Committee approves repeal of homeschool curriculum filing requirement

The Education Committee voted to pass House Bill 46, the "Homeschool Freedom Act," which would repeal the statutory requirement that parents who homeschool submit their curriculum to the local school board for approval or acknowledgement.

Representative Strzok (presenting HB46) said the bill removes an unnecessary reporting step for families that choose to educate at home and does not change homeschool students’ access to school activities; he cited existing statute (Wyoming statute 21‑4‑506) that permits homeschool students to participate in public school activities subject to district rules. "This bill would give parents the right to educate their children at home without government overreach," he told the committee.

Witnesses in support included Jesse Rubino of the State Freedom Caucus Network, Will Estrada of the Home School Legal Defense Association and multiple homeschooling parents and advocates. Rubino told the committee that 11 states do not require curriculum filings and that peer‑reviewed studies generally show homeschool students performing at or above public school peers; he also said the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act does not require curriculum submission for states to meet federal obligations.

Department and agency statements: State Superintendent’s office told the committee it supports the bill. Corinne Schmidt, director of the Wyoming Department of Family Services, told the committee that DFS has used curriculum filings as a practical indicator when a report comes in and staff need to know whether a family is homeschooling; she said DFS would continue to investigate allegations of educational neglect using other means if the curriculum filing requirement is repealed. DFS provided numbers during discussion indicating roughly 50 allegations annually that the agency characterizes as educational neglect investigations, about half of which proceed to substantiation in the agency’s accounting of cases.

Supporters said the filing requirement imposes unnecessary paperwork and that the forms are sometimes handled inconsistently across districts; several homeschool parents described certified‑mail notices or local practices that created confusion. Department of Education and school administrators who testified said the statutory curriculum submission is largely an acknowledgement process rather than an approval and noted districts’ administrative processes vary by district.

The committee approved HB46 and sent it forward. Roll call recorded passage in committee by voice/roll call: four ayes, one excused (Senator Olson excused); Senator Bridal, Senator Rothfuss, Senator Scott and Chairwoman Schueller recorded ayes on the committee roll call. The Department of Education (State Superintendent) indicated support; DFS said it will adapt processes for neglect investigations if statute is repealed.

Next steps: With the committee vote the bill moves toward the Senate floor. Supporters asked the Legislature to retain student access to extracurricular activities via existing statute while removing the curriculum filing requirement.