Laws that regulate home education vary from state to state. It is important to understand the legal requirements in your state and to be aware of legislative and other legal issues that affect homeschoolers in your community. We've compiled resources that will help you become informed. Although homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, and the vast majority of homeschoolers face no problems, you may find that you need legal assistance at some point in your homeschooling career. We've compiled a list of resources to help you find the support you need. And if you'd like to become more involved in working towards homeschooling freedoms, we discuss some of the issues facing homeschoolers that we hope you find compelling.
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| State Laws |
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Read the laws regulating home education in Wisconsin and browse through the case law and legal opinions relating to those laws, along with government publications relating to homeschooling and summaries of the laws.
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| Forms |
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Which forms do you need to fill out? Where can you get them? Here is a list of useful forms for homeschooling in Wisconsin.
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| Legal Support |
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If you need legal information or have run into a legal situation regarding your decision to homeschool, these resources will be helpful.
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| Lobbying Groups |
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A listing of local and national lobbying groups and information on how you can become involved in the political process to ensure the freedom to homeschool is protected.
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| Attorneys |
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When searching for an attorney, it is helpful to know whether he or she has experience working with homeschoolers and is interested in protecting the right to homeschool.
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| Legal Issues |
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Is homeschooling legal? Which laws pertain to homeschoolers and which don't? How do homeschoolers protect their rights to freely educate their children and to preserve their privacy?
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| Government Resources |
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A listing of local and state government resources, including your state's Department of Education, school districts, and Senate and House of Representative information.
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Responding to Current Legislative Challenges Promoted by National Organizations |
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Larry and Susan Kaseman |
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Two different kinds of legislation are undermining our rights and responsibilities as parents and our homeschooling freedoms. It would be serious enough if this legislation was coming from opponents of parents' rights and homeschooling. But the fact that the legislation is being promoted by national organizations that claim to support parental rights and homeschooling is very confusing and frustrating.
This column will discuss two different legislative initiatives. Topic 1 covers efforts being made by several national organizations to get parental rights legislation or constitutional amendments passed in many states, why this concerns homeschoolers, and what we can do. Topic 2 focuses on problems that accompany efforts to include homeschoolers in federal legislation designed to give parents tax breaks for educational expenses and what we can do about this.
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Legal Directory By State |
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The Association of HomeSchool Attorneys (AHSA) provides a list of attorneys who consult with and/or represent homeschoolers. |
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The Rutherford Institute |
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The Rutherford Institute is an international legal and educational organization dedicated to preserving human rights and defending civil liberties. Deeply committed to protecting the constitutional freedoms of every American and the integral human rights of all people, The Rutherford Institute has emerged as a prominent leader in the national dialogue on civil
liberties and equal rights. Parents have a constitutional right to direct and control the upbringing of their children, and laws or governmental actions that unreasonably infringe the rights of parents to raise and educate their children according to their own values are constitutionally suspect. The Rutherford Institute responds to over one thousand requests for assistance annually from parents whose rights were placed in jeopardy. |
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Homeschooling is Legal |
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This website provides a critical look at the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). According to this website, although the Home School Legal Defense Association is credited with helping homeschoolers in its early years, many believe the organization has changed. HSLDA's actions on federal, state and local levels have raised questions about the organization's direction, and whether it has strayed too far to offer any genuine protection or benefit to homeschoolers.
When one is afforded a wide-angle view of HSLDA and its actions, patterns emerge and questions form. Is HSLDA an organization worthy of your financial support? Visit HSLDA's site, read through the pages of this site and decide for yourself.
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On Jumping Through Hoops |
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Helen Hegener |
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Most books and articles on home education are quick to point out that homeschooling is legal--in one form or another-- in all fifty states. Parents might have to jump through more hoops in one state than in another, but, as long as they're willing to jump through those hoops, they are allowed to teach their own children at home. But are these hoops actually necessary?
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