HB 2254 – Waldron

Concerns: Data collecting of homeschool parents’ and children’s names, regulation to file for intent to homeschool, overreach of government, early stages of homeschool regulation

HB 2254 is currently very short; please read it to understand some of the government’s ideas for regulation. Along with a letter of intent to homeschool, this bill mandates that all names of persons in the household must be submitted into a database.

It states, “parents making the decision to choose homeschooling, podschooling, or microschooling shall submit a letter of intent to the State Department of Education. The letter of intent shall include the parent or parents’ names, the child’s or children’s names, the home address, the names of any other individuals living within the home, the names of any associated individuals or organizations assisting with the child’s or children’s schooling, and a brief statement for the decision of schooling.”

The bill also states, “The State Department of Education shall compile a database of individuals, facilities, and organizations that perform and assist with homeschooling, podschooling, or microschooling.” 

Currently, if a family wants to homeschool, they submit a letter of withdrawal to the school stating only the withdrawing student’s full name and the parent’s signature. No other information is required. This bill will extend that reach and start collecting a database.

Homeschool Oklahoma is against any legislation such as this that concerns taking away our homeschool freedom.  Fragments of this short bill mimic the Make Homeschool Safe Act, a model bill which legislators are using to write homeschool regulation into law under the guise of helping children.

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