What changes with Connecticut’s new law?

In 2026, Connecticut enacted Public Act No. 26-37, formerly H.B. 5468. The law changes how Connecticut treats home education by creating a new statutory category called “parent-managed learning.”

HSLDA uses the term “homeschooling” because that is the term most families understand. But under the new law, Connecticut refers to homeschooling as “parent-managed learning,” which means education managed by a parent or guardian in a setting other than a public school or nonpublic school.

The law has two major parts. First, beginning with the 2027–28 school year, it creates a new withdrawal process for families removing a child from public school for parent-managed learning. Second, beginning with the 2028–29 school year, it creates an intent-to-educate form requirement for certain families.

The law has different effective dates for different parts.

The administrative provisions took effect on July 1, 2026. These provisions require the State Department of Education to develop the new forms and make them available to local and regional boards of education.

The public-school withdrawal provisions begin with the school year commencing July 1, 2027. Beginning then, a parent who withdraws a child from public school for parent-managed learning must personally appear at the school district office, sign a withdrawal form, and wait for the DCF records check process before the withdrawal becomes effective.

The intent-to-educate form requirement begins with the school year commencing July 1, 2028. Beginning then, covered families must submit the required form by October 1 of the school year, or within 14 days after moving into a new school district during the school year.

Families should stay informed, keep good records, and watch for HSLDA updates as the State Department of Education develops the required forms and school districts begin implementing the law.

Families who are currently homeschooling should understand that the DCF records check does not apply to children already being homeschooled. Families who plan to withdraw a child from public school beginning in the 2027–28 school year should be aware that the new withdrawal process will apply.

HSLDA members with specific questions about their situation should contact us directly.

Supporters of the law pointed to tragic, high-profile reports of child abuse and death involving children who had previously been withdrawn from school. Those cases were used to argue that Connecticut needed greater oversight of families who educate outside the public school system.

HSLDA condemns child abuse and supports proper action when there is evidence that a child is being abused or neglected. But HSLDA strongly rejects the idea that tragic abuse cases justify treating homeschool families as suspects, who have to prove their innocence before they can exercise their constitutional right to homeschool.

The problem in those cases was not homeschooling. The problem was abuse and failures in child protection. Public Act No. 26-37 shifts attention away from those failures and places new burdens on law-abiding families who are simply exercising their right and responsibility to direct their children’s education.

Generally, no. If a child is already being homeschooled, the new law does not require a DCF registry check, and it does not require an intent-to-educate form unless the family moves into a new school district.

The DCF records check applies only when a parent withdraws a child from public school for parent-managed learning beginning in the 2027–28 school year. A child who is already being homeschooled is not being withdrawn from public school, so that process would not apply to a homeschooling family unless the parents voluntarily place their child back in public school, then later decide to withdraw to homeschool.

The annual intent-to-educate form—which goes into effect for the 2028–29 school year—also does not apply to children already being instructed through parent-managed learning, unless the family moves into a new school district.

In sum, while the law generally does not affect families who are currently homeschooling, it may apply to them in future situations (such as if a family moves to a new district, withdraws a child from public school, withdraws a child from a nonpublic school, or begins parent-managed learning with a younger child who becomes subject to the law’s form requirements). For more information about how the law works, contact HSLDA.

If your child was never enrolled in public school, the DCF records check does not apply to that child. The DCF check is tied to withdrawing a child from public school for parent-managed learning.

If your child was already being homeschooled before the new requirements begin and your family remains in the same school district, the new intent-to-educate form does not apply to that child.

The law can apply later if a triggering event occurs. Those events include moving into a new school district, withdrawing a child from public school, withdrawing a child from a nonpublic school, or beginning parent-managed learning for a child who becomes subject to the law’s form requirements.

If your child has never been enrolled in a Connecticut public school, the public-school withdrawal process does not apply. That means the in-person withdrawal form and DCF records check do not apply simply because your family moves into Connecticut.

Beginning with the 2028–29 school year, a family that moves into a Connecticut school district during the school year must complete an intent-to-educate form within 14 days after moving into the district. That form identifies whether the child will be enrolled in public school, attending a nonpublic school, or receiving parent-managed learning. The law allows the intent-to-educate form to be submitted electronically.

Connecticut law gives parents of certain young children an option to delay school attendance.

A parent of a five-year-old child can choose not to send the child to school until the child is six. A parent of a six-year-old child can choose not to send the child to school until the child is seven. Under the new law, the parent exercises that option by personally appearing at the school district office and signing an option form.

This is separate from withdrawing a child from public school for parent-managed learning.

