Prairie State Wire

The Homeschool Act (HB2827), currently being considered in the Illinois House, is under scrutiny from homeschooling advocates who argue it could drastically undermine parental rights and freedoms.

The bill, sponsored by State Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn), which initially sought to impose stricter regulations on homeschooling families, was amended last week to introduce more severe measures, including giving truancy officers the authority to investigate homeschool families who fail to file a notification form. 

Will Estrada, a homeschool graduate himself who now serves as senior counsel at the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), has voiced strong opposition to the bill, emphasizing the wide-reaching implications it could have on families in Illinois.

"This is about more than just paperwork or regulatory compliance," he told Prairie State Wire. "It’s about the government deciding what’s best for children instead of parents. Families across Illinois are united by the love for their children and their desire to provide the best education. The state shouldn’t come between them and that right."

Estrada, who has worked with HSLDA since 2004 and represents the association in nine states, including Illinois, expressed concerns about the amendment's dramatic shift. 

"The amendment is really a completely new bill,” Estrada said. “It was introduced without involving any stakeholders, and it fundamentally alters the approach to homeschooling in Illinois. This bill goes beyond paperwork; it opens the door to government intervention in homeschooling in a way we've never seen before."

Prior to the amendment, over 41,000 Illinois residents filed witness slips to oppose HB2827. That version of the bill had passed the same committee but was not taken up on the House floor. 

“Amendment 2 of the Bill that just passed a few minutes ago out of the Education Policy Committee says, ‘the State Board of Education may adopt any rules necessary to implement and administer this Act,’” Estrada said. “This is about as broad of a grant of rulemaking authority as you can imagine in a state statute.”

Key concerns include the requirement for would-be homeschooling parents to file a notification form to withdraw children from public school, which some see as problematic for families trying to protect children from bullying. 

Additionally, the amendment includes provisions that could allow the Illinois public education system to oversee homeschooling curricula. 

Traditional private schools are also impacted by the bill, as they must maintain a database of student and parent information, though a previous annual reporting requirement to ISBE has been removed.

Another controversial provision allows truant officers to meet directly with homeschooled children in violation of the new requirements, raising concerns about Fourth Amendment rights.

According to Illinois Home Christian Educators, the bill’s language includes unfounded claims about homeschooling children being at higher risk of abuse and neglect, despite evidence showing failings within Illinois' child protective services system. The amendment also redefines homeschooling, potentially harming families that use cooperative programs or alternative educational arrangements.

Homeschooling in Illinois has been legal since the 1950s, and Estrada believes that the state’s long-standing reputation as a leader in homeschool freedom is at risk. 

"If this bill passes in Illinois, it could send a message to other states that it's acceptable to roll back homeschooling freedoms," he said. "Illinois could become one of the worst states to homeschool in."

Estrada compared the current efforts to restrict homeschooling to similar movements across the country, such as a recent bill in Virginia that sought to eliminate a key exemption for homeschooling. 

"These bills represent a push to roll back parental rights and increase state control over private education," he said. "It's a shift away from the principle of personal liberty that has been a cornerstone of our nation."

He added that while the bill could still be voted on in the Illinois House in the coming days, there’s hope it may face resistance. 

"We’re ready to fight this in the Senate if it passes the House, and we’re already having conversations with the governor’s office," Estrada said. “If it makes it to his desk, we hope he will veto it.” 

The legislative efforts in Illinois are being pushed by the Coalition for Responsible Home Education. 

“Despite their name, they are a pro-authoritarian, pro-government regulation organization, and they are taking it as their mission to roll back homeschool freedom,” Estrada said.  

Vocal critics of the bill include Molly Krempski, vice president of the United States Patriot Society’s Kendall County chapter.

Krempski, a homeschool mother of seven children, has characterized the Homeschool Act bill as being “all about control.”

“It's really not good for the future of the deep state, the globalists, if patriots are educating their own kids. That's not going to work for them," she said.