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."

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.

The Cato Institute was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane. It is a non-profit public policy research foundation headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Cato Institute seeks to broaden the parameters of public policy debate to allow consideration of the traditional American principles of limited government, individual liberty, free markets and peace. Toward that goal, the Institute strives to achieve greater involvement of the intelligent, concerned lay public in questions of policy and the proper role of government.

There is a national campaign to institutionalize all preschoolers through government funded and/or mandated "universal preschool." This group seeks to redefine universal preschool as an unheralded worldwide community of loving, functional parents who exercise their right and authority to nurture and teach their young children at home.

The Home School Information Packet And Best Practices Document was prepared as a joint effort by the Christian Home Educators of Kentucky, the Kentucky Home Education Association and the Kentucky Directors of Pupil Personnel. The purpose of the document is to assist home school parents and Kentucky school personnel.

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.

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.

Homeschool Watch is an email list where articles, incidents, and current legislation impacting homeschoolers can be posted and practically discussed. The list purpose is to efficiently inform, network and support the efforts of homeschoolers across the nation to keep homeschooling free. This is intended to be a list for homeschoolers actively working on legislative issues and not a theoretical debate society.

Section (2) refers to children between the ages of 16 and 18 who wish to terminate their public or nonpublic education prior to graduating from high school. Stipulates requirements to be fulfilled for this exemption to be granted.

Details on the length of the school term.

Kentucky Home Education Association is a non-sectarian organization open to all conscientious supporters of home education – without regard to race, color, creed or religion. They are the oldest, statewide homeschooling organization. Their purpose is to recognize, encourage, and protect the inalienable, God-given right of parents to educate their children at home; to monitor legislation as it relates to home education; to disseminate information concerning pertinent home education issues; to provide spokespersons for home education in Kentucky; and to inform the general public and policy makers of the credibility and value of home education.

Rose V. Council for Better Education, Inc., 790 S.W.2d 186, 60 Ed. Law Rep. 1289 (1989), established education as a fundamental right in Kentucky. This is the text of that decision.

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.

The Home School Legal Defense Association is a non-profit advocacy organization established to defend and advance the constitutional right of parents to direct the education of their children and to protect family freedoms. HSLDA offers annual memberships and fully represents member families when they are in need of legal assistance. HSLDA also participates in legislative advocacy and research.

Christian Home Educators of Kentucky (CHEK) is a statewide home schooling educational and informational organization established to assist families who choose to educate their children according to the dictates of their conscience and their fundamental rights as parents. CHEK's goal is to better equip home schoolers with the necessary skills, tools, and information to successfully fulfill their convictions and the God-mandated responsibility to train and educate their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. CHEK represents approximately 800 + family members.

Stipulates that private and parochial schools shall be taught in the English language. Requires that instruction in the several branches of study required to be taught in the public schools are offered, consistent with KRS 156.445(3). Discusses the required length of the term of the school. The minimum school term is 185 days, which includes 175 days of instruction.

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

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.

As their ranks increase, homeschoolers are tapping public schools for curriculum, part-time classes, extracurricular services, and online learning.

Kentucky Department of Education information site with a summary of the laws pertaining to home education.

Discusses the transfer of credits from a home school to a publich school. The local school district is responsible for the appropriate assignment of a student transferring from a nonaccredited secondary school to the class or grade best suited for the student.

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.

Attendance at private and parochial schools shall be kept by the authorities of such schools in a register provided by the Kentucky Board of Education, and such school authorities shall make attendance and scholarship reports in the same manner as is required by law or by regulation of the Kentucky Board of Education of public school officials. Such schools shall at times be open to inspection by directors of pupil personnel and officials of the Department of Education.

The principal or teacher in charge of any public, private, or parochial school shall report to the superintendent of schools of the district in which the school is situated the names, ages, and places of residence of all pupils in attendance at his school, together with any other facts that the superintendent may require to facilitate carrying out the laws relating to compulsory attendance and employment of children. The reports shall be made within two (2) weeks of the beginning of each school year.

This update site on the Bluegrass Home Educators' website will help keep you informed of the homeschooling legalities in Kentucky.

This statute details the requirement for compulsory school attendance for all children between the ages of 6 and 16. Those who are enrolled and regularly attending a non-public school are exempt from this provision.

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.

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

Twenty years ago, home education was treated as a crime in almost every state. Today, it is legal all across America, despite strong and continued opposition from many within the educational establishment. How did this happen? This paper traces the legal and sociological history of the modern home school movement, and then suggests factors that led to this movement's remarkable success.

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.