The Fight To End Virginia’s One-Of-A-Kind Educational Neglect Loophole Continues

[Richmond, Virginia]: During the 2025 legislative session, Virginia Senator Stella Pekarsky introduced SB 1031, which would have closed the educational neglect loophole in the state’s religious-exemption statute for homeschooling. On January 30, 2025, the Virginia Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee voted to pass SB 1031 by indefinitely. The Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE), the nation’s only advocacy group for homeschooled children, fully supported Pekarsky’s efforts and remains committed to ending this loophole.

“While this may not be the outcome we envisioned, this moment marks major progress in the fight for homeschooled children’s rights,” said CRHE board chair Carmen Longoria-Green. “SB 1031 garnered significant support in the Senate education committee. Before the bill was passed by, nine senators voted to end this loophole. That’s a stark contrast to when Del. Thomas Rust proposed a study on the religious-exemption statute in 2014. This progress is evidence of the real-world impact of CRHE’s work over the past decade.”

Virginia’s religious-exemption statute legalizes educational neglect in homeschooling, and Virginia is the only state in the country with such a law. Under the religious-exemption statute, a parent or guardian can refuse to teach their child anything at all — even to read — and that conduct is completely legal. Pekarsky, a former homeschooling mother, responded to the horrific cases of educational neglect authorized by this statute and introduced SB 1031 to close this one-of-a-kind loophole.

“We thank Sen. Pekarsky for her efforts to raise awareness of the massive loophole in Virginia law by introducing SB 1031,” said Longoria-Green. “We hope that her concerns are heard by other lawmakers invested in improving the current and future welfare of Virginia’s children. The fight is not over.”

If you are a homeschooled adult or homeschooling parent with connections to Virginia and are interested in supporting CRHE’s efforts to close the religious-exemption loophole, please join CRHE’s mailing list.