State Laws
Read the laws regulating home education in Illinois and browse through the case law and legal opinions relating to those laws, along with government publications relating to homeschooling and summaries of the laws.
Summaries and Explanations of Illinois Homeschooling Laws
Driver's Education & the Home-Schooled Student
An examination of the driver's education laws and their effect on homeschoolers in Illinois.
Illinois Home School Laws
The Home School Legal Defense Association provides a brief summary of the homeschooling laws in Illinois. Includes a link to a legal analysis of laws relating to homeschooling in Illinois.
Required Record Keeping
Lists records that should be kept by homeschooling parents in Illinois.
How and Where to take Classes
Covers taking classes at community colleges, constitution tests, and part time attendance of pupils enrolled in nonpublic schools in the regular education program of the district.
Illinois Statutes Pertaining to Home Education
Public Act 093-0859
Record keeping is discussed in this statute.
Illinois Statute 105 ILCS 5/Article 27
This statute details required courses of study, including language arts, biological and physical science, mathematics, social sciences, fine arts, health and physical development.
Illinois Statute 105 ILCS 5/ Article 26. Pupils--Compulsory Attendance
Statute regulating compulsory attendance, including ages of students, and regulations concerning private schools.
Illinois Statute 820 ILCS 205, Section 11 Child Labor Law
Regulates the employment of workers under the age of 16. Addresses the use of employment certificates.
Home School Laws from HSLDA
Find the laws pertaining to home education for all 50 states and U.S. territories.
Public Act 093-0858
Regulations concerning education of students by parents.
Case Law and Legal Opinions
Pierce v. Society of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary
In Pierce v. Society of the Sisters, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that "the fundamental theory of liberty upon which all governments of this Union repose excludes any general power of the state to standardize its children by forcing them to accept instruction from public teachers only. The child is not the creature of the state."
People vs. Levisen
In People vs. Levisen, (1950), The Supreme Court of Illinois reversed the conviction of homeschool parents. The appellants were Seventh Day Adventists and, according to Justice Crampton who delivered the opinion of the Court, "believed that the child should not be educated in competition with other children. The Supreme Court did not agree that the homeschool parents had violated the compulsory attendance law. Further, the Court defined a private school as: "a place where instruction is imparted to the young... the number of persons being taught does not determine whether a place is a school." These findings indicate that the parents' right to control their children includes the right to provide an education for them at home.
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Featured Resources
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The Way They Learn
The learning-styles expert, Cynthia Ulrich Tobias, gives parents a better understanding of the types of learning approaches that will help their children do better in school and at home. She offers practical advice for teaching in response to your child's strengths, even if his or her learning style is different from yours.
Pecci Reading Method: At Last! A Reading Method for Every Child
At Last! A Reading Method for Every Child offers a balanced approach with intensive phonics and literature-based reading instruction. This is a simple method of teaching reading, with lots of supplemental materials. Get product information here.
Homeschooling 101: A Guide to Getting Started
Homeschooling 101 gives you the steps to help you get started on your homeschool journey. This guide lays out how to get started, choose and gather curriculum, scheduling, organizing your home, and finding the joy in homeschooling. This book is perfect for new homeschoolers who are looking for real help in taking the first step.
Spell to Write & Read
This teacher's manual, written by a homeschool educator with experience as a professional school teacher and private tutor, shows how to teach reading the "write" way. By phonetically teaching spelling from the start as the backbone for reading, all children can be taught, regardless of learning styles, to read and spell. If your student knows how to read already, this program can improve his or her spelling. Find out more about this product here.
The Mystery of History
The Mystery of History series is another alternative to traditional textbooks. The five volume set covers history from creation to present day, with a biblical worldview. This series is intended for grades K-8. Note that at this time, this series is not completed.