​Beyond legislation, we must recognize the educational crisis in Illinois. Families, especially those in Chicago’s Black community, already face abysmal proficiency rates—with only 21% of students proficient in reading and 9% in math. Government-controlled schooling has failed our children, yet lawmakers want more control, not less.

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Why? Sponsors of HB 2827 argue that despite their dismal failure, the government knows best and is more capable and obviously more fit to educate your children.

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Yet Illinois lawmakers ignore the educational attainment of homeschoolers. We rely not only on statistics but also on our hands-on daily life experiences, love, support, and academic achievements with our children. We know them best!

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Homeschoolers Achievement: 

• Home-educated students typically score 15 to 25 percentile points higher than public-school students on standardized tests, where the public school average is around the 50th percentile.

• A 2015 study found Black homeschool students scored 23 to 42 percentile points higher than Black public school students (Ray, 2015).

• 78% of peer-reviewed studies indicate homeschool students perform significantly better academically than those in institutional schools (Ray, 2017).

• Homeschool students score above average on achievement tests, regardless of their parents’ education level or household income. (Ray, 2013, 2010)

• Lower academic scores. The average score for a public school student is about 50% (scores range from 1 to 99).

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Requirements & penalties under House Bill 2827

• Forced Registration: Homeschoolers would be forced to register with public schools.

• Teacher Qualifications: Parents who homeschool would need to have a high school diploma or an equivalent qualification.

• Truancy Penalties: Non-compliant families risk being labeled as truant.

• Class C Misdemeanor: Parents may be charged with a Class C misdemeanor if their child is absent without a valid excuse.

• Jail Time: Parents could face up to 30 days in jail or have their children forcibly removed from the home.

• Fines: Parents might incur fines of up to $500.

• Student Portfolio Reviews: Local public school officials can review homeschooled students' work anytime and for any reason, ensuring the homeschool program meets public school standards.

• Immunization Proof: Requires immunization proof or religious exemption for part-time public education participants.

• State Interference in Education: HB 2827 aligns with the state’s belief that the “fundamental goal of the People of the State is the educational development of all persons to the limits of their capacities” and that “the educational development of every school student serves the public purposes of the State.” This language dangerously implies that the government—not parents—has the ultimate authority over a child’s education.

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Illinois State Representative Terra Costa Howard introduced House Bill 2827, a 45-page proposal that mandates homeschooling families report their educational activities to authorities. This bill requires parents to provide information about their children's identities and education, reflecting a trend from critics of homeschooling.

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It borrows ideas from the Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE) 2024 "Make Homeschool Safe Act," which questions parental trustworthiness and calls for more government oversight for child safety, framing parental control as extremism.​​ This view holds that parents controlling their child's life is extremism due to policies banning sexually explicit books, protecting children from LGBTQ+ ideology, and rejecting healthcare that denies biological identity in government schools.

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CRHE is working with Illinois lawmakers on H.B. 2827, claiming existing laws inadequately protect homeschooled children.​ We firmly oppose HB 2827, as it seeks to undermine our parental rights in educating our children according to our beliefs and values. We stand united to protect our fundamental right to guide their education as we see fit.

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