This bill amends West Virginia's compulsory school attendance laws, focusing on home instruction and alternative educational settings such as learning pods and microschools. Key changes include the elimination of requirements for parents to provide certifications and the stipulation that home instruction must cover the same subjects as public schools. The bill allows home instruction to be conducted by parents or other qualified individuals and mandates the state board to develop guidelines for homeschooling special education students. It also introduces provisions for children in learning pods or microschools, clarifying that identifying a disability does not prevent participation in these settings.

Additionally, the bill removes the requirement for annual assessments in specific subjects, allowing for a broader range of assessment methods, including portfolios and alternative assessments agreed upon by parents and county superintendents. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining records of academic assessments and ensures that home schooling or participation in alternative settings can continue even if a child has a disability. The bill also streamlines the reporting process for learning pods and microschools by allowing composite academic assessment results and requires county superintendents to provide assistance to those instructing in these settings, while ensuring compliance with special education provisions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-8-1