Homeschool Oklahoma
February 24, 2025
Excerpt:
Oklahoma introduced a tax-credit voucher program in 2023, offering $1,000 to homeschoolers. Since then, multiple bills have been introduced proposing strict homeschooling regulations, such as mandatory background checks for all adults interacting with homeschooled children. Legislators have informed us that these are due to the tax credit availability, even though the legislation does not limit itself to households taking the tax credit….
The study defines “homeschool regulations” using only three criteria:
1. Notice of intent to homeschool
2. Testing requirements
3. Parental qualifications
Other significant factors, such as curriculum restrictions, background checks, and vaccine mandates, are ignored. Additionally, only legislative changes are considered, excluding policies implemented by educational authorities or child protective services. According to the study, they “only count changes to laws”….
The study also ignores the requirements of voucher programs. Such requirements impact all homeschooling students, even if the requirement is only directly placed on voucher recipients. Homeschoolers educate within broader homeschooling communities, and requirements placed on voucher recipients often extend to co-ops, athletic associations, and other homeschooling groups, indirectly imposing restrictions on all homeschoolers.
For instance, if background checks are required of all adults involved in a voucher recipient’s education, then that includes everyone in their co-op as well, even if they didn’t take the voucher. Also, if curriculum requirements are imposed on a voucher student, this extends to the curriculum in the co-op, impacting both recipients
For the full article, see: https://www.homeschooloklahoma.org/2025/02/RESPONDING-TO-A-MISLEADING-VOUCHER-STUDY/
Reprinted by permission of Homeschool Oklahoma