Homeschool laws in Vermont (2026)
A plain-English overview of what Vermont requires of homeschool families — plus the automatic tracking Rosie’sHQ handles so you never have to build a portfolio the night before an evaluation.
Vermont at a glance
Verified statuteWhat the law says: 16 V.S.A. § 166b requires the equivalent of at least 175 days of instruction per year within a minimum course of study (MCOS). Under-13 MCOS covers basic communication, citizenship, VT/US history, PE, health, natural sciences, literature, and fine arts (16 V.S.A. § 906). Initial Notice of Enrollment at least 10 business days before starting; annual notice by the same 10-day rule each subsequent year. End-of-year assessment required (standardized test, VT-certified teacher review, parent report + portfolio of ≥4 work samples, online academy grades, or GED).
Source: legislature.vermont.gov
Required subjects
Vermont law names the following subjects as required parts of your homeschool curriculum:
- Basic Communication Skills (Reading, Writing, Numbers)
- Citizenship
- Vermont & U.S. History and Government
- Physical Education
- Comprehensive Health
- Natural Sciences
- Literature
- Fine Arts
How Rosie’sHQ helps Vermont families
- Daily attendance in one tapLog a school day in a single tap and Rosie'sHQ counts it against Vermont’s 175-day mandate for you.
- Automatic hour talliesEvery lesson you log rolls up into per-subject and per-year hour totals — no spreadsheet required.
- One-click portfolio PDFTurn your logged lessons, assessments, and worksheets into an audit-ready portfolio PDF the moment an evaluator asks.
- Notice of Intent generatorGenerate a Vermont-specific Notice of Intent PDF pre-filled with your child’s information — ready to sign and mail.
Recommended homeschool checklist for Vermont
Everything a Vermont homeschool family should do across a typical school year, grouped so you can tick items off as you go. Every step is tailored to Vermont’s actual rules — low-regulation states get a shorter list; states with mandatory portfolios or standardized tests get the full sequence.
1Before the school year begins in Vermont
- File your Vermont Notice of Intent (or equivalent)
Complete the Vermont-specific homeschool notification form before instruction starts. Rosie’sHQ generates a pre-filled, print-ready PDF that names each child, their grade level, and the required subjects. The relevant statute is 16 V.S..
- Line up curriculum for every required subject in Vermont
Vermont law names 8 subjects that must appear in your homeschool: Basic Communication Skills (Reading, Writing, Numbers), Citizenship, Vermont & U.S. History and Government, Physical Education, Comprehensive Health, Natural Sciences, plus 2 additional required subjects. Pick a curriculum, workbook, or living-books plan for each one, then create the subject in Rosie’sHQ so daily lessons automatically roll up under the mandated category.
- Set your target hours and days in Rosie’sHQ
Vermont does not set a fixed hour count, but it does require 175 instructional days per year. Rosie’sHQ counts every day you log at least one lesson and displays a live progress bar against the 175-day target.
2Every school day
- Log attendance in one tap
Use Rosie’sHQ’s Quick-Log to mark the school day “present” in a single tap. The system will roll it into your Vermont year-to-date attendance count and warn you if you’re falling behind the 175-day mandate.
- Record each subject you teach today
Log every subject you cover — even quick ones like read-alouds or nature study. Rosie’sHQ preserves the daily record so you can prove instructional time to any Vermont evaluator, cover school, or umbrella supervisor.
3Every month or quarter
- Review your Vermont compliance dashboard
Open the Compliance tab and confirm you are on pace for the 175-day Vermont mandate. The dashboard also flags any required subject that has zero logged activities.
- Keep the portfolio building automatically
Vermont requires an annual portfolio review. Rather than scrambling in June, let Rosie’sHQ build it month by month: every worksheet, photo, and log you attach today lands in the Vermont year-end portfolio PDF automatically. Preview it any time from the Compliance tab.
4At the end of the school year
- Generate the year-end PDF the state expects
Vermont requires a portfolio review. Click “Export Portfolio” in Rosie’sHQ and you get a single, professionally formatted PDF containing the cover page, statute reference, per-subject hours, log index, and worksheet appendix — ready to hand to any Vermont evaluator.
- Keep records for the state-recommended retention period
Store the year-end PDF plus any raw logs for at least 3 years after graduation. Vermont districts and colleges occasionally request historical records; Rosie’sHQ preserves your archive so you never have to reconstruct a year from memory.
Frequently asked questions
How many days and hours must Vermont homeschoolers log per year?+
Vermont law currently requires 175 instructional days per year. 16 V.S.A. § 166b requires the equivalent of at least 175 days of instruction per year within a minimum course of study (MCOS). Under-13 MCOS covers basic communication, citizenship, VT/US history, PE, health, natural sciences, literature, and fine arts (16 V.S.A. § 906). Initial Notice of Enrollment at least 10 business days before starting; annual notice by the same 10-day rule each subsequent year. End-of-year assessment required (standardized test, VT-certified teacher review, parent report + portfolio of ≥4 work samples, online academy grades, or GED). Rosie'sHQ tracks your daily attendance and lesson hours automatically and warns you if you’re falling behind.
What subjects must be taught to Vermont homeschoolers?+
Vermont law names the following subjects: Basic Communication Skills (Reading, Writing, Numbers), Citizenship, Vermont & U.S. History and Government, Physical Education, Comprehensive Health, Natural Sciences, Literature, Fine Arts. Rosie'sHQ maps every subject you set up to the state’s required list and flags gaps on your compliance dashboard.
Do Vermont homeschoolers need to submit a portfolio or test scores?+
Vermont requires an annual portfolio of the student’s work. Rosie'sHQ builds an audit-ready portfolio PDF from your logged lessons and assessments in one click.
How does Rosie'sHQ help Vermont homeschool families stay compliant?+
Rosie'sHQ logs daily attendance, tallies instructional hours by subject, generates a Notice of Intent, produces a year-end portfolio PDF, and stores every worksheet or assessment your child completes so an evaluator or state official can be answered in minutes rather than hours.