SB56 removes the requirement for a notary on homeschool affidavits in Utah. Parents or legal guardians can now file a signed affidavit to excuse their child from public school attendance for homeschooling without needing it to be notarized. The bill also ensures that local school boards cannot impose additional requirements on homeschoolers, such as keeping records or standardized testing. It simplifies the process while maintaining parental responsibility for the child’s education.
The Utah State Senate passed SB56 on January 29, 2024 by a vote of 29 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because this is one of the strongest parental-rights and homeschool-protection bills in the country. Government funding for private schools or homeschool families comes with strings attached, but this bill ensures that the government cannot interfere in a child’s education at home. It reinforces parents’ rights to direct their children’s education, a fundamental freedom protected under the Constitution.