removed in the 2000 session.
1991
2000
2003
Four-Year Rule Removed
The Four Year Rule was removed permanently in exchange for raising the “acceptable progress” bar to the 50th percentile for standardized testing.
CHEWV’s Legislative Liaison
CHEWV began to provide some financial support to our part-time lobbyist – who had volunteered on CHEWV’s behalf since 1999.
1991
2005
2007
New Updated Website
In order to expand our information and service, we transitioned to our first paid website. It quickly became our virtual office!
CHEWV joined the social media fray with Facebook! Since, we have added Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.
1991
2011
2013
Preschool Victory
Through our lobbyist, CHEWV intervened with the governor’s educational bill to ensure that parents can withdraw their child from preschool for “good cause,” thus preventing parents from having to register to homeschool their three and four-year-olds.
CHEWV Goes Virtual and Universal
When CHEWV transitioned from a mailed paper newsletter to an emailed newsletter in 2013, it allowed us to add a free subscriber option to communicate with anyone who wanted to stay abreast of homeschooling news. 2013 thus marked the beginning of a transition from almost exclusive member-based services, to universal service to all homeschoolers. At the same time, membership became voluntary as a way to support the ministry of CHEWV. Families have proved faithful!
1991
2013
2015
Diploma Equity
Homeschool families and friendly legislators worked together to pass three key homeschool bills, albeit two of them were vetoed after the session. Still, the Diploma Fairness Bill was signed, ensuring that a homeschool diploma is not treated differently from a private or public school diploma. This was the start of full recognition for home education and the end of discrimination based on educational method alone.
A New Look!
In honor of our 25th Anniversary, CHEWV worked with Crowes Nest Creative (homeschoolers themselves) to create and introduce a new website, updated logo, and a contemporary brand. We are poised for another 25 years!
1991
2015
2015
1991
2016
Modernization of Homeschool Law
Through the effors of WV homeschoolers and supportive legislators, the Homeschool Modernization Bill was signed by the Governor on March 3rd. This bill brought the WV law in alignment with most other states. We now enjoy the freedom of less reporting and meeting standards which are comparable to national averages instead of the previous above-average standard.
No GED for PROMISE Scholarship
For the history of the Promise Scholarship, homeschoolers had had to take the GED to legitimize their work. In 2018, that discrimination was eliminated!
1991
2018
1991
2018
No County Form Required for Driver’s License
Homeschoolers applying for a driver’s permit or license had had to physically track down the county’s attendance director and obtain a signed form verifying homeschooling status – which often proved difficult. In 2018, parents were permitted to verify the homeschool status of their own children, putting homeschoolers on a more equal status with other students.
Sports Access
Many homeschoolers wanted to pass a “Tim Tebow” type bill that would allow homeschoolers to participate in both sports and extracurricular activities of the public school. Access was won, with a few stipulations, in the 2020 legislative session.
1991
2020
1991
2021
HOPE Scholarship Passed
“School Choice,” in the form of funding, was championed by many legislators around the time of the pandemic – when more parents became interested in homeschooling. Legislators passed the Hope Scholarship bill in 2021 to help students in public school afford alternative educational options.
Homeschool Credits Recognized
Prior to 2021, homeschoolers who returned to public high schools were required to re-take all high school courses; homeschooled credits were not recognized. Homeschooled kindergarten students who re-enrolled for public first grade were often required to repeat kindergarten. But a 2021 law required public schools to recognize homeschool credits with proper credentials. (Note: Colleges readily accepted homeschooled credits long before 2021!)
2021