• Homeschool Notice of Intent (WORD)

• WVDE Procedural Safeguards (WVDE Website)

The 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires public schools to provide every student with a disability a free appropriate public education, also known as FAPE. This means that children with disabilities have the right to receive educational services appropriate to their needs at public expense. Parents who choose to homeschool are waiving this right for their children.

However, IDEA requires public schools to identify, locate, and evaluate children with disabilities, whether or not they attend public school. This means that public schools are universally required to offer free evaluations to homeschooled students suspected of having disabilities.

If you believe your homeschooled child has an exceptionality (learning disorder), you have the right to seek an evaluation and services from your local public school district. If you decide to have your child evaluated, you should contact your local public school district, state that your child is in a homeschool program and request an evaluation. If a homeschooled child is found to be eligible for special education services, those services would only be provided if the student is enrolled in public school. If the evaluation determines that a child is eligible, the parent can consider enrolling them in the public school so they can receive services.

Please find a copy of Procedural Safeguards and Prior Written Notice attached to this letter. If you have any questions or concerns while your student is being homeschooled, please do not hesitate to contact our Special Education Office at 304-326-7359 or our parent Education Resource Center (PERC) at 304-326-7692.