In Focus: CT Has Among the Weakest Homeschool Oversight in New England
Despite some high-profile cases exposing gaps in the oversight of homeschooled students, Connecticut has among the weakest homeschool oversight policies in the New England region, according to information from a report by the Office of Legislative Research.
The report, published in mid-July, analyzed homeschool policies in all six New England states weighing topics like record-keeping requirements, school district notifications, and whether states or municipalities have the ability to intervene in a student’s homeschool program or enforce policies. It found Connecticut’s regulation of homeschooled kids is virtually absent in all of these categories.
For instance, parents seeking to homeschool their children in Maine must provide notice to local districts and the education commissioner and provide plans for assessing their child’s progress in school subject areas. Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont all have varying degrees of notification requirements before students are removed from a school system.
Connecticut has no such requirement.
Meanwhile, most New England states require parents who homeschool their children to keep records detailing their child’s academic progress. According to the report, Vermont parents must maintain a record of educational assessments, while Rhode Island requires parents to forward attendance records to local officials and the state.
Maine and New Hampshire have similar policies, intended to help ensure that homeschooled kids are receiving a quality education comparable to their peers.
Connecticut has no such requirement.
Finally, many states have created laws - either through statute or court decisions - that allow state or federal officials to intervene when the education of homeschooled students is suspected to be insufficient, according to the Office of Legislative Research.
Massachusetts officials can enforce standards relating to student assessments, education hours, parent qualifications, and access to curriculum or text books. Meanwhile, New Hampshire has created a Home Education Advisory Council to foster communication between education institutions and home educators and resolve grievances.
Again, Connecticut has no such requirement.
The state’s lack of oversight over children who have been removed from schools has become a point of concern for many advocates, including Connecticut’s acting child advocate, Christina Ghio. In June, Ghio told the Connecticut Mirror that this gap in regulation put children at risk.
“While many people successfully homeschool their children, not every parent who withdraws their child for the stated purpose of homeschooling is, in fact, providing their child with an education. Worse, some take advantage of Connecticut’s complete lack of oversight to isolate children and abuse them,” Ghio said, according to the Mirror.
Check back in the coming weeks as Capitol Dispatch’s In Focus series continues to explore this issue.
By Hugh McQuaid