The Homeschool Briefing

A New Mexico school district told a homeschool mom her daughter would be marked absent until she completed paperwork state law never required. HSLDA stepped in and cleared the illegal hoops. Plus, EdChoice's new end-of-school-year survey shows bullying and anxiety, not academics, now drive parents to switch schools, and parents rank work ethic and real-world experience far above a four-year degree...

It's deadline week for education savings accounts. West Virginia Treasurer Larry Pack reminds families that June 15 is the last day to apply for 100% of the Hope Scholarship award (about $5,435 per student), now open to all WV students in grades K-12, including homeschoolers who were previously ineligible. And Tennessee has reopened its ESA application window through Friday, June 12 at 4 p.m. CT a...

Connecticut becomes the first state in the modern homeschool era to regulate home education, and HSLDA is weighing legal action. We break down exactly what House Bill 5468 requires, who is grandfathered in, and how families can respond with both diligence and conviction. Then we head to the kitchen table for a restful, Charlotte Mason approach to summer: nature study you can start in ten minutes t...

Connecticut becomes the first state in the modern homeschool era to roll back homeschool freedom. Governor Ned Lamont signed HB 5468 into law, adding an annual intent-to-educate form and a child-abuse-registry check for parents, and HSLDA has pledged legal action. Then a hopeful turn: AmblesideOnline celebrates 25 years of its free Charlotte Mason curriculum, and we share a narration habit you can...

Connecticut just became the first state in the modern homeschool era to require a parental background check before families can teach their own children, and HSLDA has promised legal action. We unpack what House Bill 5468 does, why the authority question at its core matters for every family, and the encouraging counter-trend in states that are expanding homeschool freedom and funding instead. In t...

On today's Homeschool Briefing, host Silas Penn breaks down Connecticut's new homeschool law (HB 5468) and what it means for families, then turns to a practical, biblical strategy for keeping your kids learning all summer long through the simple power of reading aloud. In this episode: - Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signs HB 5468, adding annual intent-to-educate forms and a one-time DCF background...

Connecticut's new homeschool law is now in effect, and the Home School Legal Defense Association says the courtroom fight is just beginning. We break down exactly what Public Act 26-37 requires of families, why supporters and critics see it so differently, and what Scripture says about who holds the first authority over a child's education. Then we head to the kitchen table for a two-minute Charlo...

Connecticut just became the latest flashpoint in the homeschool freedom debate. Governor Ned Lamont signed House Bill 5468 into law, the first regulation of home education in a state tradition that had stood for more than 270 years. We cover what the law requires, why supporters and homeschool advocates are sharply divided, the biblical case for parent-directed education from Deuteronomy 6, and a...

On Tuesday, Governor Ned Lamont signed Connecticut House Bill 5468 into law, making the state the latest to require background checks and DCF approval for homeschool families. Meanwhile in Texas, the second wave of Education Freedom Account notifications reached more than 53,000 students. We unpack what both mean for the family at the kitchen table, anchor it in Deuteronomy six, and finish with a...

Today on The Homeschool Briefing: Connecticut's sweeping homeschool regulation bill, HB 5468, lands on Governor Lamont's desk, and new Johns Hopkins / RAND data shows most homeschoolers now combine home education with co-ops, online classes, and microschools. In this episode: - Connecticut House Bill 5468 lands on Governor Ned Lamont's desk as Public Act 26-37, with HSLDA pushing for a veto. - New...

Colorado lawmakers wrapped up a months long fight over homeschool enrichment funding, choosing to hold the current per student rate while adding new guardrails on the cooperative driving program growth. Then we head to the kitchen table with a simple, screen free way to make today's lesson stick: Charlotte Mason style narration. Host Silas Penn breaks down what the news means for your family and y...

Connecticut House Bill 5468 is on Gov. Ned Lamont's desk, with mandatory background checks and in-person annual filings ahead for homeschool families. Meanwhile, Iowa just removed the four-student cap and the tuition ban for independent private instructors, freeing co-ops to grow. Plus, a 10-minute Charlotte Mason habit your school day can actually use. In this episode: - Connecticut HB 5468 heads...

On May 12, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed House File 2754 into law, removing the four-student cap on independent homeschool instructors, allowing tutors and small academies to charge for services, and granting homeschool-issued diplomas the same legal weight as public school diplomas. We unpack what that means for families inside and outside Iowa, then turn to one of the most quietly powerful p...

