Have you heard about the Homeschool Freedom Bill that OCEANetwork submitted for the 2025 legislative session in Oregon? In this post, we’re answering all your questions, including why it’s important, how it would impact Oregon homeschoolers, and how you can help!
ALERT (3/8/25) – NOW is the time to take action for the Homeschool Freedom Bill. Please call and/or email the eight Committee members on the House Committee On Education and urge them to allow the bill to go to hearing! Read the rest of the alert here.
Table of Contents
What is the Homeschool Freedom Bill?
The Homeschool Freedom Bill is legislation being proposed in the 2025 Oregon legislative session to remove unnecessary regulations on homeschool families. Specifically, it would remove the requirement for notification, standardized testing, and PDPs for special needs students.
Why should Oregon’s homeschool regulations be removed?
Homeschooling has proven to be an effective, enriching, and successful educational option for families across the nation. Yet in many states, including Oregon, regulations continue to place unneeded burdens on homeschooling families without providing any real benefit.
For over 35 years, with the help of families like yours, OCEANetwork has been working to protect and expand freedoms for homeschoolers in our state. We believe that the current regulations on homeschool families should be removed from Oregon homeschool law.
Oregon’s current homeschool regulations should be removed from law because they are
- Ineffective – Data shows that regulations like notifications and testing do nothing to improve the academics, safety, or educational experience of homeschool students.
- Unfair – Public schoolers can opt out of testing, while homeschoolers cannot. Testing regulations also penalize lower-performing students, who are typically the very students who benefit most from the homeschooling environment.
- Unnecessary – Homeschool students outperform public and online charter school students in academics, socialization, and civic involvement, including in states where there are no regulations at all.
- Wasteful – ESDs and school districts often don’t understand the laws and attempt to overstep their bounds, resulting in confusion, harassment in some cases, and a waste of time and taxpayer money. It’s also a waste of a homeschool family’s time and resources to complete required notifications and testing when they have no benefit for the students.
Are homeschoolers in Oregon really treated unfairly compared to public school students?
Yes. Public school families in Oregon can choose to opt out of standardized testing, yet homeschoolers are not granted the same option. This creates an uneven playing field and penalizes homeschooling families, particularly those with students who struggle with testing but thrive in personalized education.
Won’t homeschool children have lower academic performance if there are no regulations?
No. Studies consistently show that homeschoolers outperform public and online charter school students in academics, socialization, and civic involvement. This is true even in states with no homeschool regulations. Success in homeschooling comes from the tailored and flexible approach to education that is directed by parents, not from state oversight.
Wouldn’t removing the homeschool regulations in Oregon increase abuse?
No. Research and real-world data show no correlation between homeschool freedom and increased abuse. Child abuse is abhorrent and goes against everything that the homeschool community stands for. Unfortunately, we live in a fallen world, and abuse occurs in every educational environment — public, private, and home education. Mandatory reporting laws already exist to address abuse concerns, and educators, doctors, and community members are legally required to report suspected abuse.
Increased homeschool regulations have not been proven to prevent abuse, but they do burden families who are providing a safe, loving, and effective educational environment. Protecting children from abuse is crucial, but that goal is best met through enforcing existing abuse prevention laws and improving effectiveness of the agencies that carry them out, not by adding unnecessary oversight to homeschool families.
Why do current homeschool regulations waste time and resources?
Educational Service Districts (ESDs) and school districts frequently misunderstand Oregon’s homeschool laws, leading to confusion, overreach, and sometimes even harassment of homeschool families. These misunderstandings waste valuable time and taxpayer dollars while creating unnecessary stress for families.
Requiring notifications and standardized testing also takes time and resources away from actual education—time that could be better spent on meaningful learning experiences.
What is the history of Oregon’s homeschool laws?
The current homeschool laws in Oregon are a result of a compromise that OCEANetwork struck in the legislature the last time we pushed for total homeschool freedom. In fact, OCEANetwork’s Freedom Watch Team members were involved in that and helped draft the laws in such a way as to allow the most freedom possible, even with the compromises. (You can learn about the history of homeschooling in Oregon here.)
The result was expanded homeschool freedoms, but it did not fully eliminate unnecessary oversight. Advocating to finish what was started is a worthwhile endeavor. Supporting bills submitted by OCEANetwork, such as the 2025 Homeschool Freedom Bill, is a crucial step toward that goal.
Oregon’s homeschool laws are easy compared to some other states. Is this bill really necessary?
Yes. While Oregon’s regulations may seem less burdensome than those in some other states, they are still ineffective, unnecessary, and unfair. Homeschooling families in states with no regulation consistently achieve academic and social success without government oversight. Oregon homeschoolers deserve the same freedom to educate their children without interference. Removing these outdated requirements protects educational freedom and helps curb the future expansion of regulations.
Where can I find more information about the data behind the statements made here?
You can find extensive research and data on homeschooling outcomes from trusted organizations like the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) and Homeschooling Backgrounder. These sources provide detailed studies on homeschoolers’ academic performance, socialization, and long-term success in states with varying levels of regulation.
Won’t asking for these regulations to be removed invite scrutiny and more attempts at regulation by uninformed legislators or homeschool critics?
A good offense is the best defense. Pushing for the removal of unnecessary regulations educates legislators and the public about the proven success of homeschooling and the importance of educational freedom. Staying silent leaves homeschoolers vulnerable to increasing oversight from those who misunderstand home education. Proactively defending and expanding our freedoms strengthens the homeschool community’s position and prevents further government intrusion.
What DOES invite scrutiny and more attempts at regulation is accepting government funding. OCEANetwork opposes any bills or intitiatives where private homeschoolers are given public funds (aka “School Choice”), and strongly encourages homeschool families to not take the bait! Don’t trade your homeschool freedoms (and the freedoms of your fellow homeschool families) for extra dollars. For decades, single-income homeschool famlies and parents of varied educational levels have successfully homeschooled and discipled their children without government funds, and so can you!
What happens if the Homeschool Freedom Bill doesn’t pass?
If the bill doesn’t pass, Oregon’s homeschoolers will continue to face unnecessary regulatory burdens. Families will still be required to submit notifications and standardized test results, despite the lack of evidence that these measures improve educational outcomes. Passing the Homeschool Freedom Bill now safeguards educational liberty for future generations.
However, we do live in a blue state that favors regulation over homeschool freedom. If the Homeschool Freedom Bill does not pass in 2025, we will submit it again (or bills like it) in future legislative sessions.
How can I support the Homeschool Freedom Bill?
The 2025 Homeschool Freedom Bill submitted by OCEANetwork needs a hearing in the House Committee on Education to move forward. A hearing increases the bill’s chances of passing and educates legislators and the public on the importance of homeschool freedom.
We encourage you to call or email the House Committee on Education and urge them to schedule a hearing for the bill. You can also reach out to your state representatives to voice your support. Get more details and contact information here.
Do you have other questions bout the Homeschool Freedom Bill? Please contact us or comment below and we’ll answer your question!
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Homeschool Freedom Challenge – families and homeschool groups can use this printable challenge to engage with and pray for their legislators for the cause of homeschool freedom in Oregon!
