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Get answers to all of your homeschool questions from our experienced lawyers and educational consultants.
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When you have questions about the homeschool law… or if you’re feeling stuck somewhere on your homeschool journey. You don’t have to go it alone. We can help:
Get answers to all of your homeschool questions from our experienced lawyers and educational consultants.
We know homeschool law. As a parent you have the right to homeschool your children in all 50 states. If you're having trouble making sense of those laws or understanding your legal rights, we can help. Every day we help our members respond to overreaching officials. And we stand ready to defend your homeschool against unlawful attacks.
Remove the guesswork.
Get specific reliable answers.
Learn the right way to remove your child from public school. Find options for homeschooling your child with special needs. Understand which state laws apply when traveling. What your rights are when homeschooling adopted children. And more.
Partner with a trusted
homeschool leader.
HSLDA has helped thousands of families whose homeschool was being challenged. Do you have concerns about or are experiencing a legal issue related to your homeschool? We can help.
Personalized support
that fits into your life.
You can contact our legal staff by phone or email. Even ask us a question on Facebook. No scheduling necessary. Get answers from the convenience and comfort of your own home. Any time you want.
It is such a tremendous feeling of peace to know reliable answers specific to your state are a call away; and in an emergency HSLDA has your back.
In general, homeschooling only becomes an issue in a divorce case when the parents cannot agree with each other about the children’s education, and it’s typically only one of many issues over which parents disagree. It is outside HSLDA’s mission to say which parent should be able to determine how the children are educated when the parents disagree. In these cases, the judge must decide what is best for the children based on the evidence before him or her.
When a divorce occurs after the parents have joined HSLDA as a married couple, because both parents are or have been HSLDA members, we cannot ethically represent an interest contrary to either spouse, even though one may be trying to keep the other from homeschooling.
We provide a free information packet containing research on domestic and custody cases involving homeschooling, and where there is no conflict of interest, we will consult with our member’s personal attorney on homeschooling issues. Contact us to request the packet or ask about attorney consultation for your situation.
HSLDA’s board of directors has remained steadfast in focusing our resources on maintaining and advancing the freedom of homeschoolers from public school oversight. Therefore, the board will not allow HSLDA to use our resources to force public school districts to allow homeschool access.
HSLDA takes a neutral position when state legislation is introduced to require public school access for homeschoolers, unless the legislation would impose additional regulations on all homeschool students, not just those participating in the public schools.
Special education refers to instruction or assistance in traditional academic areas such as math, language arts, etc. Related services, on the other hand, are aids to a child—like speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. These services indirectly improve a child’s ability to learn, but are separate from traditional academic curricula. HSLDA believes that parents whose children receive related services at a public school are still home educators.
Because HSLDA’s board of directors desires to focus our resources on guarding the freedom of homeschoolers from public school oversight, we cannot help homeschooled students obtain access to special education in public schools. However, HSLDA may assist member families seeking related services that have been denied because of homeschooling. We view this as a basic fairness issue, since according to the U.S. Department of Education, homeschooled students are entitled to related services in states where homeschools are considered to be private schools, but in other states, they are not. You can learn about your state’s provisions here.
HSLDA’s mission is primarily to advance homeschooling rights, and this extends to helping families whose decision to homeschool subjects them to suspicions of abuse or neglect.
For example, sometimes a report to child protective services (CPS) arises from a misunderstanding about homeschooling—a neighbor may see children playing outside during school hours and think that the parents are allowing them to be truant. Whether the report indicates actual abuse is occurring or not, some CPS investigators and law enforcement personnel then insist they be allowed to interview the children and search the family’s home without a warrant. They may refuse to tell the parents the allegations against them and, if the parents are hesitant about allowing the interview or home visit, may use threats of removing the children to get the parents to comply.
We agree with what the United States Court of Appeals said in the Calabretta case: “The government’s interest in the welfare of children embraces not only protecting children from physical abuse, but also protecting children’s interest in the privacy and dignity of their homes and in the lawfully exercised authority of their parents.”
However, current CPS and judicial practice often treats child abuse investigations as an exception to traditional constitutional rules that protect children and parents from unnecessary government intervention, especially during the early stages of a CPS investigation. We assist our members in these initial contacts with CPS investigators to ensure that their constitutional rights are protected.
