Pacific Justice Institute is a non-profit legal defense organization specializing in the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties. PJI provides free representation to parents who are unlawfully denied the right to homeschool their children. PJI also provides legal counsel to those parents wishing to homeschool, but do not know their legal options or obligations.

The greatest obstacle pioneering homeschoolers faced two decades ago was daunting: in most states home education wasn't legal. This article details five of the most significant cases that have become landmark decisions in the move towards homeschooling freedoms: the DeJonge case in Michigan, the Jeffery case in Pennsylvania, the Diegel case in Ohio, the Triple E case in South Carolina, and the Calabretta case in California.

Answers to some of the basic questions about homeschooling in Idaho. Includes interpretations of the relevant laws.

This list of ten questions touches on political issues that affect and are important to homeschoolers. It includes tips on how to frame questions and how to elicit a candidate's opinion on a variety of issues.

The education establishment has realized that the socialization issue will be seen for the red herring that it is, and has searched for other means to suppress homeschooling. Two new strategies have emerged, and these pose real threats to homeschooling. The first strategy is to argue that homeschooling needs some form of accreditation. A number of reasons have been offered: it eases the transition back to the public school for those homeschoolers who go back, it is the basis for awarding a recognized diploma, and it makes it easier to provide homeschoolers access to public school programs and facilities such as science classes, libraries, sports, etc. But accreditation is simply another word for conforming, and the desire to not conform is the fundamental reason for choosing to homeschool. Homeschoolers as a group will not be seduced nor will they be tricked by the false promises of accreditation. The second strategy for suppressing homeschooling is one that is much more likely to be successful, and it is to drastically limit homeschoolers’ access to public higher education. In this, the education establishment has discovered its only effective weapon against homeschooling.

Homeschoolers have been vigilant in protecting their rights, rising to the occasion when they discover threats to clamp down on their activities. Discusses some of the criticisms by opponents of homeschooling, along with the examples of some legal fights in Connecticut and Montana.

The Home School Legal Defense Association provides a brief summary of the homeschooling laws in Idaho. Includes a link to a legal analysis of laws relating to homeschooling in Idaho.

Families homeschooling for the first time inevitably have questions about legal challenges or threats that they might face from local or state education authorities. Those who do seek an answer to these questions are often faced with a confusing array of laws, policies, and regulations that not only vary from state to state, but also between school districts, and school officials within the same state or district.

This list is created to be a means of informing, documenting and evaluating available information concerning the impact of virtual/charter schools on the homeschooling community. This information consists of and is not limited to news items, articles from various sources, legislative information (bills, law changes), documented efforts and experiences and other information that may give weight to whether home-based charter schools or virtual schools are having an impact in any negative way on homeschooling.

This list is an opportunity for homeschoolers to contact homeschooling attorneys and experts about homeschooling legal and litigation issues. It is an informal network of attorneys and legal experts that are concerned with litigation pending and threatened against homeschoolers. Its primary purpose is to exchange legal information within the profession, and to educate and support attorneys and experts involved in homeschool litigation.

The services of the public schools of this state are extended to any acceptable person of school age. "School age" is defined as including all persons resident of the state, between the ages of five (5) and twenty-one (21) years. For the purposes of this section, the age of five (5) years shall be attained when the fifth anniversary of birth occurs on or before the first day of September of the school year in which the child is to enroll in kindergarten. For a child enrolling in the first grade, the age of six (6) years must be reached on or before the first day of September of the school year in which the child is to enroll. Any child of the age of five (5) years who has completed a private or public out-of-state kindergarten for the required four hundred fifty (450) hours but has not reached the "school age" requirement in Idaho shall be allowed to enter the first grade. For resident children with disabilities who qualify for special education and related services under the federal individuals with disabilities education act (IDEA) and subsequent amendments thereto, and applicable state and federal regulations, "school age" shall begin at the attainment of age three (3) and shall continue through the semester of school in which the student attains the age of twenty-one (21) years.

A look at the battle for the homeschooling movement and the demographics of homeschooling families that challenges the notion that all homeschoolers are conservative fundamentalists. This article is a critical look at the HSLDA.

Every important movement or trend in this country was followed by an onslaught of legislative actions which resulted in some legal stipulations that controlled the trend. What is really of concern is that this legislative control is not static, but very fluid, subject to change (meaning more restrictions in many cases). These changes occur through either more legislative actions on the part of the government or through interpretation in the judicial system. Currently, the homeschool movement is being closely monitored by various teacher unions, the public and legislative bodies throughout the United States, resulting in more and more laws being passed to control or monitor the movement. If the homeschool movement is to survive in a manner which we feel would be beneficial to us and society as a whole, we have to be more and more diligent in protecting our rights. The only way we can do this is to be more active in the political process. The question now becomes, how do we do this?

