Homeschool bill stalls in Illinois House, but sponsor says it’s still
alive
[April 15, 2025]
By Molly Parker and Beth Hundsdorfer
A bill that would tighten homeschooling regulations in Illinois missed a
key deadline on Friday. But its sponsor, Rep. Terra Costa Howard, said
it’s still alive — and she’s working on changes recommended by fellow
lawmakers to get it passed.
“We recognize that there’s some more changes that need to be made and so
we want to be respectful of the process,” Costa Howard, D-Glen Ellyn,
told Capitol News Illinois. “I want to pass a bill that we can be proud
of. And even though I’m proud of the bill now, I want to be able to take
into consideration some of the other suggestions that have been made.”
The proposal, amended twice in recent weeks, would require parents to
file a declaration of intent with their regional office of education. If
a truancy investigation arises, officials could ask for schoolwork or
lesson plans.
Costa Howard introduced the bill after a Capitol News Illinois and
ProPublica investigation last summer revealed Illinois’ lack of
oversight in cases where children weren’t receiving an education.
Illinois has some of the loosest homeschooling laws in the country, and
multiple truancy officers told reporters that when they investigated a
truancy case and parents claimed they were homeschooling, the
investigation came to a grinding halt, even if concerns remained.
In the worst cases, children disappeared from school and endured abuse
or neglect at home for years before authorities became aware.
The bill has become one of the most divisive issues at the Capitol this
session, drawing thousands of opponents led by two Christian
homeschooling organizations: Illinois Christian Home Educators and the
Home School Legal Defense Association.
On Thursday, Will Estrada, in an upbeat message on the Home School Legal
Defense Association’s Facebook page, shared news that the bill’s
sponsors “did not have the votes currently on the floor to move the
bill.” The organization’s chief legal counsel called it “hard to
overstate how significant this news is.” Estrada congratulated
homeschooling families for their efforts, adding, “The good news is your
phone calls, your efforts, your talking to your friends, your continuing
to get the word out to the legislators in Springfield, your voices are
being heard.”
However, Estrada cautioned that the stall “doesn’t mean the battle is
over.”
On Saturday, Estrada joined Illinois Christian Home Educators Executive
Director Kirk Smith in a Facebook video message from a homeschooling
conference in Peoria. They urged their followers to tone down their
efforts during the legislative break that coincides with Passover and
Easter.
“We have kind of a change of strategy,” Estrada said.
“We want to limit the activity politically this week,” Smith added. “We
encourage those who may have friends who are representatives to reach
out to them lovingly during this time. But let’s give the legislature a
little time to catch their breath.”
Though both organizations have stressed their members to communicate
their opposition politely with lawmakers, Costa Howard says these
organizations have stoked fear, amplifying fringe voices.
Since introducing the bill, Costa Howard said she’s been inundated with
hostile calls and emails, even including a letter she perceived as a
death threat. The anonymous letter, addressed to Costa Howard at her
legislative office in Lombard, referenced HB2827 — the Homeschool Act —
contained five lines:
Costa Howard turned the letter over to police, who she says are
investigating it in her home district.
The bill has also drawn opposition from minority communities. Pastor
Chris Butler testified against the bill last week when the amended
version came before the House Education Policy Committee.
“I am here today as somebody who grew up in Chicago public schools,”
Butler said. “I am here today sitting next to somebody who taught in
Chicago’s public schools. And we too have grown up, and we too have
something to say about the education that we received, and it is why
people in our generation have stepped up and said, we must do something
different.”
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Rep. Amy Elik, D-Alton, criticizes a bill that would create new
homeschool oversight requirements in a speech on April 11, 2025.
(Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
He argued that any regulation would impede minority families from
homeschooling to escape failing public schools and encouraged opponents
to continue filing witness slips opposing the bill and speaking out
against it.
Editorial boards at The Chicago Tribune and The Wall Street Journal have
also opposed the bill. The Tribune said the bill “overreaches,” while
the Journal raised privacy concerns about the information homeschool
families could be required to provide on the forms.
The anonymous letter to Costa Howard was postmarked from a mail
distribution site in Kearny, New Jersey, on March 24 — three days after
the editorial appeared in the Wall Street Journal. The return address
was listed simply as The Rancher, East Coast.
Under Illinois law, threatening a public official is a Class 3 felony.
The Lombard Police Department declined to comment, but did provide,
under a Freedom of Information Act request, a copy of the report that
contained the typewritten, unsigned letter.
Costa Howard also alerted the Illinois State Police regarding the
letter. An ISP spokesman said the agency assesses potential threats and
determines needed actions based on the findings of the assessment, which
may include further consultation and, if necessary, makes
recommendations to enhance security.
Despite the vitriolic communication, Costa Howard said she is pressing
forward because of those who’ve also reached out to say they were
victims of inadequate homeschooling and want more protections in the
law.
The bill missed a procedural deadline on Friday for non-budget bills to
clear their chamber of origin. But lawmakers can request an extension,
which Costa Howard has done.
“The one thing I’ve learned about Springfield is don’t ever count
something out,” she said.
Rep. Amy Elik, R-Alton, disagreed.
“This bill was doomed from the beginning,” Elik said from the House
floor Friday after Costa Howard made a brief speech about the bill.
Costa Howard says changes to the bill have already been made to address
concerns, and that she’s working on more. The amendment that passed a
House committee on Wednesday, April 9, provided more specific details
for the declaration form, ensured that an online version would be
available, and clarified that a truancy investigation would be required
to compel families to turn over homeschooling portfolios.
Another change addresses concerns from private schools, which had
opposed having to provide a list of students to the Illinois State Board
of Education. Under the change, private schools would only need to
verify a student’s attendance record if asked in a truancy
investigation.
Costa Howard said she remains open to negotiations on the bill’s finer
details but believes passing new safeguards is critical to protect
children from parents who claim they are homeschooling, but don’t follow
through.
“I do not back down from bullies,” Costa Howard said. “And there are
victims that have reached out to me constantly thanking me because it
has also allowed them to raise their voices and feel that they could
speak out about the experiences they’ve had as well.”
Capitol News Illinois is
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coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily
by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. |
