While lawmakers in several states this year chose to view homeschooling as a suspicious activity that requires increased oversight, New Hampshire recently joined two other legislatures in opting for freedom.
In mid-July Governor Kelly Ayotte signed into law House Bill 1268, which eliminates mandatory homeschool notification requirements in the Granite State. This welcome action followed the passage of legislation in Tennessee that broadens options for homeschool student assessments and removes onerous penalties related to testing. And in Idaho, a new law explicitly recognizes the validity of homeschool diplomas for graduates seeking jobs in a wide range of vocations.
“These victories point to the effectiveness of homeschooling parents in engaging their legislators for positive change,” said Kevin Boden, HSLDA director of legal and legislative advocacy. “More than that, these families show lawmakers that homeschooling produces graduates who are well-equipped to contribute to society.”
All this stands in stark contrast with Connecticut, where this year legislators enacted severe restrictions on homeschooling. HSLDA has already begun fighting the law in hopes of preventing it from taking effect.
New Day in New Hampshire
Among the legislative victories achieved in 2026, New Hampshire’s ranks as the most dramatic. Homeschooling parents there are now free to guide their children’s education without a bureaucrat looking over their shoulder.
Previously, homeschooling parents had to submit a one-time notice (another was required if a family moved to a different school district), were required to teach certain subjects, and have their children assessed annually. With a stroke of the governor’s pen, those requirements went away.
Ralph Rodriguez, HSLDA legal counsel, said another positive aspect of the new law is that it explicitly recognizes the right to homeschool, declaring: “home education shall be an alternative to compulsory attendance at a public school.”
“This statute should help protect homeschool families from spurious charges related to things like truancy and educational neglect,” he pointed out. “It essentially says you don’t need a government-issued piece of paper to prove that you are homeschooling.”
More Testing Choices in Tennessee
In Tennessee, HSLDA Senior Counsel Will Estrada helped direct efforts to rework a well-intended but problematic bill into a measure that ultimately delivered much-needed change to homeschool law.
Governor Bill Lee signed House Bill 1729 in May, and it took effect immediately.
For families homeschooling under the state’s Option 1, H.B. 1729 now allows parents to use any nationally normed standardized achievement test for students in grades where such assessments are required. It also approves use of the Classic Learning Test. Finally, the new law removes penalties that could have been employed to force homeschool students who struggle with standardized tests to be put back into public school.
“This bill would not have become law without the leadership of Claiborne Thornton and Tennessee Home Education Association, and the support of the team at Classic Learning Test,” said Estrada. “It was a privilege to work with them. I had the opportunity to testify before the Tennessee House Education subcommittee and full committee in person on two occasions. Watching Tennessee’s homeschool law move toward more freedom is exciting!”
A Boost for Homeschool Diplomas in Idaho
In March, Idaho Governor Brad Little signed Senate Bill 1285 into law. This measure prohibits discrimination against homeschool graduates seeking licenses to work in certain vocations.
HSLDA has advocated in this area for decades. Despite great progress gaining acceptance into colleges and the military, homeschool graduates across the country still sometimes face unfair obstacles while pursuing other opportunities after high school.
The impetus for addressing this issue in Idaho arose after a homeschool graduate applied for a real estate license so she could join her mother in that line of work. The governing body questioned whether the daughter’s homeschool diploma met the qualifications for a license.
S.B. 1285 should remove any doubt. It addresses at least 10 types of vocations, generally declaring that, for the purpose of obtaining a license, a homeschool diploma should be considered the equivalent of a public school diploma.
“This is a big win,” asserted Tj Schmidt, HSLDA senior counsel. “In other states that have enacted diploma recognition measures, we’ve had good success advocating for homeschool graduates who encounter discrimination. We anticipate the same positive results from Idaho’s new law.”
Team Effort
Reflecting further on these victories for homeschool freedom, Boden noted they are all the more remarkable because they came during a tumultuous legislative season.
“Even when the battle is tough,” he said, “we must be vigilant to see opportunities to defend our rights and expand our liberties. That’s why it’s so important to remain united, support each other, and keep engaging legislators.”
In the meantime, he added, HSLDA will continue advocating for homeschool freedom through multi-faceted campaigns. As we do every season, this year HSLDA kept our constituents informed via email and social media, rallied families to crucial legislative hearings, and worked closely with state homeschool leaders and organizations.
Our attorneys attended homeschool capitol day events, provided testimony, and interacted with the media to share important perspectives about legislation.
“It’s all part of our mission to defend the home as a place of freedom” Boden said.