An Illinois House committee approved a plan (HB2827) Wednesday to create state oversight for homeschooling after hours of debate. The measure was approved along party lines with one Democrat voting present.
Under the new bill, families would be required to tell their school districts when they decide to homeschool their children, and the parents or guardians would need to have a high school diploma or equivalent. If education authorities have concerns that children are receiving inadequate schooling, they could require parents to share evidence of teaching materials and student work.
Hundreds of homeschool parents and students to the bill packed into the state capitol Wednesday morning to oppose the bill, along with over 40-thousand witness slips being posted against the bill.
Representative Dan Swanson (R-Alpha) said over 46-thousand people posted witness slips against the bill, but their voice was not heard.