Today on The Homeschool Briefing: Colorado's late-session amendments aim to rein in publicly funded homeschool enrichment programs, and HSLDA reminds families that the right to homeschool is anchored in 250 years of American liberty. In this episode: - Colorado House passes amendments to limit ERBOCES and homeschool enrichment programs (Chalkbeat Colorado) - HSLDA marks the 250th anniversary of Am...

Two New England states moved in opposite directions on homeschool oversight in the same week. Connecticut's HB 5468 sits on Governor Lamont's desk after a 22-14 Senate vote on May 4 and would require annual in-person registration plus a child abuse and neglect registry check for every adult in the household. Two states north, the New Hampshire Senate voted on May 8 to lift the state's homeschool n...

Connecticut HB 5468 is on Governor Ned Lamont's desk after the state Senate passed it 22-14 on May 4. If signed, the bill imposes Connecticut's first formal homeschool regulations in 276 years, including annual intent-to-educate forms, DCF records checks for adults in the home, and portfolio or test-based progress reviews. Meanwhile, Tennessee's Education Savings Account application for the 2026-2...

On today's Homeschool Briefing: Connecticut's HB 5468 has cleared both chambers and now waits on Governor Ned Lamont. We walk through what the bill would do, why HSLDA is sounding the alarm, and why Deuteronomy 6 still answers the underlying question. Then to the kitchen table: a new study on reading aloud for just fourteen bedtimes shows measurable gains in empathy and creativity for kids ages si...

Connecticut's Senate has passed a bill requiring annual in-person registration and background checks for homeschool parents, with HSLDA warning it creates a surveillance state. Meanwhile, a new Mississippi State University study explains why so many pandemic-era families decided to stay home after schools reopened, and what that reveals about the future of homeschooling in America. In this episode...

Connecticut's House Bill 5468 cleared the State Senate late Monday night and is now on Governor Ned Lamont's desk. If signed, it would replace a 276-year-old equivalent-instruction standard with an annual intent-to-educate form for every family and a mandatory DCF records check before any parent could withdraw a child to homeschool. We unpack what is in the bill, the biblical case for parental aut...

Connecticut's Senate passed the state's first homeschool oversight bill late Monday night and sent it to Governor Lamont's desk. New Johns Hopkins research shows nine out of ten homeschool families now lean on outside support. We connect both stories to your kitchen table. In this episode: - Connecticut Senate passes HB 5468 (22-14), sending the state's first-ever homeschool reporting law to Gover...

Connecticut House Bill 5468 lands in the state Senate with the 2026 legislative session set to adjourn Wednesday, May 6. Plus a Charlotte Mason nature study habit you can start before lunch and a biblical anchor in Deuteronomy 6. In this episode: - Connecticut HB 5468 passes the House 96-53 and heads to the Senate, with mandatory DCF records checks for homeschool families - A simple Charlotte Maso...

Connecticut's homeschool law of 276 years could be rewritten this week as HB 5468 sits on the Senate calendar. We break down what the bill actually does, what HSLDA said at yesterday's Hartford press conference, and the deeper covenantal question every homeschool parent should be asking. Then a practical plan to finish the May home stretch without burning out. In this episode: - Connecticut HB 546...

Thursday, April 30, 2026. Connecticut's HB 5468 heads to the Senate with the legislative clock running out May 6, and new Johns Hopkins and RAND data shows 88 percent of homeschool families blend additional resources into their week. Plus a one-minute Charlotte Mason narration practice you can try at the kitchen table today. In this episode: - Connecticut HB 5468 clears the House 96-53 and now fac...

Connecticut's homeschool oversight bill, HB 5468, heads to the state Senate this week after clearing the House 96 to 53. We walk through what is in it, why supporters and HSLDA are clashing, and then turn to a practical Charlotte Mason narration tool you can use at the kitchen table today. In this episode: - Connecticut HB 5468 moves to the Senate after House passage - Charlotte Mason narration: t...

Two states, two opposite directions on homeschool freedom this week. Connecticut's House passed HB 5468 ninety-six to fifty-three, creating the state's first homeschool oversight framework, which now heads to the Senate before the May 6 session deadline. Meanwhile, New Hampshire's HB 1268 would strip nearly every administrative requirement off home-education families. And in Texas, the first Tier...