Chicago City Wire

Illinois’ proposed Homeschool Act (HB2827) is facing a groundswell of opposition from homeschool advocates, who argue the bill would impose sweeping new regulations and erode parental rights. 

Among the most vocal critics is Chantal Moore, who is on the director team of Veritas Academy, a “Christ-centered, classical hybrid” homeschool co-op on Chicago’s northwest side that serves 40 families.

Moore says that despite claims of community input, many prominent homeschooling groups, including Illinois Christian Home Educators, were not consulted. 

“The rhetoric being spread is that there was input from homeschoolers,” she told Chicago City Wire. “However I am reluctant to believe that as we have major homeschool communities - for example Illinois Christian Homeschool Educators - that have not been contacted for feedback.”

Over 42,000 Illinoisans have filed opposition slips on HB2827. 

On April 3, members of Veritas Academy held a protest in downtown Chicago opposing the HB2827.

The bill was amended on April 8. 

Critics of HB2827 argue the amended bill imposes unreasonable deadlines on families withdrawing children from public school, potentially punishing those responding to urgent issues like bullying. They also raise concerns about state oversight of homeschool curricula, data collection from private schools, and provisions allowing truant officers to interview homeschooled children—raising privacy and constitutional issues.

One of Moore’s central concerns is the bill’s requirement that families submit educational portfolios during truancy investigations. 

“My issue is not so much the request for the portfolio but truly understanding the purpose behind it,” Moore said. “The right to privacy for a portfolio—what we eat in our home, how often we shower—is private information.”

Under the amended version of HB2827, families who withdraw a child from public school must file a homeschool notification form within just three days. 

Moore says this provision is especially harmful for families dealing with crises such as bullying.

“In 2017 we entered sixth grade and my son became the target of students' entertainment,” she said. “He is on the Autism Spectrum and has very large reactions. After a year of weekly calls and being his advocate we knew we needed a change. Pulling a child out for bullying is not a decision taken lightly and parents are usually at their last wits at this point. To ask a child to be removed from a classroom and three days later turn around and submit a full curriculum plan is not only stressful but unreasonable.“ 

Another particularly controversial provision is the redefinition of “homeschool” to exclude cooperative learning groups made up of multiple families. 

“This puts at risk communities like ours that offers support for families to homeschool,” Moore said. “This will encourage a life of isolation which we strongly discourage.”

Illinois Home Christian Educators argues that HB2827 is based on unproven claims about abuse in homeschooling, while overlooking systemic failures in the state’s child protection services. They also warn that the bill’s redefinition of homeschooling could harm families who rely on co-ops or alternative educational models.

Moore is encouraging families to take action. “The best thing to do is voice your concerns to your representative and senator,” she said. “Continue to voice it over and over.”

The bill passed the House Education Policy Committee and could face a vote on the House floor as early as this week. 

Sponsored by State Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn), the bill,was recently amended in what some critics describe as a complete overhaul introduced with little public notice. 

Will Estrada, senior counsel at the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), called it “a completely new bill” that grants “about as broad of a grant of rulemaking authority as you can imagine.”

Estrada warned that HB2827 could make Illinois one of the worst states in the country to homeschool. 

“This bill goes beyond paperwork; it opens the door to government intervention in homeschooling in a way we've never seen before,” he told Prairie State Wire. “The stakes are high because no state has ever gone backwards on homeschool freedom like this.”

The legislative push in Illinois is being led by the Coalition for Responsible Home Education. 

“Despite their name, they are a pro-authoritarian, pro-government regulation organization, and they are taking it as their mission to roll back homeschool freedom,” Estrada said.