Moms, dads and students gathered at the Utah Capitol on Tuesday to debate amendments to homeschooling requirements.
Currently, Utah parents who wish to homeschool their children must undergo a background check.
HB209 would remove background checks and relieve school boards of liability in the event that parents misrepresent civil abuse convictions when filing for approval to homeschool.
Homeschool parents unite in favor of the bill
Rep. Nicholeen Peck, R-Tooele, sponsored HB209.
She told the House Education Committee that HB209 seeks mainly to amend “confusing” wording that led some school districts, but not all, to seek background checks on homeschooling parents.
“My faith teaches me that every child is unique, they’re made in the image of God, they’re worthy of protection... The only thing that this bill would change is it would remove references to those (that) homeschool,“ said Home School Legal Defense attorney Peter Kamakawiwoole, who joined Peck’s presentation.
“It will remain a crime for a parent or any other adult to abuse a child, to exploit a child, to kidnap a child.”
Homeschooling mothers and fathers from all over Utah Valley voiced support for Peck’s bill at the hearing.
“This bill is about making things simpler and more efficient for both families and school districts,” testified UHOPE Chair and Homeschool Hub Co-Executive Director Britany Sproul.
“We homeschool for so many ... reasons,” said Hannah Kleeberger, a longtime homeschooling parent. “Our relationships with our kids are so wonderful ... they know and love each other so well. We’re also able to tailor the academics and all of their opportunities outside of the house.”
“Parents don’t need background checks to parent their children,” she told the Deseret News.
“(Homeschooling is) really fun. ... The part I like most is that you get to be with your mom,” said Hannah’s youngest son, Sam Kleeberger, who is homeschooled. “She can help me in the ways that a public-school teacher can’t.”
Every member of the public at the hearing, as well as every committee member, indicated their support for homeschooling.
A history of homeschooling in Utah
Utah has long established itself as an American bastion for homeschooling. It ranks third-best in the nation for quality and seventh-most for number of homeschooling students per capita, per a 2023 study by Age of Learning.
Families, not state government, lead the push for Utah homeschooling. Parent-organized groups like Homeschool Hub connects homeschooling families with co-ops and enrichment programs, while UHOPE Coalition provides guidance for new homeschooling parents and advocates for homeschooling interests in the arena of public policy.
For its part, the state offers millions of dollars in scholarships to private- or homeschooling students in the form of the Utah Fits All scholarship, which offers 10,000 scholarships worth $8000 each.
The bill passed unanimously. Now it will go to the Senate for further consideration.
“This is really a wonderful, empowering moment for families. ... When the parents realize, ‘OK, this is all me, this is all my responsibility’ — as a homeschooler, that can feel heavy,“ said Peck. “But it also feels like, ‘but the state thinks I can do it. The school is thinking I can do it... So I can do it.’ It’s an empowering moment. ”