Libraries

WIU Logo

Home Schooling

A Guide to Selected Government and Legal Information

Web version of this guide includes links to web resources.

Federal Government Information
Home Schooling in the United States: Trends and Characteristics

This report offers social, demographic, and geographic characteristics of U.S. home schooling households, as well as examines the potential for future growth. 2001
FICHE.C 3.223/27:53

Homeschooling in the United States, 2003

This report presents 2003 data on the prevalence of homeschooling and the characteristics of these students and their families. It describes the parents' primary reasons for homeschooling as well as the curricular resources used. 2003

Rural Home Schooling and Place-Based Education

Place-based education draws from local culture, history, and geography to create a meaningful curriculum. This paper examines the ways in which place-based curriculum can counter common concerns about homeschooling. 2001
ED 1.331/2:EDO-RC-01-9

Illinois Government Information
"Home Schooling"

This article discusses home schooling in Illinois: criticisms of it, reasons for doing it, and ways to accomplish it. A U.S. map shows states with little or no regulation, moderate regulation, or high regulation. Illinois is one of eight states with no regulation of home schooling.
Illinois Issues. July/August 1997 Vol. 23, Nos. 7-8 pp. 30-32
ILLINOIS 320.9 ILLI

Illinois State Board of Education

Although registration is not mandatory in Illinois, here is the Illinois State Board of Education home school registration form.

Education Expense Credit General Rules and Requirements for Home Schools

Illinois Department of Revenue Publication 119 clarifies the requirements for qualified education expenses for home schoolers. 2005

Legal Information
National Survey of State Laws

The Compulsory Education section of this book outlines each state's educational requirements. Mandatory age, home school provisions, noncompliance penalties, and also the relevant Code sections are given. 2003
LEGL REF KF 386 .N38 2003 pp. 231-246.

Illinois School Code

This section of the Illinois Compiled Statutes applies to compulsory attendance.
105 ILCS 5/26 et. al

"Regulating Home Schooling"

This article examines home schooling and other alternatives to public schools. Reasons for choosing home schooling, statistics, and state requirements are explored.
State Legislatures.September 1999 p.12-16

The Right to Home School: A Guide to the Law on Parents' Rights in Education

This book offers a pro-home schooling examination of case and statutory law affecting home schooling. 1998
LEGL REF KF 4221.K 56 1998

People v. Levisen

A ruling by the Illinois Supreme Court that parents have the right to educate their children at home and the responsibility to ensure that the children are receiving appropriate instruction.
90 N.E.2d 213 (1950)

Education Law

This seven-volume set was kept up-to-date by regular installments until 2013 and offers a comprehensive analysis of education law, including a section on home schooling in Volume 3 (section 8.03[7]). Table T4 in Volume 7 offers state-by-state analysis of compulsory education requirements and exceptions.
LEGL REF KF 4119.R 36 Vols. 3 & 7

Illinois School Law Survey

A section of this book answers questions relating to home schooling in Illinois and offers relevant case and statutory law. 1998
LEGL REF KFI 1590.A 16 I 45 ed. 5 1998 pp. 184-185

"Home Schooled Children Gaining Limited Access To Public Schools"

Many parents of home schooled children desire that their children be allowed to participate in public school extracurricular activities, but many public schools are refusing this request. This article explores home schooling case law, unsuccess arguments based on constitutional grounds, and state efforts to handle this issue.
Journal of Law and Education. January 1999 Vol. 28, No. 1 pp. 25-35

"Parental Rights and Responsibilities of Control Over Children's Education"

This article examines whether or not parents have a fundamental right to control their child's education and addresses the Parental Rights and Responsibilities Act.
Journal of Law and Education. January 1997 Volume 26, No. 1 pp. 179-188

"Home-Schools and Interscholastic Sports: Denying Participation Violates United States Constitutional Due Process and Equal Protection Rights"

A look at the growing trend of home schooling and the legislation affecting home school and public school relationships.
Journal of Law and Education. July 1997 Vol. 26, No. 3 pp. 123-132

Wisconsin v. Yoder

This Supreme Court decision allows noncompliance with the Wisconsin compulsory education statute by members of the Old Amish Order due to religious convictions.
406 US 205 (1972)

Equal Access to Public Education: An Examination of the State Constitutional & Statutory Rights of Nonpublic Students to Participate in Public School Programs on a Part-Time Basis in North Carolina & Across the Nation

This article looks at the legal rationales for and against allowing home-schooled children to participate in public school extracurricular activities. 2007
13 Tex. J. on C.L. & C.R. 1, via Nexis Uni

http://wiu.edu/libraries/govpubs/guides/homeSchooling.php

Subject Guides