Our mission is to make homeschooling possible, therefore we focus our efforts solely on supporting homeschooling families—that is, families who are currently homeschooling or who are withdrawing their children from public school to begin homeschooling. Transferring into public school steps beyond the scope of our mission.
It's also important to remember that every school, public or private, has the right to determine their own policy. This means it is up to the discretion of each public school district to determine what credits they will or will not accept, or whether they require prospective students to take placement tests.
Tailored advice unique to your situation. This is not generic one-size-fits-all support. Our Educational Consultants know the ins and outs of homeschooling—specializing in getting started, learning disabilities,
and high school. We have helped thousands of moms like you. No question is too difficult.
Help for the everyday parts of homeschooling. Need tips for organizing your day? Help with a challenging subject? Trying to find the right curriculum? Juggling real life and school? Looking to connect with others? Find new ideas you would never think of on your own. Get real answers to real questions.
No judgment. No worries. Just compassionate support from highly trained moms who've homeschooled their own kids and walked in your shoes. Together we’ll help you become confident in your ability to homeschool well.
Together we can do more. Hundreds of families contact us every week. Many facing hostility from school officials or discrimination from colleges and employers. Dozens more are struggling to homeschool through hard times. Will you join us in helping them? Being a member is more than support and protection for you. It’s a statement of solidarity. Together we’re making homeschooling possible for each other.
HSLDA gives me the feeling that my family is important. Being a member feels natural as if we’re all extended family with the same goals.
Thank you for helping me know that whatever might come my way on our homeschooling journey that I don’t have to face it alone.
5,929 families signed up in the last month alone.
HSLDA is just a phone call away when you need them. I am much more confident in my decision to homeschool knowing this about HSLDA and having experienced their support first hand!
HSLDA was there for us 32 years ago when we began our homeschool journey and it was considered illegal in our state. They are still here, advocating for our grandchildren and the rights of their parents. I highly recommend membership!
It’s our first year of homeschooling. HSLDA has already been there to answer our questions. I feel confident knowing they’re here in case we need them!
You receive a full year of all the member benefits below for far less than you would pay for an hour of an attorney’s time almost anywhere else!
Member Legal Services
From legal advice to full court representation: no matter what services are needed to help you, there are no further charges of any kind beyond your annual membership dues.
Member Consultant Services
Get one-on-one advice by phone or email from our pre-K–12 educational consultants at no additional charge—just the cost of your annual membership dues. The educational consultants can help you with:
Other Member Services
Here are more services and resources our members have said they found very helpful:
* Please note that member families who choose to consult separately with a non-HSLDA attorney must do so at their own expense.
Membership dues for a family for one year are $150. One membership covers your entire family: parents/guardians and all children of whom you are the parent or legal guardian. There are no additional charges when you consult with our attorneys or educational consultants—it’s all included in your $150 dues. For special discounts and payment options that could bring your cost down to as little as 33¢ a day, see What are my membership options?
HSLDA offers group and vocational discounts. If you are a member of an HSLDA Discount Group, you are eligible to claim our group discount. You may claim a vocational discount if you are a full-time pastor, full-time missionary, member of the military, or first responder (police, fire, EMT). Discounts cannot be combined.
To claim a discount, first fill out the “Profile” section of the online application. In the next section, “Membership,” click on the drop-down menu under “Membership Discount.” Then, select the discount you are claiming.
If you select “Member of an HSLDA Discount Group,” you will be asked to provide the six-digit code you received from your Discount Group in order to verify your eligibility for this discount. If you do not have a code, please contact the leader of your Discount Group.
Once you have selected your discount, the pricing under “Membership Type” will change to reflect the discount.
Click here to view a video that will walk you through this process. If you have questions, please email info@hslda.org or call 540-338-5600.
Processing generally takes 3 weeks—a bit longer during our summer/fall busy season. If you would like to have your application reviewed within 2 business days, you may expedite your application with a nonrefundable rush fee of $40. (Approval is not guaranteed.)
You will receive your membership information via email once your membership is processed.
We don’t want financial restrictions to prevent you from receiving the benefits of HSLDA membership! If you cannot afford the $150 membership dues—even with a discount or payment plan option—please consider applying for financial aid. Email us at mfa@hslda.org and we will send you a financial aid application.
Yes. All personal information is confidential—including whether or not you are a member, all contact and personal information, information about your family, and any information about legal services you have received.
HSLDA may send to you information on behalf of our partners, but we do not share your personal information with anyone.*
Read our full privacy policy.
