On March 8, Adam has been out of a job for a year. Since I’m currently the breadwinner, my heart breaks every time I’ve missed our two sons discover something new about the world around them. The condo association plopped a $600 special assessment on us. The bathtub drainpipe needs to be replaced (our downstairs neighbor is so happy to have their ceiling gutted). And then I was down for the count for a day because of the stomach flu.
Through all that, we celebrated a meaningful Lent, where my husband, two sons, and I met Jesus, who rode into Jerusalem, righteous and having salvation, on the foal of a donkey. Hosanna, Jesus, You are our KING!!!
And then Illinois announced an amendment to a bill that will severely restrict homeschooling.
I went from tired to out cold. From weary to feeling out-of-control.
If I hit the floor with my knees at all in the past year, it was today. I can maneuver with time-restraints, financial strife, and health issues — but I never felt more helpless than when I learned my homeschool was under attack.
THE BILL
If the amendment is approved, homeschoolers will be required to…
>>> Fill out mandatory paperwork.
>>> Be subjected to surprise at-home visits.
Ready to help us?! Fill out a Witness Slip to say you are with me in OPPOSITION to this bill. (For “firm” or “title” type in “self,” for Position, choose (from the drop down menu) “HCA1” and OPPOSITION, and click on the “record of appearance.”)
The Chicago Tribune states it best: “A bill in Springfield could land parents in jail if they don’t fill out paperwork properly.”
Read the full article here:
In other words, if this bill passes we might as well enroll our kids in public school now – or move out of Illinois. Either that or risk being put in jail for failing to comply (because stuff never gets lost in the mail in Chicago).
Here is the actual bill being brought to the hearing: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=2827&GAID=18&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=114&GA=104
My greatest opposition is that this bill HINDERS learning.
Homeschooling already takes up a lot of time (as you can imagine!), so taking hours to fill out tricky paperwork will take away from the precious time used to learn something new.
The new bill mandates an “educational portfolio,” which allows the state to be able to request the document at any time.
Learn more about the educational portfolio in their article: https://www.shawlocal.com/opinion/2025/02/11/eye-on-illinois-homeschool-advocates-gearing-up-to-push-back-on-regulation-attempt/
Basically, this bill is too vague and doesn’t help us learn better or more efficiently.
Check out the MOST UPDATED information on HB2827 and the hearing to take place at March 19 at 8:00am here: https://iche.org/node/7541
Please, please, PLEASE, protect our kids and our families! DCFS is already available for youngsters who are being harmed. Not filling out paperwork correctly is not a reason to separate families.
Ready to help us?! Fill out a Witness Slip to say you are with me in OPPOSITION to this bill. (For “firm” or “title” type in “self,” for Position, choose (from the drop down menu) “HCA1” and OPPOSITION, and click on the “record of appearance.”)
WHY I HOMESCHOOL
#1. I homeschool because each kid is different.
My family homeschools because learning from home means I get a first-hand look at my kids’ eyes light up as they learn something new. If the younger one wants to filter all subjects through the lens of the great shipwreck, Titanic, then we’re multiplying vacant seats in the lifeboats in our math curriculum. The older one is giving me a study on logic.
So, I’m learning too. Is homeschooling easy? No way. Is homeschooling appropriate for every kid in every family? Nope.
But it works for us.
#2: I homeschool because we learn about life together.
We’re having daily lessons about cooking, personal hygiene, and how to adequately rest. (That last one is for me.) We talk about what interests us, what troubles us, why we value what we do. As a family, we’re seeing how God is our Creator and Redeemer.
#3: I homeschool because I’m reclaiming my education.
I’m terrible at math. Not only terrible, math is impossible for me. The classic example is the time I brought thirteen bags of hot dog buns (ten buns in each) to a cookout when I was required to bring 300 hot dog buns. (Go ahead, laugh. It was actually sort of enlightening…)
That all changed when I sat with my second son to do manipulatives (blocks) during math. I can “see” addition and subtraction.
I’m a novelist but my English was challenged when the older one learned grammar. (“Mom, is ‘on’ a preposition??” “Uh, sorry, honey. What IS a preposition?!”)
Let’s not forget my husband. He’s already a whiz at math but he’s taken it to a different level this year. I’m the one who is quick to correct folks who start a conversation with “Excuse me, homeschool moms…” Because there really are DADS who are the lead learners in some families!!! (The correct expression is “homeschool PARENTS.” You heard it here first!)
Ready to help us?! Fill out a Witness Slip to say you are with me in OPPOSITION to this bill. (For “firm” or “title” type in “self,” for Position, choose (from the drop down menu) “HCA1” and OPPOSITION, and click on the “record of appearance.”)
SO WHAT?
Regulation is a good thing. Paperwork and accountability are all necessary.
But there is a regulation and then there is overreaching.
As the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) puts it, “H.B. 2827 would empower the state Board of Education to impose more homeschool restrictions and request more data from homeschooling families—all without legislative oversight.”
Read the entire article here: https://hslda.org/post/illinois-house-bill-2827-expanded-government-oversight-severe-penalties
In other words, the problem is the bill is open-ended. (The bill doesn’t say what information is required, allowing laws to change at a moment’s notice, or making the laws impossible to comply with.)
Another problem is that by allowing this statute, other and more strict regulations could be ushered in in the future.
According to illinoispolicy.org, “…little say over what private information they must report to their local school district.” Also, “Parents risk truancy charges if they fail to comply.”
What are those charges? The same article reports that if the documents are incorrectly filed, parents could be penalized. “Those penalties could include a criminal misdemeanor charge, punishable by up to 30 days in prison and up to $500 in fines.”
That got my attention really quick!
Read the full article here: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-democrats-again-attack-parents-rights-to-choose-best-education-for-their-children/
Additionally, parents would be required to (1) have a high school diploma to teach (although in truth that requirement isn’t necessary to LEARN – or to help a child learn!) and (2) the bill will mandate data collected by the homeschool – which can lead to inquiries about stuff that aren’t necessary, such as vaccines.
A very fair article about these issues can be read here: https://www.propublica.org/article/illinois-homeschool-regulations-bill
HELP US!
On March 19, 2025, there will be a hearing on HB2827, the House Bill for an amendment to severely impact my homeschool and all others in Illinois.
But you can make a difference!
Fill out a Witness Slip to say you are in OPPOSITION to this bill.
In pictoral form (thank you, Stephanie Lewis, or whoever it was who put this together!), this is what you’ll be typing in / selecting…
Here’s the link to fill out the Witness Slip
And here’s some more information about witnesses slips, what they are, how they work:
How to fill out a witness slip: https://www.ilchiefs.org/filing-a-witness-slip
More info on witness slips: https://www.aclu-il.org/en/illinois-witness-slip-faq
FAQ
What is the age requirement to fill out a witness slip? 13 and older.
I don’t homeschool. Why should I fill out a witness slip in opposition? It would be my prayer and hope that any parent would get support for how they raise their kids. If you love a family who homeschools, I’m asking you to help to protect the way we educate our kids.
I don’t live in Illinois. Can I fill out a witness slip? Yes, you can!
Share this post!
Tell your friends! Witness slips need to be fill out before March 19, 2025 at 8:00am. It only takes one minute to make a difference!
THANK YOU!
My family thanks you for taking this important step to fill out the Witness Slip and support our decision to homeschool our children! We appreciate you!
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