Controversial home-school legislation passes key House test

SPRINGFIELD — After nearly three hours of debate before a packed hearing room, a state House committee on Wednesday voted to advance a bill that would impose new requirements on home schooling, fueling a heated discussion over parental rights and government oversight in Illinois.

The measure, known as the Homeschool Act, would require families to notify their school districts when they decide to home-school, and that parents or guardians who teach their kids at home have a high school diploma or equivalent.

One of the most-contested pieces of the bill provides that if education officials suspect a child is not receiving proper instruction, they could demand proof of teaching materials and student work.

The House Education Policy Committee voted 8-4 along party lines to move the bill to the House floor for a vote, with one Democrat lawmaker voting present.

Democratic Rep. Terra Costa Howard of Glen Ellyn, introduced the bill following the publication of a Capitol News Illinois and ProPublica investigation, which revealed little accountability for parents who pull their kids from school and then fail to ensure they receive an education.

“Currently, Illinois has zero, I’m going to say it again, zero regulations,” she said. “Thirty-eight states have regulations. Illinois is an outlier. This is not something we want to be an outlier on.”

The news organizations’ reporting documented cases where children endured severe abuse at home, unnoticed because they were not in school.

https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/no-schoolers-how-illinois-hands-off-approach-to-homeschooling-leaves-children-at-risk/

One such case, referenced in Wednesday’s hearing, was that of Zion Staples, a 9-year-old boy from Rock Island who went missing in December 2022. His mother, who had a long history of abuse and neglect allegations, was able to home-school him despite previously losing two children to foster care.

Police later determined Zion had accidentally shot himself while playing with a gun. His mother hid his body in a trash can for months before authorities found him. She pleaded guilty to felony endangering the health of a child and was sentenced to two years in prison in April.

Opponents, including home-school advocates and religious groups, call the bill an unnecessary government intrusion. Thousands of home-school families filled the Capitol — packing the committee room and spilling into hallways and the Capitol Rotunda where they sang hymns and patriotic songs.

They also submitted more than 40,000 witness slips opposing the bill. Nearly 1,000 slips were filed in support, including from t Illinois State Board of Education.

Critics argue the bill would disproportionately burden low-income and minority families.

“This bill targets home-school parents and treats us as criminals, guilty until proven innocent,” said Aziza Butler, a former public schoolteacher who now home-schools her children in Chicago.

Supporters pointed to cases of abuse, arguing that some parents use home schooling as a shield for abuse and neglect.

The Coalition for Responsible Home Education, a national child advocacy group, said some families pull their children from school to avoid scrutiny.

“We have tracked over 500 cases of extreme abuse and neglect in home-school settings where the abuse escalated because of the isolation afforded through home schooling,” said Jonah Stewart, the group’s research director.

“I believe this bill will help protect abused and neglected children and leave in place the freedom of parents to decide how to best meet the educational needs of their children,” added Tanner Lovett, a home schooling advocate who also testified in favor of the measure.

Opponents pushed back, arguing there is no evidence home-school children are at greater risk of abuse than their public school peers.

“The proponents claim that children who are being home-schooled are at greater risk of abuse and neglect. This is not supported by the two peer-reviewed studies that have been produced,” said Will Estrada, senior counsel at the Home School Legal Defense Association.

Lawmakers clashed over how the law would be enforced. Supporters said it would allow regional education offices to track home-school students and investigate truancy. Opponents argued it could open the door to harassment.

Another point of contention was the impact on private schools. The bill would require all private elementary and secondary schools to register with the state and submit student information upon request.

The Catholic Conference of Illinois opposes the measure, saying it would force religious schools to hand over confidential data.

Costa Howard defended the measure as a necessary safeguard.

“This bill is about the thousands of children whose voices are not heard,” she said.

• Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.