Homeschooling in Illinois could look different if a law being considered by legislators moves forward, and Vi Nguyen has the details.
Homeschooling in Illinois could look different if a law being considered by legislators moves forward.
The Homeschool Act, also known as HB2827, would create a set of requirements for homeschooled students and educators. It includes things like informing a child's designated public school or district that they are being homeschooled, requiring any child taking part in school activities on or off school ground provide proof of immunizations and health examinations and setting requirements for the topics and content homeschool children learn.
The bill says the "laws of this state do not adequately protect homeschooled children in situations when notification of the type of schooling of the child would help reduce vulnerabilities to abuse and neglect."
According to the State Board of Education, in Illinois, the only specific requirement for homeschooling is that certain subject areas be taught. Required subjects include language arts, physical development and health, mathematics, biological and physical science, social science and fine arts.
Under HB2827, several new guidelines would be added. Some of the main changes include:
Homeschool Declaration Form: This requires all homeschool administrators to submit information of a child being enrolled in a homeschool program to the principal of the public school or district they would have otherwise attended. The form would include information about the child as well as assurance that the homeschool administrator has received at least a high school diploma. This requirement would start Aug. 1, 2026, if the bill is passed, with the form becoming available by July 1, 2026. The requirement to fill out such a form would repeat annually.
Health guidelines: Starting in the 2026-27 school year, the bill would require any child in a homeschool program wishing to enroll part time in a public school or take part in any public school activities on or off school grounds to submit proof of all immunizations and required health examinations, or a signed Certificate of Religious Exemption.
Local
Curriculum and Teaching Qualifications: The new guidelines would require any homeschool administrator to have a high school diploma "or its recognized equivalent." It also continues to require that homeschooled children are taught language arts; mathematics; biological, physical, and social sciences; fine arts; and physical development and health.
The bill isn't without criticism from some in the homeschooling world, as well as private schools.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
"This proposal has far reaching implications beyond homeschooling that could adversely effect the autonomy of our congregational and association schools, as well," a joint statement from the Lutheran Church Missouri-Synod read.
The group raised concerns about submitting student information to state authorities and being forced to submit curriculum to ISBE for review, among other things.
"While these concerns are certainly sufficient to cause concern, what troubles us the most is the presupposition behind this bill that disregards the fundamental, 4th Commandment principle that schools, and even the state itself, are extensions of office and vocation of parent," the statement read.
The bill currently sits in the Education Policy Committee, which is set to meet next on Wednesday.
