Dear editor,
Are your children or grandchildren in home schools? If your neighbors are, you may not be aware.
History: “Conservative Evangelical Christian parents were increasingly dissatisfied with the public school system and were the main demographic that organized to promote home education in the United States. Prominent right-wing evangelical pastor and activist Jerry Falwell sought to terminate sex education and discussions of evolutionary biology from American school curricula, instead recommending replacing both topics with prayer and Christian Bible study. … As homeschooling caught on in Evangelical Christian circles, the number of children being homeschooled increased, with some estimates suggesting the number went from under twenty thousand in the 1970s to nearly 500,000 by the end of the 1980s. … The Home School Legal Defense Association, founded in 1983, was highly successful in influencing the legal status of homeschooling in the United States. In the 1980s, homeschooling was illegal throughout much of the United States for parents who were not themselves trained educators. Today, the United States has some of the most lax laws around homeschooling, with most states requiring little to no oversight and no educational requirements for parents.” (Wikipedia)
Illinois House Bill 2827: “Creates the Homeschool Act. Requires the State Board of Education to create a Homeschool Declaration Form to be used by a homeschool administrator to submit information indicating that a child is enrolled in a homeschool program to the principal of the public school or to the school district that the homeschooled child would otherwise attend. Provides that a student enrolled in a homeschool program in which the homeschool administrator has not notified the public school or school district with the Homeschool Declaration Form is considered truant, with penalties applying. Provides that if a child in a homeschool program seeks to enroll part time in a public school or participate in any public school activities taking place on or off of school grounds, the homeschool administrator must submit proof that the child has received all required immunizations and health examinations or a signed Certificate of Religious Exemption. Sets forth requirements for homeschool administrators and programs and reporting requirements. Makes conforming and other changes in the Freedom of Information Act, the School Code, and the Illinois School Student Records Act, including requiring (rather than allowing) nonpublic schools to register with the State Board of Education.” (Illinois General Assembly Status HB2827)
“Currently, Illinois has zero, I’m going to say it again, zero regulations,” said Costa Howard, the bill’s sponsor. “Thirty-eight states have regulations. Illinois is an outlier. This is not something we want to be an outlier on.” (Capitol News Illinois,3/19/25)
“The Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE), the only national nonprofit founded and run by homeschooled adults advocating for homeschooled children, strongly supports Illinois HB 2827, a bill that would promote child safety and education access.
“If passed, HB 2827, also known as the Homeschool Act, would:
Ensure every school-age child in Illinois is accounted for. Requires parents to notify their local school district of their intent to homeschool their child each year. - Ensure every child has a record of their academic progress. Requires homeschooling parents to maintain a portfolio of student work to show that the child is receiving an education at least on par with public school standards. - Ensure every child learns from educated instructors. Requires parents to have a high school diploma or equivalent in order to homeschool. -- Protect children from convicted sex offenders. Bans those convicted of sexual abuse crimes from homeschooling. - Streamline the process for homeschooled children to take part in public school activities. - Requires homeschooled children taking part in public school activities to submit immunization records the same way that public school students do, while keeping current legal exemptions to immunization in place” (CRHE)
Bill is opposed by Focus on the Family, Illinois Policy, Christian Forums, Catholic Council of Illinois, (other organizations?). Plenty of rhetoric to be found with those organizations. Protests against Bill were held in Springfield. Currently Bill is in committee.
Do you think homeschooling should be regulated or not?
-Henry Tideman, Oregon
