HB 1214 / SB 1194

HB 1214 would make significant changes to the home school law.  Most significantly, it threatens to blur the lines between public charter schools and home schools.

As amended, HB 1214 would create in the law an option for a combined “home school” and hybrid public charter school:

• Students would be “enrolled” with the hybrid public charter school.
• Parents would associate with this same school.
• The hybrid public charter school is paid for with public funds, presumably more federal funding.
• Students attend the public charter school no less than 3 days and no more than 4 days per week!
• A parent who elects to teach their child in lieu of sending them for in-person instruction likely will be required to consent to daily visual, verbal, or written confirmation to the public school of the student’s participation.
• Parental instruction must “align with the academic standards adopted by the state board of education….”

As can be readily seen, this amendment substantially blurs the line between homeschooling and public charter schools and threatens the freedom that Tennessee homeschoolers currently enjoy!

In addition, we find it very alarming that this bill will also create residential boarding schools as a part of this charter school program with the intention of housing “at-risk” and economically disadvantaged children (also defined in TCA § 49-3-104 as migrant children). It seems that this bill creates an opportunity for the state of Tennessee to provide full-time educational housing for illegal immigrants finding their way to Tennessee.