By Mary Welander
State Rep., D-114
Mary Welander
You may have heard that one of the proposals the Education Committee raised this year addresses homeschooling in Connecticut. While this topic has been discussed more recently in the news because of new horrific cases of abuse and neglect, it is a subject that has been brought before the legislature multiple times since the mid-1990s.
I have been part of a small team working diligently on this issue since last May when the legislature held an informational hearing on the matter. We created a working group that met several times with advocates and a separate series of meetings with just legislators – both bipartisan efforts. While those discussions were not as fruitful as we had hoped, they did lead to the inclusion of important elements, such as curricular flexibility for families.
Unfortunately, there have been efforts to deliberately mislead people about what the proposal would do, resulting in unnecessary confusion and upset. Simply put, we are trying to create a framework that ensures that all kids in Connecticut are being educated in some form and are cared for.
For those who may not know, Connecticut is one of the least regulated states in the country for homeschooling. Currently there is only a suggestion (not a requirement) that a parent or guardian complete a withdrawal form when exiting their child from public school. Beyond that, there are zero regulations for curriculum or assessments. Most other states have regulations ranging from basic reporting requirements to approved curriculum options, annual assessments, or even requiring the parent be a certified teacher. Connecticut has none of those.
While there is an expectation that certain academic subjects will be taught, there are no mechanisms to ensure instruction is happening. In fact, there is nothing that requires that the homeschooled child ever be seen again by any educational or state authority.
Over the last year we have had thoughtful discussions with many homeschooling families and advocates from across the state, and we recognize that most families who choose homeschooling are providing their children with a strong education in a safe environment.
However, we must also acknowledge that some adults are purposefully using the state’s complete lack of regulations (and therefore the inability to enforce any laws) to hide that they are not educating their children, or worse, to hide serious neglect and abuse.
As a legislator committed to the well-being of all children, I believe it is our responsibility to address those gaps. HB 5468 is intended to work in parallel with HB 5004, a bill from the Children’s Committee focusing on strengthening transparency within the Department of Children and Families as well as providing more supports for families and children.
I understand that no one policy can prevent every tragedy, but I know that if any of the attempts at this legislation over the last 30 years had been successful, it could have prevented some of the educational neglect, hidden abuse and deaths of children in our state. I will continue to do what I can to protect our kids and give them the best chances for success.
I welcome any feedback at mary.welander@cga.ct.gov.