How Virginia Families Can Enroll at Enlightium Academy

 

Enlightium Academy is an approved private Christian school that is accredited by Cognia and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Enlightium has served homeschool, online, and co-op school students in K-12 since 2003. As K-12 education policies are different in each state, it is a parental responsibility to check on their state’s homeschool requirements and fulfill them as applicable. To assist parents with this process, Enlightium provides basic information about each state’s requirements. Parents are also encouraged to review their state’s requirements at hslda.org/legal and/or the Virginia Department of Education, as educational policies are subject to change over time.  Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states and Washington D.C. With this freedom comes a responsibility to understand and fulfill legal requirements. This can be worrisome, but you’re not alone in this endeavor. Enlightium Academy is here to help!  Please note that the resources below serve as a starting point for your family; it is important that you research Virginia's homeschooling requirements.

 

Homeschooling Options

There are four homeschooling options in Virginia. Families with students enrolled at Enlightium Academy can choose Option 4: Homeschooling under the private school option. The guidelines below are based on option 4.

 

Virginia’s Homeschooling Requirements at a Glance

Homeschooling Options	Option 4: Homeschooling under the private school option
State Educational Funds	No
Parent Notifies State	Only if the student was previously enrolled in a public school
Academic Calendar	Yes
Age Requirement	5-18
Instructor Qualifications	No
Required Subjects	No
Standardized Assessment	Not Required by the State
Immunization Requirement	Yes, with exemptions
Keep a Portfolio	Yes
Enlightium Parents App with Group for Virginia Families	Yes

 

Notifying the State

If your child is previously enrolled in a public school, you must send a letter to the principal notifying them of your withdrawal. Otherwise, you do not need to notify the state that you are homeschooling.

 

State Educational Funds

No state educational funds are available for homeschooling families at this time.

 

Academic Calendar

The Virginia Department of Education requires private school students to receive instruction for:

• The same period of the year as public schools
• The same number of days as public schools
• The same number of hours per day as public schools

Enlightium’s school calendar has 180 school days (around 210 days with summer school). Additionally, students have access to the courses 24/7 for most days of the school year, including weekends and holidays. Enlightium’s calendar should cover the three requirements.

 

Age Requirement

Ages four or younger:

Students are not required to attend school but can enroll in primary school at Enlightium Academy to have a head start and be ready for Kindergarten.

Ages five to 18:

They must attend school during that academic year beginning in the fall; this includes homeschooling with Enlightium Academy. Students must continue their education at a school of their parent’s choice until they turn 18 or graduate.

 

Immunization Requirement

Immunizations are required in the state of Virginia, and as a recognized private school in Virginia, Enlightium will request immunization records or exemptions for record-keeping and reporting purposes. You may find the Virginia state exemption form here. 

Please note that immunization records provided to Enlightium are kept strictly confidential and used only for compliance purposes. This information is stored securely in each student’s file and is not shared without parental authorization. For reporting to state health departments, only aggregated data—such as the number of vaccinated or exempt students—is provided. Individual records are not disclosed.

 

Instructor Qualifications

Under option 4, the Virginia Department of Education does not require teachers to hold specific credentials or qualifications. 

As a part of Enlightium Academy’s dual accreditation, Enlightium teachers are state and/or ACSI-certified. A number of our faculty members have Master's and Doctorate degrees in their fields.

Students in the Homeschool Program (grades PreK-9) use book-based Christian curricula from AOP or BJU Press, while students in the Online Program (grades 3-12) use a digital Christian curriculum. Finally, students in the Sapphire Live program (grades 1-12) use a collection of the best curriculum options on the market. Each curriculum includes Bible, English, math, science, social studies, and electives courses. Click here to learn about the curriculum used at Enlightium Academy and to find the curriculum option that works best for your family.

 

Required Subjects

Under option 4, the Virginia Department of Education does not require any specific courses.

After you enroll/re-enroll and before your student starts courses at Enlightium Academy, your student’s counselor will send you an email with a recommended course schedule consisting of core courses and, if applicable, courses that fulfill Enlightium’s graduation requirements. Your student can also select from Enlightium’s elective courses.

 

Standardized Assessment

Under option 4, the Virginia Department of Education does not require a standardized test for homeschooled students. However, Enlightium Academy requires students to take an annual assessment to keep track of how students are progressing. Enlightium provides the following options per grade level:

• Grades PreK-8: IXL diagnostic assessments or Iowa Complete Annual Assessment. We recommend the IXL diagnostic assessment, as it provides more flexibility in scheduling and does not have an additional fee.
• Grades 9-12: Guidance for college-preparatory assessments such as the PSAT, SAT and/or ACT

 

Keep a Portfolio

You may need to provide your state with additional information, so please keep a digital record every year you are enrolled at Enlightium Academy, which should include:

• Attendance - Enlightium provides your family with progress reports via email. You can screenshot the details in these emails to show attendance.
• Curriculum information and samples - Enlightium provides its families with both curriculum overviews by grade level and samples by course.
• Academic plans - Enlightium Academy counselors provide academic plans during the admission process for each of our four divisions of grades: primary school (PreK-2), elementary school (3-5), middle school (6-8), and high school (9-12).
• Grades - Enlightium provides report cards for all students at the end of each quarter. Transcripts are available upon request.
• Test scores - This can include occasional screenshots of test scores and/or standardized assessment scores.
• Academic Awards - Enlightium provides qualifying students with certificates for Honor Roll, Scholar’s List, Dean’s List, Outstanding Improvement, and the Presidential Award.
• Social/Competition Achievements - Enlightium holds social events and competitions throughout the school year, such as art competitions and involvement in the Student Council.

 

Enlightium Parents App with Group for Virginia Families

Enlightium Academy has an app and desktop platform for families of currently enrolled students. Within this app is a group just for families living in Virginia to inform and support each other in fulfilling your state’s homeschooling requirements. Your family will be provided a link to download the app after enrolling.

 

Ready to Enroll at Enlightium Academy?

1. Explore Enlightium Academy’s website
2. If you have any questions:
   1. Chat with a team member
   2. Email consultants@enlightiumacademy.com
   3. Call (866) 488-4818 option 2
3. Ready to enroll? Click here to start the enrollment process, and select the “Enroll Now” button.

 

Since 2003, Enlightium faculty and staff have served partner schools, hybrid, online, and homeschool K-12 students. With parental support, excellent instruction, and a personalized approach to learning Enlightium equips students with the academic, spiritual, physical, social, and emotional skills they need to succeed in life. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (509) 319-2288, or visit EnlightiumSchool.com.

 

 

We review state requirements and regulations annually; however, each state may update its guidelines more frequently. If you have additional questions, please contact your state board of education.

Sources reviewed in March 2025:

• https://hslda.org/legal
• https://projects.propublica.org/graphics/homeschool 
• https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title12/agency5/chapter110/section80/ 
• https://nces.ed.gov/programs/statereform/tab5_1.asp