Families homeschooling for the first time inevitably have questions about legal challenges or threats that they might face from local or state education authorities. Those who do seek an answer to these questions are often faced with a confusing array of laws, policies, and regulations that not only vary from state to state, but also between school districts, and school officials within the same state or district.

This help sheet is provided by the Indiana Department of Education. It lists the basics of homeschooling in Indiana.

Some veteran home educators seem to take a firm stand on principles that others don't even recognize as issues. Is it that they are just stubborn, rebellious, or cantankerous? Probably not.

The Indiana Department of Education's summary of the laws pertaining to homeschooling.

In Pierce v. Society of the Sisters, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that "the fundamental theory of liberty upon which all governments of this Union repose excludes any general power of the state to standardize its children by forcing them to accept instruction from public teachers only. The child is not the creature of the state."

Covers the attendance reporting requirements for private schools in Indiana. A private school administrator shall furnish, on request of the state superintendent of public instruction, the number of children by grade level attending the school.

The Home School Legal Defense Association provides a brief summary of the homeschooling laws in Indiana. Includes a link to a legal analysis of laws relating to homeschooling in Indiana.

Indiana statute relating to compulsory attendance. Covers compulsory attendance ages and required days of instruction.

This list is an opportunity for homeschoolers involved in custody issues to contact other homeschoolers for information about homeschooling attorneys and experts, as well as exchange ideas and information about handling custody disputes as a result of homeschooling.

National Home Education Legal Defense was founded by Attorney Deborah G. Stevenson as a non-sectarian legal support organization. NHELD offers its members legal assistance by an attorney licensed to practice in your state working with NHELD licensed attorneys. Members are also kept apprised of pending legislative action, scholarship programs, and other programs beneficial to homeschoolers.

This list is an opportunity for homeschoolers to contact homeschooling attorneys and experts about homeschooling legal and litigation issues. It is an informal network of attorneys and legal experts that are concerned with litigation pending and threatened against homeschoolers. Its primary purpose is to exchange legal information within the profession, and to educate and support attorneys and experts involved in homeschool litigation.

When the home schooled child returns to public school the public school is faced with a decision concerning placement of the child. One model that takes into consideration the needs of the child and the responsibility of the public school is detailed in this article.

Although a credit or deduction could be helpful for homeschoolers, HSLDA opposes any tax break legislation that could come with governmental regulations. Homeschoolers have fought far too long and much too hard to throw off the chains of government regulation that hinder effective education and interfere with liberty. It would be inconsistent and foolhardy to accept tax incentives in exchange for government regulation. However, HSLDA supports tax credits that promote educational choice without threatening any regulation of homeschoolers. - See more at: http://nche.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200504150.asp#sthash.tvLv2ItR.dpuf

Details the importance of support alternative educational choices, including private schools and vouchers, along with homeschooling.

A look at the battle for the homeschooling movement and the demographics of homeschooling families that challenges the notion that all homeschoolers are conservative fundamentalists. This article is a critical look at the HSLDA.

Find the laws pertaining to home education for all 50 states and U.S. territories.

Virtual charter schools are popping up all over the country, providing free computers, textbooks and educational materials to any family who would like to enroll in their program. Jennifer James takes a hard look at how these schools are detrimental to black homeschoolers.

This list of ten questions touches on political issues that affect and are important to homeschoolers. It includes tips on how to frame questions and how to elicit a candidate's opinion on a variety of issues.

Questions and answers regarding the relationship between public schools and home schools in Indiana.

The law requires that our children be in school from 7-17 years of age and that they attend school for 180 days each year. This summary of the law is provided by the Indiana Association of Home Educators.

The Association of HomeSchool Attorneys (AHSA) provides a list of attorneys who consult with and/or represent homeschoolers.

The greatest obstacle pioneering homeschoolers faced two decades ago was daunting: in most states home education wasn't legal. This article details five of the most significant cases that have become landmark decisions in the move towards homeschooling freedoms: the DeJonge case in Michigan, the Jeffery case in Pennsylvania, the Diegel case in Ohio, the Triple E case in South Carolina, and the Calabretta case in California.

The "We Stand for Homeschooling Statement and Resolution” is a grassroots effort created by an ad hoc group of homeschoolers from all over the United States. The list of original signers includes homeschoolers and their allies from diverse religious, political and philosophical perspectives. The list is also geographically diverse. This statement addresses the issue of state control of homeschooling and the growing movement of using government funding to run emerging educational programs. You can read the statement and add your name to it at this website.

Requires that an accurate daily record of attendance be kept solely to verify the enrollment and attendance of any particular child upon request of the state superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent of the school corporation in which the private school is located.

This is the full text of the compulsory school attendance statutes. These pertain to those who choose to home educate their children as well.

IC 20-33-2-8 Students not bound by requirements Sec. 8. A student is not bound by the requirements of this chapter until the student becomes seven (7) years of age, if, upon request of the superintendent of the school corporation, the parent of a student who would otherwise be subject to compulsory school attendance under section 6 of this chapter certifies to the superintendent that the parent intends to: (1) enroll the student in a nonaccredited, nonpublic school; or (2) begin providing the student with instruction equivalent to that given in the public schools as permitted under section 28 of this chapter; not later than the date on which the student becomes seven (7) years of age.

IC 20-33-2-28 Compulsory attendance for full term; duty of parentSec. 28. (a) This section does not apply during a period when a child is excused from school attendance under this chapter. (b) It is unlawful for a parent to: (1) fail; (2) neglect; or (3) refuse; to send the parent's child to a public school for the full term as required under this chapter unless the child is being provided with instruction equivalent to that given in public schools. As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.17.

It is unlawful for a parent to fail, neglect or refuse to send his child to a public school for the full term as required under this chapter unless the child is being provided with instruction equivalent to that given in the public schools. This section does not apply during any period when the child is excused from attendance under this chapter.

A school that is nonpublic, non-accredited, and not otherwise approved by the Indiana State Board of Education is not bound by any requirements set forth in IC 20 or IC 21 with regard to curriculum or the content of educational programs offered by the school.

Indiana Home Educators' Network (IHEN) is a statewide organization providing information, support, and resource to home educating families in Indiana.

As their ranks increase, homeschoolers are tapping public schools for curriculum, part-time classes, extracurricular services, and online learning.

Twenty years ago, home education was treated as a crime in almost every state. Today, it is legal all across America, despite strong and continued opposition from many within the educational establishment. How did this happen? This paper traces the legal and sociological history of the modern home school movement, and then suggests factors that led to this movement's remarkable success.

Contains suggestions that are useful for many Indiana families wishing to withdraw their children from public school and transfer them to a home-based private school, or home school.

This list is created to be a means of informing, documenting and evaluating available information concerning the impact of virtual/charter schools on the homeschooling community. This information consists of and is not limited to news items, articles from various sources, legislative information (bills, law changes), documented efforts and experiences and other information that may give weight to whether home-based charter schools or virtual schools are having an impact in any negative way on homeschooling.

An explanation of how homeschools are non-accredited nonpublic schools as far as Indiana law goes. This article is written by Lora L. Miller, Consultant, "Youth Out of the Education Mainstream," at the Indiana Department of Education. Also addresses what the law means for granting diplomas and getting teenagers into college or other post-high school programs.

The Indiana Foundation for Home Schooling is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that encourages and supports the homeschooling community by providing financial and other services to those who pursue, provide or promote home education.