While the most burdensome parts of Public Act No. 26-37 have not yet been enforced against a family, HSLDA is pursuing legal challenges against the statute on multiple fronts.

First, HSLDA has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education arguing that Public Act No. 26-37 violates the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, commonly known as FERPA. If accepted by the Department of Education, that complaint will result in an investigation into whether the statute will result in the illegal sharing of private education records, and could result in a loss of federal education funding.

Second, HSLDA believes the that once the law goes into effect, it will unconstitutionally burden the right of parents to withdraw their children from public school, and create an unlawful government screening process involving every adult in the home.

HSLDA is actively evaluating potential legal challenges to P.A. 26-37. If the law will require you to change your homeschooling plans or otherwise burden your right to homeschool, please contact us.

HSLDA’s position is that Public Act No. 26-37 raises serious problems under the Connecticut Constitution.

Because the statute is newly enacted, no Connecticut court has ruled on the constitutionality of Public Act No. 26-37. But Connecticut has a long history of recognizing the responsibility of parents to direct their children’s education. This law burdens that responsibility by creating a government screening process before certain parents can withdraw their children from public school for homeschooling. Additionally, parents who homeschool for reasons of conscience or religious belief may also be able to challenge the statute under the First Amendment and Connecticut’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

HSLDA is actively evaluating potential legal challenges to P.A. 26-37. If the law will require you to change your homeschooling plans or otherwise burden your right to homeschool, please contact us.

While no federal court has ruled on Public Act No. 26-37, HSLDA’s position is that Public Act No. 26-37 raises serious federal constitutional concerns.

The U.S. Supreme Court has long recognized that parents have a fundamental liberty interest in directing the care, custody, and education of their children. Connecticut’s law places a government barrier between parents and homeschooling when a child is being withdrawn from public school. The law also reaches beyond the parent by allowing the status of any adult living in the home to block the withdrawal.

For religious families, the law can also burden a faith-based decision to educate children at home under the First Amendment, which the United States Supreme Court has defended in cases such as Wisconsin v. Yoder and Mahmoud v. Taylor.

HSLDA is actively evaluating potential legal challenges to P.A. 26-37. If the law will require you to change your homeschooling plans or otherwise burden your right to homeschool, please contact us.

If your family is denied the ability to withdraw a child from public school for parent-managed learning, contact HSLDA immediately.

Keep copies of everything you receive from the school district or DCF, including withdrawal forms, denial notices, emails, letters, and any information about how to challenge the DCF records check.

HSLDA members should contact us through their member account or by calling HSLDA directly. Families who are not yet members should consider joining HSLDA so we can assess the situation and determine how we can help.

The statute says that beginning with the 2027–28 school year, when a parent withdraws a child from public school for parent-managed learning, the school district must request a DCF records check for every person age 18 or older who lives with the child.

If any adult in the home is on Connecticut’s child abuse and neglect registry, or is currently under DCF investigation for an allegation of abuse or neglect, the withdrawal is not effective. The child cannot be withdrawn from public school for parent-managed learning under that process.

The superintendent or the superintendent’s designee must notify the parent within five business days after the records check begins whether the withdrawal is effective. If the withdrawal is denied, the district must provide the reason and information about how the parent can challenge the findings of the DCF records check.

As of the date of this writing, neither the Department of Education nor DCF have adopted regulations for implementing this statute. It is possible that future regulations may create additional requirements for families.

If your family is subjected to a DCF registry check, do not ignore the notice. HSLDA members should contact us immediately to discuss their options.

The DCF records check includes every person age 18 or older who lives with the child.

That means the check is not limited to parents or guardians. It includes adult siblings, grandparents, other relatives, roommates, and any other adult residing in the home.

This is one of HSLDA’s major concerns with the law. A parent’s ability to withdraw a child from public school for homeschooling can be blocked because of the registry status or active DCF investigation of another adult in the home, even when that adult is not the parent, not the child’s teacher, and not the person making educational decisions.

A substantiated DCF finding is not automatically removed after a short period of time. Instead, under Connecticut DCF rules, substantiated reports are kept in DCF’s computerized database and hard-copy record indefinitely. Likewise, once a name is placed on the DCF registry, it remains there indefinitely unless the individual successfully petitions to remove it.

Unsubstantiated reports are different. Reports that are investigated and not substantiated are generally kept for five years from the completion date of the investigation and then expunged, unless there are additional reports or a substantiated finding that affects retention.

Because a substantiated DCF finding can have serious legal consequences, anyone facing a registry finding should act quickly to preserve appeal rights and seek legal guidance.