State Office of Curriculum and Instruction
Virgin Islands Board of Education Grades K-6 Promotion and Retention Policies
Virgin Islands Board of Education Grades 9-12 Promotional Policies
Website: Virgin Islands Board of Education
COMING SOON: An updated 2021 list of USVI Non-Public Schools and their requirements to operate.
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What documentation is required to establish and maintain a non-public school?
According to the VI Code, there are only two classifications of non-public schools – private schools and parochial schools. This section applies solely to newly established and existing non-public schools. For information on home instruction programs, please visit the Home instruction tab above.)
Non-public schools must register with the Lieutenant Governor’s Office’s Division of Corporations and Trademarks.
· St. Croix (340) 773-6449
· St. Thomas/St. John (340) 776-8515
After a successful review of the documents required by the Division of Corporations and Trademarks, a Certificate of Good Standing will be issued.
This certificate, along with the other documents listed on the Non-Public School Checklist should then be turned in to the VI Department of Education. Upon review of the documents and completion of the file, the VIDE will issue a Certificate of Operation. Once an institution has a current Certificate of Operation, it is operating within Virgin Islands law. This Certificate of Operation should be displayed in plain sight in the institution’s main office.
This process is renewed every two years. However, annually, each school should update its file with current Fire and Health Certificates, which expire on an annual basis.
For more information on this process or to verify that your school is registered with the VI Department of Education, please call the State Office of Curriculum and Instruction at (340) 773-1095.
Click to access the pdf New Notice of Intent Homeschool Instruction (457 KB) .
Home Instruction in the US Virgin Islands
As established by Title 17, § 84 of the VI Code, “children may be taught at home under rules and regulations prescribed by the Board of Education when written permission has been granted by the Commissioner of Education for such children to remain out of school for this purpose, but such children may be examined by the Commissioner of Education or his authorized representative.” With home instruction, a parent takes full responsibility for the education of his/her child within the home.
Home instruction is a beautiful opportunity for parent and child to embark on a very special learning journey. It is a life-altering commitment that requires great consideration, planning and organization.
What is a “home school”?
“Home schools” are not recognized as an entity in the VI Code. Institutions allowable under VI law are public schools, private schools and parochial schools. Home instruction programs, rather, are recognized by the VI Code as instruction provided by a parent or legal guardian who desires to provide educational services for his or her child, in lieu of enrolling the child in the traditional school setting. The home instruction program may include enrollment on a part-time or full-time basis in courses offered by accredited or unaccredited colleges or online schools.
Under Virgin Islands law, parents have the right to provide a “home instruction program” for their children within their homes. Therefore, any institution collecting fees to instruct children outside of a child’s home is not conducting a “home school”. This institution is potentially an unregistered and illegally operated private school. All registered and legally operated non-public schools in the US Virgin Islands have a Certificate of Operation issued by the Virgin Islands Department of Education. Does your child’s school have a current Certificate of Operation posted? Ask to see it.
High school diplomas are not issued by the Virgin Islands Department of Education (VIDE) to a child who receives home instruction through grade 12. Children, who do so, may opt to take the General Education Development test (GED). A child who successfully completes the GED will receive the appropriate certification.
For more information regarding schools registered to operate in the Virgin Islands, please visit our Non-Public Schools tab above or contact the Virgin Islands Department of Education at 340-773-1095.
What are the steps of the home instruction approval process?
In order to facilitate the process and encourage compliance, the VIDE keeps the review process simple and fast. Each year, a Notice of Intent [GD1] must be submitted for each student receiving home instruction. The Notice of Intent can be submitted by mail, fax, email or hand delivery. It is recommended that parents keep a copy of their Notice of Intent and request a delivery receipt.
Notices of Intent should be sent to:
VI Department of Education
Home Instruction Program
Office of the Assistant Commissioner
2133 Hospital Street
St. Croix, VI 00820
Phone: 340-773-1095; Fax: 340-773-7746
Email: homeinstruction@vide.vi
Once VIDE receives the Notice of Intent, the review process typically takes less than two weeks. It is important to note that the Commissioner of Education cannot and does not approve of any home instruction program. During the review process, the Commissioner evaluates the application and signs as acknowledgement that the student is receiving education outside of the traditional school setting. The Commissioner may also request additional information and/or make suggestions in order to ensure that the Notice of Intent is complete.
By law, the reviewed Notice of Intent signed by the Commissioner of Education should be received 10 days prior to the beginning of the home instruction program. During this 10-day window, where applicable, parents should withdraw their child from school. Failure to withdraw the child will result in accrued absences and the unnecessary involvement of truancy officers.
All inquiries regarding home instruction and the review process can be directed to the VIDE office listed above.
How does the VI Department of Education support home instructed students?
When a parent chooses to instruct his/her child at home, that parent takes on full responsibility for the education of the child. The curriculum, choice of materials, methods of assessment, etc. are entirely the parent’s choice. VIDE is not responsible for providing materials for home instructed students. However, the Department can assist, where possible.
The VI Department of Education believes in the education of the whole child and knows that a good education is a well-rounded one. Therefore, home instructed students are invited to participate in any extra-curricular after school activity offered in a public school appropriate for the child’s grade-level.
Home instructed students are also invited to participate in the annual assessment, Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (www.smarterbalanced.org). The test of measure student growth in the areas of Language Arts and Math and provides data which allow parents to adjust instruction to best meet the child’s needs.
These opportunities are offered at no cost to the family. However, like VIDE families, parents of home instructed students are responsible for incidental costs associated with participation in afterschool activities.
What records should a home instruction provider keep?
It is important that parents maintain detailed and accurate records to demonstrate to the Commissioner of Education or any other agency, that quality instruction is taking place.
Other good-practice records include lesson plans, field trip logs, doctor’s notes and other instruction related documents. See the bellow links for sample forms and more information:
Note: The web links listed above are provided as samples only; they are not recommendations or requirements of the VI Department of Education.
What subjects should be taught in a home instruction program?
The home instruction program is flexible and elective classes are given at the discretion of the parents. However, the following basic subjects should be taught on all grade levels:
The VIDE recommends that parents use the Promotion and Retention policies for grades K-6 and grades 9-12 as a guide. Should the student ever transition into a traditional school setting, it is important that courses are covered according to the expected schedule in order to facilitate and ensure desired grade placement.
How do I transition my home instructed child into the public schools?
The VI Department of Education welcomes all students and strives to provide a quality and diversified academic, social, and cultural program. Home instructed students transitioning into the VI public school system should register at their district’s Student Services Office.
Division of Student Services (STX)
4053 La Grande Princesse
Christiansted, St. Croix, VI 00820-4319
Phone: (340) 718-9671 or 340-718-9624
Facsimile: (340) 718-4494
Website: www.vide.vi
Email:studentservices@stx.k12.vi
Division of Student Services (STTJ)
4386 Anna’s Retreat
St. Thomas, VI 00802
Phone: (340)775-2250
Facsimile: (340) 775-7381 (F)
Website: www.vide.vi
For details about the registration requirements, visit http://www.vide.vi/our-divisions/student-services.html#about. Student portfolios will be requested and review upon registration.
The Pathways to Success program engages students in grades K-12 with enhanced learning opportunities during the summer.
Early Childhood Education
The link below is a blog that highlights the work done in Early Childhood Education with teachers and administrators in our territory: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/rel/Products/Region/northeast/Blog/107877
