A new bill in Illinois seeks to introduce more oversight for families who homeschool their children, sparking a heated debate between advocates for regulation and homeschooling families who fear it could infringe on their rights. The proposed legislation, known as the Homeschool Act or House Bill 2827, comes in response to concerns that the state lacks sufficient safeguards to ensure homeschooled children receive a proper education and are protected from harm.
Currently, Illinois is one of a handful of states with minimal regulations for homeschooling. Parents are not required to register with any state agency or school district, and there are no mandates to track attendance, demonstrate teaching methods, or show student progress. The new bill would require families to notify their local school district when they decide to homeschool and ensure that parents or guardians have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. If education officials suspect a child is not receiving adequate schooling, they could request evidence of teaching materials and student work.
The bill’s sponsor, Democratic State Representative Terra Costa Howard of Glen Ellyn, said the legislation was prompted by a 2022 investigation by Capitol News Illinois and ProPublica. The investigation revealed cases where parents claimed to be homeschooling but failed to educate their children, leaving them vulnerable to neglect and abuse.
“Education is a fundamental right for every child, but we have a duty to make sure children actually receive an education,” Costa Howard said. “This is not something we want to be an outlier on.”
The bill passed the Education Policy Committee on Wednesday, but not without significant pushback. Hundreds of homeschooling families and their supporters gathered at the State Capitol to voice their opposition. Many argued that the bill would undermine parental rights and disrupt their ability to educate their children as they see fit.
Lisa Edison, a homeschooling parent of four children aged 12 to 17, brought her daughter to the Capitol to protest the bill. For her, the trip also served as a hands-on civics lesson. “We chose to homeschool our children for a reason, and it’s very important to us. Our freedom to continue to do that is what we will continue to fight for,” Edison said.
The ProPublica and Capitol News Illinois investigation highlighted the case of a 9-year-old boy, identified as L.J., whose parents withdrew him from public school to homeschool him after he missed significant class time and faced repeating third grade. L.J. later told authorities he was beaten, denied food, and received almost no education during his time out of public school. The state eventually took custody of him and his siblings, and he was enrolled in public school.
The investigation also found that the number of children withdrawn from public schools for homeschooling in Illinois doubled over a decade, reaching nearly 4,500 in 2022. However, the exact number of homeschooled students in the state remains unknown because Illinois does not require parents to register.
The Homeschool Act would require the state to collect data on homeschooling families, including the number, grade level, and gender of homeschooled students in each region. Regional Offices of Education would gather this information, and the state board would compile an annual report.
Homeschool advocates, however, argue that the bill represents government overreach. Kathy Wentz of the Illinois Homeschool Association expressed concern about provisions allowing the state to review educational materials, calling it an unnecessary intrusion. “Visits from education officials could be disruptive to teaching,” she said.
Latasha Fields, a homeschooling parent who runs a micro-school from her home, called the bill an invasion of privacy and a threat to parental rights. “We believe this is religious persecution. It’s unconstitutional, overreaching, and interferes with parental rights,” Fields said.
Past attempts to increase homeschooling oversight in Illinois have faced similar resistance. In 2011, a bill requiring homeschool registration was withdrawn after protests, and a 2019 proposal was abandoned amid opposition to curriculum reviews and inspections.
Supporters of the bill, however, argue that increased oversight is necessary to protect children from educational neglect and abuse. Jonah Stewart, research director for the Coalition for Responsible Home Education, said the lack of regulation in Illinois puts children at risk. “This bill is a commonsense measure and is critical not only to address educational neglect but also child safety,” Stewart said.
The bill also aims to address truancy by ensuring homeschooled students are receiving an education. Under current law, truancy officials have no recourse to compel attendance or review homeschooling practices.
If passed, the bill would impose misdemeanor charges on families who fail to comply with the new requirements. For now, the debate continues as homeschooling families and advocates prepare to lobby against the measure, while supporters push for greater accountability to protect children’s education and well-being.