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.

The Association of HomeSchool Attorneys (AHSA) provides a list of attorneys who consult with and/or represent homeschoolers.

The parent or guardian of any child resident in this state who has attained the age of seven (7) years at the time of the commencement of school in his district, but not the age of sixteen (16) years, shall cause the child to be instructed in subjects commonly and usually taught in the public schools of the state of Idaho. Unless the child is otherwise comparably instructed, the parent or guardian shall cause the child to attend a public, private or parochial school during a period in each year equal to that in which the public schools are in session; there to conform to the attendance policies and regulations established by the board of trustees, or other governing body, operating the school attended.

(1) The parent or guardian of a child of school age who is enrolled in a nonpublic school or a public charter school shall be allowed to enroll the student in a public school for dual enrollment purposes. The board of trustees of the school district shall adopt procedures governing enrollment pursuant to this section. If enrollment in a specific program reaches the maximum for the program, priority for enrollment shall be given to a student who is enrolled full time in the public noncharter school. (2) Any student participating in dual enrollment may enter into any program in the public school available to other students subject to compliance with the eligibility requirements herein and the same responsibilities and standards of behavior and performance that apply to any student's participation in the activity, except that the academic eligibility requirements for participation in nonacademic activities are as provided for herein. (3) Any school district shall be allowed to include dual-enrolled nonpublic school and public charter school students for the purposes of state funding only to the extent of the student's participation in the public school programs. (4) Oversight of academic standards relating to participation in nonacademic public school activities shall be the responsibility of the primary educational provider for that student. In order for any nonpublic school student or public charter school student to participate in nonacademic public school activities for which public school students must demonstrate academic proficiency or eligibility, the nonpublic school or public charter school student shall demonstrate composite grade-level academic proficiency on any state board of education recognized achievement test, portfolio, or other mechanism as provided for in state board of education rules. Additionally, a student shall be eligible if he achieves a minimum composite, core or survey test score within the average or higher than average range as established by the test service utilized on any nationally-normed test. Demonstrated proficiency shall be used to determine eligibility for the current and next following school years. School districts shall provide to nonpublic students who wish to participate in dual enrollment activities the opportunity to take state tests or other standardized tests given to all regularly enrolled public school students. (5) A public school student who has been unable to maintain academic eligibility is ineligible to participate in nonacademic public school activities as a nonpublic school or public charter school student for the duration of the school year in which the student becomes academically ineligible and for the following academic year. (6) A nonpublic school or public charter school student participating in nonacademic public school activities must reside within the attendance boundaries of the school for which the student participates. (7) Dual enrollment shall include the option of joint enrollment in a regular public school and an alternative public school program. The state board of education shall establish rules that provide funding to school districts for each student who participates in both a regular public school program and an alternative public school program. (8) Dual enrollment shall include the option of enrollment in a post-secondary institution. Any credits earned from an accredited post-secondary institution shall be credited toward state board of education high school graduation requirements. (9) A nonpublic student is any student who receives educational instruction outside a public school classroom and such instruction can include, but is not limited to, a private school or a home school.

Find the laws pertaining to home education for all 50 states and U.S. territories.

Whenever the parents or guardians of any child between the ages of seven (7) years, as qualified in section 33-202, Idaho Code, and sixteen (16) years, have failed, neglected or refused to place the child in school as provided in this chapter or to have the child comparably instructed, or knowingly have allowed a pupil to become an habitual truant, proceedings shall be brought against such parent or guardian under the provisions of the juvenile corrections act.

Some veteran home educators seem to take a firm stand on principles that others don't even recognize as issues. Is it that they are just stubborn, rebellious, or cantankerous? Probably not.

This is a list of tips for effective lobbying. Includes ways to lobby, things you can do now, and how to connect with other lobbyists.

AHSA is an informal network of attorneys and legal experts in the United States supporting homeschooling and homeschoolers by providing legal information about homeschooling issues, empowering homeschoolers to have the legal tools they need to meet homeschooling challenges, and providing a network of attorneys for legal representation. The website includes a legal directory by state.

This Idaho Department of Education page states that Idaho does not regulate or monitor home school education. This web page is intended to provide answers to frequently asked questions regarding home school in Idaho.

This is a list of states that have addressed issues of homeschooler participation in public school classes, sports, activities, etc.

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?