The Texas Home School Coalition (THSC) has released a new report revealing that, over the past two decades, withdrawals from public schools in the state to homeschooling have jumped 228 percent.
Homeschooling is surging in the United States as many public schools have faltered in their reopening plans.
A Texas homeschooling coalition says it saw an “immediate” uptick in interest from new families after the state announced schools would reopen.
A new voice jumped into the debate over the proposed Texas “Tebow” bill which would allow homeschool students to participate in public school sports and other competitive extracurricular activities — the head of the Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA). He opposed the legislation over social media.
While President Donald Trump champions “school choice” on a national level and Governor Greg Abbott pledges to sign such a bill into law should one make it to his desk, some Texas homeschoolers question one piece of proposed school choice policy before the Legislature, Senate Bill 3.
The Texas “Tebow bill” is back. Two lawmakers filed bills named for Tim Tebow, the former Heisman Trophy-winning University of Florida football player who was homeschooled but played on his local public school team. While proponents express excitement over a third attempt to pass “Tebow”, homeschoolers voiced concerns over the legislation.
Two Texas House hearings have been held to address nightmares with the Texas Child Protective Services agency. During one of those hearings, a state representative who was chairman of the committee, angrily shut-out a discussion of the due process and other constitutional rights of parents.
On June 9, Texas homeschool families will celebrate “Leeper Day,” set aside to honor the 1994 Texas Supreme Court decision on the landmark court case (Leeper v. Arlington ISD) that legalized homeschooling in the Lone Star state. Twenty one years later, it is the current governor, Greg Abbott, who has recognized this historical date.
