Home School Legal Defense Association

After a tremendous effort by the Nevada Homeschool Network, especially Frank Schnorbus and Barbara Dragon, S.B. 404, the Homeschool Freedom Bill, has been signed into law. Joining in the effort during key periods over the past four months were Elissa Wahl, Irene Rushing, Carl Lucas, Tina Goodman, Kelley Radow and former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle (also a former homeschooler).

Home School Legal Defense Association Senior Counsel Christopher Klicka was involved in the minute-by-minute drafting process and amendments, as well as orchestrating e-lerts to Nevada HSLDA members. Finally, without the help of the many emails, phone calls, and appearances at committee hearings from homeschool parents throughout Nevada, this bill would never have become law.

Incredibly, S.B. 404 passed during just one legislative session. Many times, this type of bill, which eliminates over 50% of the current regulation, takes several sessions to actually pass. However, due to the expert guidance of the Nevada Homeschool Network, not only was the bill passed by the Senate and the Assembly, and signed by the Governor, but it was passed unanimously by the entire Senate!

S.B. 404 does several things:

  • Eliminates oversight of homeschooling by the local or state public school system. It establishes a one-time (instead of annual) notification of intent to homeschool to be sent to the local school district when the child begins to homeschool. No longer do parents need to show the child’s birth certificate.
  • Eliminates the requirement that homeschoolers provide “equivalent instruction to public schools.” The law recognizes parents’ rights to direct the education of their children and their full responsibility to determine how their children are being educated. It does list certain subjects that must be taught, but only as appropriate for each child’s age and skill level as determined by the parent.
  • Requires the school district to accept a notice of intent that contains the name, age, gender of each child; name and address of their parents; a short educational plan, as appropriate for the age and skill level of the child at the time of filing for the first year of homeschooling…

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