Parental homeschooling rights reinstated in California

Parents may legally home-school their children inCalifornia even if they lack a teaching credential, a state appellate court has ruled. The decision reverses the court's earlier position, which effectively prohibited most home schooling and sparked fear throughout the state's estimated 166,000 home-schoolers. The issue arose in part because California's laws do not specifically address home schooling. The latest ruling essentially upheld the position of the state Department of Education, which has allowed home schooling as long as parents file paperwork with the state establishing themselves as private schools, hire credentialed tutors or enroll their children in independent study programs run by charter or private schools or public school districts. To read The Los Angeles Times article, click here.

FROM APRIL 2008: Religious and secular families find themselves on the same side of a battle to continue teaching their children at home in the face of an appellate court ruling that home schooling in California must be conducted by credentialed instructors. The February court decision is not being enforced pending appeals. The 2nd District Court of Appeal has agreed to rehear the case in June, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged to support new legislation allowing home schooling if the decision is not reversed. Meanwhile, the ruling has forged a rare alliance of religious and secular home schoolers. (Los Angeles Times)

FROM MARCH: In the wake of a potentially precedent-setting court decision that bars parents from educating their children at home if they lack teaching credentials, California Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell is affirming families' right to home-school their children. The state's 2nd District Court of Appeal has ruled that parents must have a teaching credential to home school their children. The decision has not yet gone into effect, and it is unlikely to be enforced pending appeals to the state Supreme Court. (Los Angeles Times)

EARLIER: A California appellate court ruling says it is illegal for parents in the state to home-school their children without teaching credentials. The ruling has rattled home-school families, but many parents, educators and even lawyers are unsure exactly what the decision means. No one predicts an imminent change for home-schoolers. Legal experts say the ruling is a long time coming, given that home schooling in California is virtually unregulated.
Click here to read The San Diego Union-Tribune article.