The battle to protect the rule of law and homeschool freedom in Wyoming continues!

We previously celebrated with you the great victory in Wyoming, which made it the 12th state in the nation where parents do not have to notify public school authorities in order to exercise their fundamental and God-given right to educate their children at home. H.B. 46 became the law on July 1.

It turned out, however, that many Wyoming public school districts were loath to give up their authority over homeschooling families. Even before H.B. 46 became law, we responded in writing to several school districts which had sent erroneous correspondence to homeschooling families. Our letters restated what we declared in our June 17 article: “It is imperative that local school district officials follow the law, and HSLDA is committed to vigorously defending both homeschool freedom and the rule of law in Wyoming.”

More work to do

Even with excellent guidance published on June 16 by Wyoming State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder, we have seen district after district attempt to ignore the new law in Wyoming.

HSLDA has now sent letters to the following Wyoming school districts reminding them about H.B. 46, and how it eliminates any legal requirement that homeschooling families file annual notifications with the local school district:

  • Platte County District 1
  • Big Horn County District 2
  • Lincoln County District 2
  • Park County District 1
  • Fremont County District 1
  • Fremont County District 25
  • Carbon County District 1
  • Carbon County District 2
  • Washakie County District 1
  • Albany County District 1

As representative samples, you can see the letter we sent on June 4 to Carbon County District 1 here, and the letter we sent on August 12 to Lincoln County District 2 here.

While sending letters to 10 Wyoming school districts to defend homeschooling families is unprecedented, it is important to point out that there are 48 school districts in Wyoming, so 38 districts have accurately read the law and are abiding by it. We thank these districts for their respect for the rule of law in Wyoming.

Keep us informed

If you live in a district not mentioned in this update, and your district also needs to be reminded of the law, please contact our office to let us know.

It is also important to note that many of the districts mentioned above have responded to our letters to apologize and update their policies. To our knowledge, not a single family has received any further communication from a school district, or been harassed in any way for not filing with the district. We remain ready and vigilant to defend any HSLDA member family who is harassed by a school district for simply following Wyoming law.

As a homeschool graduate and a homeschooling dad, it’s a privilege and honor to stand with you and our friends at Homeschool Wyoming in defense of homeschool freedom in the Cowboy State.