Home School Legal Defense Association

We have been members of HSLDA since the beginning of our home school program. We have contacted HSLDA on several occasions and they have always responded to our needs. They provide some excellent programs that help home schooling families in several ways. We have gained a considerable amount of knowledge from them and we thank them for encouragement, support, and their overall contribution to the home school cause.

A list of articles concerning South Carolina from the Court Report can be viewed from the HSLDA web site.

• Join the Home School Legal Defense Association. We recommend that you choose this group to interpret the home school laws and regulations on your behalf. They have a great program and are willing to educate you so that you can feel a sense of security within your home school.

• Order The Home School Court Report, provided free to members of HSLDA. Non-members may subscribe for a fee. You can order this report online at HSLDAs Bookstore. A lot of interesting information in this report.

• We recommend that you purchase The Right to Home School, and/or Home Schooling in the United States: A Legal Analysis, reading these books will give you insight of your legal rights and confidence in HSLDAs knowledge. You will read about many home school families taking a stand and finding HSLDA there, defending their rights. You will also gain a perspective of where we were and are today with the home school laws and regulations. Review these books by clicking on their titles.

• Get involved with their web site, subscribe for e-lerts, and learn about the Legislative toolbox. As members you can log in for more useful tools. By getting involved we are supporting each other and the home school cause.

Though law does not require it, we recommend you join Home School Legal Defense Association. (HSLDA) Their annual fee is $100, or contact PIE to find out more about group discounts, saving $15.

Membership Benefits: Home School Legal Defense Association was founded in 1983. Their mission is to defend and advance the constitutional rights of parents to direct the education of their children and to protect family freedoms. HSLDA now has over 70,000 members that are supported by 60+ staff members. Take the membership tour to learn more about membership benefits.

History: Twenty years ago, home education was treated as a crime in almost every state. Each time parents pulled a child out of public school; the unexcused absences began to accumulate. Some open-minded school officials were willing to look the other way, but others insisted on enforcing the law. The only safe way to start home schooling was to start before the child reached school age, or to move to a new school district where no one knew the child existed. When parents got caught, they had no legal excuses, no useful precedents, and usually, no money to hire the kind of lawyer who would fight for an unwritten freedom. Parents were arrested, jailed, or fined until they put their children back in school. The only sure way to avoid legal trouble was to hide. This kept the authorities from finding out about home schooling, but it kept everyone else from finding out about it, too.
     An interesting story The Politics of Survival: Home Schoolers and the Law covers information from twenty years ago up until today, from when home schooling was treated as a crime in almost every state to where it is legal all across America. In this story you will read about the influences of different leaders and approaches to home schooling.
     Marking the Milestones is a tribute to the pioneers of the home schooling movement who blazed the trail for those who have followed. As a monument to the courage, vision, and steadfastness of the parents who stood firm in the face of adversity.  Marking the Milestones serves as a vision for the future and testimony to the greatness of God who truly is our Protector.

Today: We should have a clearer understanding of today's challenges. Even one active citizen can make a difference in his or her own community. Seventy thousand families' worth of activists can make a difference nationwide. The Home School Legal Defense Association unites these unusually effective citizen-activists into a force to be reckoned with. 
     Using their website as an affective information source HSLDA is able to educate homeschoolers on up to date active federal and state legislation such as National Testing. With easy to use navigation tools we are able to respond quickly when the situation arises. Following is a list of affective tools that you will find useful.

• E-lert Service Members can subscribe to receive e-lerts by e-mail on local, state, national, and international home school issues.

• Legislative Toolbox Learn how you can contact your state and federal representatives.

• State Action Map Provided are easy to use navigation tools.

• South Carolina Law Summary Options 1-3 Palmetto Independent Educators is a 3rd option Association. Here is a summary on the requirements for the members of PIE.

National Testing:

• HSLDA's National Center WEEKLY UPDATE--October 30, 2000

• National Assessment Education Progress (NAEP)

• NAGB and NAEP Reauthorization Hearing Before the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth and Families

• Congress Will Vote on Reauthorization of NAEP & NAGB This Year

• NAEP--Precurser to a National Test

• National Testing: A Federal Mandate

• NAGB and NAEP Reauthorization Hearing Before the House

Information: HSLDA provides the home school community with a lot of helpful resources, news, and interesting information from their website. The following is a list of some programs that can be found at their website.

Home School Heartbeat is a two-minute daily radio program that addresses educational, legal and spiritual topics, which can be interesting to any parent that is considering home schooling their children or for those that are currently home schooling.

The Home School Foundation: The Foundation’s mission is to preserve parental freedoms, promote home schooling, provide assistance to needy homeschooling families, and support like-minded organizations.

NCHE: The mission of the National Center for Home Education is to serve the home schooling community, state home school leaders, and HSLDA members.

Join home school leaders from across the state for the Home School Legal Defense Association's Home School Parent & Support Group Seminar.

The Congressional Action Program was formed by the National Center for Home Education in 1993. Created with the objective of fending off federal threats to home education, the CAP program has seen tremendous success and growth during the years.

Visit the following related links:

• South Carolina State Law

• Compulsory Attendance

• History of Home School Law

• SC Code of Law

• South Carolina State House Network

• Home School Legal Defense Association

• Special Needs Resources

• Frequently Asked Questions