Illinois homeschoolers are perfectly situated to explore an exciting crossroads in American history, culture, and geography. There are no less than three major historical trails—the Trail of Tears, the Mormon Pioneer Trail, and the Lewis and Clark Expedition Trail—that beckon adventurous homeschoolers to “Come and learn!” And from the shores of Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River, Illinois is brimming with museums, hands-on experiences, and natural wonders.
Fortunately, beginning to homeschool in Illinois is as easy as waking up and deciding to do it. Let’s look closer at the (few) homeschool regulations in the Prairie State.
Illinois is a state with low homeschool regulation. This hands-off approach makes many aspects of homeschooling easier for parents. Yet it also places on parents more responsibility for ensuring their children receive an appropriate education.
In Illinois, homeschools are considered private schools so long as they do the things that private schools do, i.e. educate children in the same general manner as public schools (People vs. Levisen). Home-based private schools do not and in fact cannot register with the State Board of Education. So, while you don’t have to navigate murky notice requirements, you also receive no official recognition of your homeschool status.
Nevertheless, Illinois is not quite the homeschool Wild West. There are a couple of requirements to abide by. So, you should be aware of the following:
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Regardless of age or grade, homeschoolers in Illinois will want to make sure they are addressing each of these domains.
Like many other states, Illinois requires that instruction be conducted in English, this includes students for whom English is a second language. However, students who use American Sign Language are considered to be instructed in English.
This requirement does not preclude students from taking courses in a foreign language.
Children who are 6 years of age or older by September 1 must attend school until they turn 17 or graduate from high school. As a non-public school in Illinois, homeschoolers get to establish their own requirements for graduation and issue their own diplomas.
In Illinois, parents, guardians, or private tutors may provide homeschool instruction. So, hiring a private tutor for some or all of your subjects is a perfectly acceptable option!
Why consider a homeschool tutor? In a state like Illinois, with very little homeschool regulation, the onus is put on parents to ensure their child is on track academically, provide a robust course of study, establish standards for graduation, and more. An experienced tutor can be your compass in this uncharted sea of educational freedom.
This is not a legal requirement. However, the Homeschool Legal Defense Association recommends that you refer to your homeschool as a private school in all official correspondence and interactions with the government.
One exception to this would be when filing your F.A.F.S.A. (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). You would call yourself a homeschool on this form.
The purpose of consistently calling yourself a private school when speaking in an official capacity is to establish that you should be treated as such under Illinois law. This will hopefully prevent any confusion about what requirements you are subject to and what freedoms you should be afforded.
If your child has never been enrolled in school, there is nothing you must do.
If your child attends a public, private, or parochial school, technically there is nothing you must do even in this instance. However, the State Board of Education recommends that you do notify your child’s current school, preferably in writing, that you are transferring them to a non-public school (your homeschool, which you may name for purposes such as these). This can be a simple letter saying you are doing so, and it avoids the unnecessary situation of a truant officer showing up to find out why your child is not attending school.
Incidentally, only the Regional Superintendent or truant officers have the authority to ask you anything about your homeschool. If you are questioned, you may provide a letter of compliance saying that you are educating in accordance with Section 26-1 because you teach the required subjects in English. This should be all the assurance you need to provide.
Sometimes, homeschoolers are asked to fill out a voluntary form notifying the school district that they are homeschooling or “registering” their non-public school. Homeschool advocacy groups suggest not filling out these forms. You may provide the letter of compliance in their place.
In Illinois, there are no record-keeping requirements. However, it is highly recommended that you do so for all sorts of reasons.
Bills were considered in 2011 and 2019 that would put homeschool inspections and record-keeping requirements into place. And calls for more oversight of homeschools were renewed by lawmakers as recently as July of 2023.
Potential legal changes notwithstanding, keeping homeschool records is part of the best practices of any responsible homeschool. It is a parent’s best way to defend against accusations of truancy or of failing to provide an appropriate education for their child. Records come in handy when you need to prepare your own homeschool transcripts or other documents in your official non-public school capacity. And they showcase your child’s work and accomplishments for future endeavors, from obtaining internships to gaining admission to college.
When you homeschool in Illinois, you get to decide when your child has fulfilled the requirements for graduation and even what those requirements are. This can be liberating but also confusing and stressful. You are on your own to figure out what constitutes a high school education.
As a starting point, many parents consider the graduation requirements of Illinois public schools. To receive a high school diploma, students must:
For reference, transcripts provided by a public high school will include the following information:
There are no additional regulations to follow if you are homeschooling a child with special needs in Illinois. Since your homeschool is technically a “private school,” your child may be eligible for services funded by the federal IDEA program and the State of Illinois, which allows homeschooled students with disabilities to enroll part-time in the public school district where they live. (more on this option below)
Public schools in Illinois are under no legal obligation to open extracurricular activities to homeschooled students. Parents should check with their local district to see what options may be available to them.
However, there is an exception to this. Homeschoolers who attend a public school part-time and are enrolled in a course that requires an extracurricular activity must be permitted to attend that activity. For example, a homeschooler enrolled in band would be allowed to attend band practice.
The Illinois High School Association offers a Home School Fact Sheet that lists five requirements for homeschoolers who want to participate in interscholastic sports:
Since Illinois homeschools are considered private schools, homeschoolers are expected to receive immunizations just as other public and private school students are. However, the state does accept exemptions, and keeping immunization records or submitting them to authorities is not required.
Nevertheless, best practices suggest that you do keep immunization records or exemption documents on file with your other school records.
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