For 30-plus years, THSC’s position has been to protect and empower parents to make decisions for their children, especially regarding their education. In the 1980s we fought against those who argued that parents were not qualified to teach their children at home so should not be allowed to home school. Our foundational argument against this was that parents have a fundamental, constitutional right to direct the care, control and upbringing of their children and should therefore have the right to home school.

After a long legal battle with the state, and later with school districts and the TEA, we prevailed and Texas has become one of the best states in the country to home school.

More Freedom for Parents

We continue to support efforts that will give greater power and authority to parents to direct the care, control and upbringing of their children so long as those measures do not erode the freedom of home schoolers or other parents.

We support measures like school choice and UIL participation because they are “opt-in” measures that give families more choices. While they may include requirements for participation, those requirements only apply to those families who choose to participate and not to all home schoolers.

We will continue to stand strongly against regulating home schooling. That is a battle that will never end regardless of additional freedoms gained.

Participation Requirement ≠ Regulation on Home Schooling

THSC helped pass legislation allowing home school students to take dual credit classes at community colleges in the 1990s, but those students are required to take a test prior to enrollment to demonstrate that they can do college work. That is a requirement to participate, but it is not a regulation of home schooling, and it applies only to those who want to take classes at the community college.

This requirement has been in place for over two decades and has not resulted in any attempt by the state to require testing of all home schoolers. Similarly, none of the states that have adopted various school choice options over decades have even attempted to increase regulations of all home schoolers as a result.

Ever Vigilant

No matter what other freedoms parents might enjoy, every legislative session we face the possibility of losing home school freedoms. However, this can only happen by legislation passed in the Texas House and Texas Senate and signed by the governor.

Over the years THSC has been instrumental in killing a great number of bills that would have limited our freedom. We have the resources and people on the ground in Austin to sound the alarm and mobilize home schoolers to rally against any detrimental legislation.

We are committed to Keeping Texas Families Free and working to give families more educational opportunities.

Will you partner with us to preserve home school freedoms? Please consider joining as a THSC member or make a donation to THSC today!