Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Is there equal protection under the law for home-educated children with disabilities? Michael Farris, Chairman of HSLDA's Board of Directors, discusses the current status of special education assistance for home educators on today's Home School Heartbeat.

Mike Farris:


By Federal law, all children with special needs are entitled to federally funded related services and equipment. We think that when this is properly interpreted it includes children whose parents have chosen to provide the core educational program by themselves at home.


This law is called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA. This measure is meant to guarantee that eligible students receive special-education services-and related services-that might benefit their overall education. These special-ed services are intended to help eligible students regardless of where their educational programs are offered.


Despite these broad general provisions, currently under IDEA, if you live in a state where homeschools operate as private schools, you can in fact get special education services for your child. However, if you live in a state where homeschools are considered as their own category of education, your child cannot receive those services.


HSLDA continues to work to correct this discriminating language in IDEA, so that in the words of President Bush, "no child will be left behind." I'm Mike Farris.