* If you are a member of an HSLDA Discount Group (which qualifies you for a discount on your annual membership), we will provide your group administrator with periodic reports that include your name, member account number, state, and membership date in order to assist groups in keeping accurate records.
If, after careful review, HSLDA is not able to accept your application, we will promptly notify you and will refund your membership dues (minus the rush fee, if applicable). Non-acceptance in no way diminishes your right to homeschool, and does not prevent you from reapplying in the future.
The membership application is necessary to establish HSLDA’s attorney-client relationship with you. It also gathers a minimal amount of information to ensure that we can provide you with the best representation possible in the event that you need our legal services. View our printable membership application here or start our easy online application here.
* In the rare event that HSLDA is unable to approve your application, we will promptly notify you and will refund your membership dues (minus the rush fee, if applicable). Nonacceptance in no way diminishes your right to homeschool and does not prevent you from reapplying in the future.
HSLDA’s mission is primarily to advance homeschooling rights, and this extends to helping families whose decision to homeschool subjects them to suspicions of abuse or neglect.
For example, sometimes a report to child protective services (CPS) arises from a misunderstanding about homeschooling—a neighbor may see children playing outside during school hours and think that the parents are allowing them to be truant. Whether the report indicates actual abuse is occurring or not, some CPS investigators and law enforcement personnel then insist they be allowed to interview the children and search the family’s home without a warrant. They may refuse to tell the parents the allegations against them and, if the parents are hesitant about allowing the interview or home visit, may use threats of removing the children to get the parents to comply.
We agree with what the United States Court of Appeals said in the Calabretta case: “The government’s interest in the welfare of children embraces not only protecting children from physical abuse, but also protecting children’s interest in the privacy and dignity of their homes and in the lawfully exercised authority of their parents.”
However, current CPS and judicial practice often treats child abuse investigations as an exception to traditional constitutional rules that protect children and parents from unnecessary government intervention, especially during the early stages of a CPS investigation. We assist our members in these initial contacts with CPS investigators to ensure that their constitutional rights are protected.
HSLDA’s board of directors has remained steadfast in focusing our resources on maintaining and advancing the freedom of homeschoolers from public school oversight. Therefore, the board will not allow HSLDA to use our resources to force public school districts to allow homeschool access.
HSLDA takes a neutral position when state legislation is introduced to require public school access for homeschoolers, unless the legislation would impose additional regulations on all homeschool students, not just those participating in the public schools.
Special education refers to instruction or assistance in traditional academic areas such as math, language arts, etc. Related services, on the other hand, are aids to a child—like speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. These services indirectly improve a child’s ability to learn, but are separate from traditional academic curricula. HSLDA believes that parents whose children receive related services at a public school are still home educators.
Because HSLDA’s board of directors desires to focus our resources on guarding the freedom of homeschoolers from public school oversight, we cannot help homeschooled students obtain access to special education in public schools. However, HSLDA may assist member families seeking related services that have been denied because of homeschooling. We view this as a basic fairness issue, since according to the U.S. Department of Education, homeschooled students are entitled to related services in states where homeschools are considered to be private schools, but in other states, they are not. You can learn about your state’s provisions here.
In general, homeschooling only becomes an issue in a divorce case when the parents cannot agree with each other about the children’s education, and it’s typically only one of many issues over which parents disagree. It is outside HSLDA’s mission to say which parent should be able to determine how the children are educated when the parents disagree. In these cases, the judge must decide what is best for the children based on the evidence before him or her.
When a divorce occurs after the parents have joined HSLDA as a married couple, because both parents are or have been HSLDA members, we cannot ethically represent an interest contrary to either spouse, even though one may be trying to keep the other from homeschooling.
We provide a free information packet containing research on domestic and custody cases involving homeschooling, and where there is no conflict of interest, we will consult with our member’s personal attorney on homeschooling issues. Contact us to request the packet or ask about attorney consultation for your situation.
Our mission is to make homeschooling possible, therefore we focus our efforts solely on supporting homeschooling families—that is, families who are currently homeschooling or who are withdrawing their children from public school to begin homeschooling. Transferring into public school steps beyond the scope of our mission.
It's also important to remember that every school, public or private, has the right to determine their own policy. This means it is up to the discretion of each public school district to determine what credits they will or will not accept, or whether they require prospective students to take placement tests.