Homeschool families and their rights remain under attack from Democrats in the Iowa Legislature in 2019. A handful of bills have already been filed that attempt to chip away at the educational freedom parents and students across Iowa enjoy.
Senate File 224 was filed in the Iowa Legislature last week. The bill, sponsored by Jackie Smith and cosponsored by nine other Senate Democrats, relates to independent private instruction reporting and notice of intent requirements for homeschool families.
The bill would make a voluntary reporting requirement relating to independent private instruction mandatory. It also establishes a notice requirement for the parent, guardian or legal custodian of a child who places the child under independent private instruction.
The child and the parent, guardian or legal custodian would be forced to meet in person with the superintendent of the school district in which the child resides to provide notice of intent by September every year.
This bill come on the heels of House File 100 which was filed by four House Democrats. That bill adds reporting requirements and requires school districts to conduct health and safety visits for children placed under competent private instruction, independent private instruction, or private instruction.
House File 182 was filed by Rep. Mary Mascher and would eliminate changes made relating to private instruction, including independent private instruction and driver education by a teaching parent, made in 2013.
Finally, Rep. Mascher also filed House File 272 which relates to private instruction by adding reporting requirements and requiring school districts to conduct health and safety visits for children placed under independent private instruction or private instruction.
