Because homeschooling is growing in Illinois and across the nation, some lawmakers and their teachers’ union allies want to make it as difficult as they can for families who decide to teach their own children for a variety of reasons. School districts are losing money for each student that leaves.

It’s in their financial interest to keep as many children from being homeschooled as they can.

So now, a few terrible stories of child abuse in homeschooling families are being exploited to push big government legislation to regulate all homeschooling families. You have probably heard it said, “hard cases make bad law.” That truth is applicable here. Why throw the baby out with the bath water? As State Representative Travis Weaver (R-Pekin) said of homeschooling at a recent press conference:

“Homeschooling isn’t the problem. It is the solution.”

Proponents of HB 2827 believe that bureaucrats can do a better job at educating your children. They believe they know better than you and have the best interest of your child as their priority. Remember “It Takes a Village?”

TAKE ACTION: HB 2827 is scheduled to be heard in the House Education Policy Committee on Wednesday, March 12th in the Capitol, Room 122B at 8:00 a.m.

Click HERE to file a witness slip in opposition to HB 2827.

Section I. Enter your name, address, city and zip code. You can use “self” for any field that requires something.

Section II. Leave it blank if you are not a representative of a group or business.

Section III. Check your position: Opponent.

Section IV. Unless you are filing a written statement, select Record of Appearance Only.

Lastly, agree to the terms of agreement by checking the box.

Click Create (Slip).

MORE ACTION: Send an email to your state representative by clicking HERE.

Background

Those pushing HB 2827 are using a psychological tactic of accusing all parents of being abusive, who then must prove themselves innocent by submitting to and abiding by their regulations.

Homeschooled children do much better academically than those who attend public schools.

The home-educated typically score 15 to 25 percentile points above public school students on standardized academic achievement tests.

A 2015 study found black homeschool students to be scoring 23 to 42 percentile points above black public school students.

Homeschool students score above average on achievement tests regardless of their parents’ level of formal education or their family’s household income.

The IllinoisReportCard web site “is the state’s official source for information about public schools across Illinois.”

In 2024, only 31.1 percent of Illinois public high school students reached or exceeded proficiency in English Language Arts on average.

In 2024, only 26.1 percent of Illinois public high school students reached or exceeded proficiency in Math on average.

In 2024, only 53.1 percent of Illinois public high school students reached or exceeded proficiency in Science on average.

Illinois should get their taxpayer funded public schools in order before they go after those who are homeschooled and doing better academically.