January 10, 2017 – A few words from WPA for the new year

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We are at the beginning of a new legislative session in Wisconsin as well as the beginning of a new federal administration. Homeschooling is gaining popularity and recognition, and many legislators see themselves as supporting homeschooling by offering special treatment to homeschoolers.

We have a unique situation in Wisconsin that homeschoolers in most other states do not have. We have an enormous amount of freedom to homeschool in whatever way works for our family as long as we follow our reasonable homeschool law.

All government favors come with the requirement of accountability. Taxpayers are right to expect accountability for how our tax dollars are spent.

Taking all of this into consideration, legislators and government leaders at the state and federal level, who may not fully understand the special situation that Wisconsin homeschoolers are in, may try in the coming months to offer favors to homeschoolers in the form of tax credits, educational vouchers, and/or other types of privileged considerations to homeschoolers.

WPA maintains that Wisconsin homeschoolers do not want to be a special interest group.

WPA recognizes that the receipt of public money should come with measures of accountability.

WPA maintains that receiving special treatment such as tax credits or educational vouchers WILL lead to increased regulation of homeschooling. In order to prove that taxpayer dollars are being well spent, regulation could include mandatory testing, curriculum approval, qualifications for homeschool parents, oversight by local school districts, and other possibilities.

WPA feels strongly that any of these regulations (already present in other states) would detrimentally limit the freedom that homeschoolers in Wisconsin have enjoyed since 1984.

WPA asks all homeschoolers to learn about the history of homeschooling in Wisconsin and what is at stake if any additional regulation is put in place.  Do not be taken in by promises of government favors. What we have to lose is much greater than what we have to gain.

Please contact your state and federal representatives and let them know that you want the homeschooling law to remain unchanged, you do not want favors from the government.