SB177 revises the provisions of parental choice regarding compulsory school attendance by expanding “alternative instruction” (e.g., home education) options. It removes certain reporting and testing requirements, while allowing participation in interscholastic activities.
The Senate passed SB177 on February 17, 2021, by a vote of 21 to 14. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because a child’s education is the responsibility of–and a fundamental right of choice retained by–the parents, not the government. Parental rights, as with all other constitutional rights, are protected by the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment.