HB2827: HOMESCHOOL ACT

Legislative Summary

Creates the Homeschool Act. Requires the State Board of Education to create a homeschool notification form that a parent or guardian shall submit to the regional office of education, intermediate service center, or superintendent for the area in which the student resides. Requires the notification form to be published in a downloadable and printable format on the Board's website no later than June 1, 2026. Provides that beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, a parent or guardian who homeschools the parent's or guardian's student shall submit the notification form before September 1 of each year. Provides that a public school or school district shall only retain a copy of the notification form if the homeschool parent or guardian requests that the record be retained by the public school or school district, and if such record is retained, the regional office of education, intermediate service center, or superintendent shall retain the record for not less than 5 years. Provides that there exists a rebuttable presumption that a student is not truant if a homeschool notification form was submitted. Allows a homeschool administrator to have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent. Provides that consent must be obtained from the Department of Children and Family Services' Guardian Administrator prior to a homeschool notification form being submitted for all youth under the custody and guardianship of the Department. Provides that homeschools shall provide every student enrolled in homeschool instruction sufficient content to satisfy certain requirements of the School Code. Allows a truant officer to request an educational portfolio as part of a truancy investigation, which must be produced by the homeschool no later than 10 days after the request is made. Allows the State Board of Education to adopt any rules necessary to implement and administer the Act. Makes other changes. Makes conforming changes in the Freedom of Information Act, the School Code, the Illinois School Student Records Act, and the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.