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The History of Wisconsin Homeschool Law |
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See Also: Wisconsin Homeschooling Law: what is the current law regarding homeschooling in Wisconsin? What are you required to do if you decide to homeschool? WPA and other state organizations such as Wisconsin CHEA, have worked to preserve the freedom and parental authority of the Wisconsin homeschooling law. See WPA Milestones and the information on joining WPA.
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Before the law was passed in 1984, parents who wished to
homeschool had to either seek approval from the Department of Public
Instruction (DPI) to follow a home tutorial program or file as a private
school. It was, however, unclear exactly what it meant to be a
private school. At the same time, many families did not feel they
should have to seek permission to homeschool from the DPI.
In 1983 something happened which turned out, in the long run, to be beneficial to homeschooling in Wisconsin. The Popanz family was charged with truancy. The state claimed that since they were not officially declared as a private school, their children were truant. In court proceedings, the state's school attendance law was found to be vague, especially as concerned the definition of a private school. This court case started the ball rolling to draft and pass a clearer homeschool law. The first proposal required parents to seek approval to homeschool from the state DPI. Many homeschooling parents, concerned about this, met in Stevens Point in January of 1984. It was at this meeting that the Wisconsin Parents Association (WPA) was formed. By March, an equally large group (about 2500) met at the Capital in Madison to protest the proposed law and to testify before committees about unfair treatment and harassment of homeschool families by the DPI. As a result of this testimony, legislators removed the requirement of DPI approval to homeschool. While designating homeschooling in Wisconsin as private schooling, they also more clearly defined what it meant for homeschoolers to function as private schools. Both the proponents of John Holt and unschooling and of Ray Moore and delayed school entrance were influential in developing the Wisconsin homeschooling law. |
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This material draws from: Luebke, Robert V. "Homeschooling in Wisconsin: A Review of Current Issues and Trends." Policy Research Institute Report 12.4 (1999). 20 March 2001 < www.wpri.org/Reports/Volume12/Vol12no4.pdf > |
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