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Is Illinois easy to homeschool in?

Yep! Your homeschool is treated as a private school. In Illinois, your homeschool is treated as a private school. You do not have to register your home-based private school with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), nor are you required to obtain state recognition.

There are only 3 requirements -

1. Teach the required subjects. Illinois requires you to provide an "adequate course of instruction" covering language arts, math, biological and physical sciences, social sciences, fine arts, and physical development and health. 
2. Instruction must be in English. When you teach your child in your homeschool, you must do so in English.
3. Know what to call your homeschool. HSLDA recommends that you call your homeschool a private school when dealing with government officials — with one important exception: you should identify your program as a homeschool if filling out a FAFSA for college financial aid. 

Things you don't need to worry about: no registration or notification, no standardized testing, no minimum hours or days, and no teacher credentials for parents. That's a very light regulatory footprint compared to many other states.

While Illinois is easy to homeschool in currently, it's worth staying informed about potential state legislative changes.

Homeschool Groups in Illinois

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Illinois is a terrific place to call home for our homeschooling family, offering an extraordinary classroom that stretches from the shores of Lake Michigan to the rolling prairies that inspired Abraham Lincoln himself. History comes alive when we visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, where my kids walk through immersive exhibits that make the Civil War era feel immediate and real. Chicago opens up a world of cultural enrichment for us, from the hands-on wonder of the Museum of Science and Industry — one of the largest science museums in the Western Hemisphere — to the awe-inspiring collections at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Field Museum of Natural History. We love hiking the breathtaking canyons and waterfalls at Starved Rock State Park, and visiting Cahokia Mounds, the UNESCO World Heritage Site that brings to life the story of one of North America's greatest pre-Columbian civilizations, never gets old. The flexibility of homeschooling means we can time our visits to Galena's charming historic district, take in the natural beauty of Shawnee National Forest's Garden of the Gods, or spend an afternoon at a local farmers market learning about agriculture in one of the nation's most productive farming states. With a thriving homeschool community, minimal state regulation that gives our family true freedom over our curriculum, and a state that packs centuries of American history, world-class art, and stunning natural landscapes into one place, I can't imagine a better place to educate my children on our own terms.

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