Illinois State Laws

Homeschooling under the private school statute. Here are the requirements for homeschooling your child under the Illinois private school statute.

1. Provide an “adequate course of instruction” covering language arts, math, biological and physical sciences, social sciences, fine arts, and physical development and health.
2. All instruction must be in English.
3. Know what to call your homeschool. It is recommended that you refer to your homeschool as a private school when dealing with government officials. However, if you are submitting a FAFSA form (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as part of your child’s college financial aid paperwork, you should refer to your program as a homeschool.

Here you’ll find websites for any questions you may have about education in the state of Illinois.

• Illinois State Board of Education: https://www.isbe.net/
• Illinois State Government – Education: https://www.illinois.gov/education.html
• U.S. Department of Education – Illinois: https://www.ed.gov/category/location/illinois
• Illinois Education Association: https://ieanea.org/
• Illinois Report Card: https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/
• List of Illinois school districts: https://ballotpedia.org/List_of_school_districts_in_Illinois

Whether you already homeschool in Illinois or are looking to do so, these resources are quite useful if you’re searching for support, co-ops, or answers to questions about homeschooling in your state.

• Illinois Christian Home Educators: https://iche.org/
• Apple Tree Christian Homeschoolers: https://appletreechristianhomeschoolers.weebly.com/
• Arlington HOUSE Homeschool Group: https://www.facebook.com/arlingtonhousepublic/
• Peoria Area Association of Christian Homeschoolers (PAACH): https://www.apachecentralillinois.org/
• Chicago Homeschool Discussion Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/508686889193748/
• Christian Homeschool Advocacy Resources Inspiration & Support (CHARIS): https://www.charisil.com/il/charis/index.cfm?
• Christian Homeschool Connection: https://www.homeschool-life.com/sysfiles/member/index.cfm?memberid=83
• Christian Workshops of the Fox Valley Homeschool Co-op & Support Group: https://www.homeschool-life.com/il/cwf/
• Cornerstone Christian Homeschool Cooperative: https://www.cchcjoliet.org/
• Crossroads Christian Youth Center Sports: https://www.crossroadscyc.com/
• East Central Illinois Home Educators Network (ECIHEN): https://www.homeschool-life.com/il/ecihen/
• Eastern DuPage for Godly Education (EDGE): https://edgehomeschoolers.com/
• EverReady Speech and Debate Club: https://www.facebook.com/everreadyspeechanddebateclub
• Grassroots Homeschoolers: https://grassrootshomeschoolers.org/
• Greater Peoria Homeschoolers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/155041751278291/
• Hallstrom Homeschool Workshops: https://www.hallstromhomeschool.org/
• HEART Homeschool Group of Bolingbrook: https://heartofbolingbrook.org/index.html
• Highland Homeschoolers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/353002774901101/
• Illinois H.O.U.S.E. (Home-Oriented Unique Schooling Experience): https://www.illinoishouse.org/
• Homeschool Resource Center: https://www.fofchomeschool.org/
• Illinois Impact Independent Sports: https://www.facebook.com/IllinoisIMPACT
• Kankakee Christian Home Educators: https://www.homeschool-life.com/il/kche/
• Lake County Homeschoolers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LakeCountyHS/
• Metro East Catholic Home Educators (MECHE): https://www.homeschool-life.com/il/meche/
• Near West Homeschoolers Community Co-op: https://nearwesthomeschoolers.org/
• Northside Unschoolers Group (NUG) of Chicago: https://www.northsideunschoolers.org/
• Potter’s Hand Homeschool Group: https://www.pottershandhomeschool.com/
• QCA Secular Homeschool Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/qcasecularhomeschool/?ref=br_rs
• Quad Cities Homeschool Coalition: https://www.facebook.com/groups/334022040077147/
• Sauk Valley Christian Home Educators: https://www.homeschool-life.com/il/svche/
• St. Clair County Christian Home Educators: https://www.sccche.org/
• Tri-State Educators’ Association of Christian Homeschoolers: https://qache.blogspot.com/

One of the many benefits of homeschooling is the flexibility to explore! Here are some ideas for amazing–and educational–field trips around the great state of Illinois!

• Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum: Springfield, IL

• Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum: Chicago, IL

• Argonne National Laboratory: Argonne, IL

• Ballard Nature Center: Altamont, IL

• Bronzeville Children’s Museum: Chicago, IL

• Brookfield Zoo: Brookfield, IL

• Burpee Museum of Natural History: Rockford, IL

• Carl Sandburg State Historic Site: Galesburg, IL

• Chicago Children’s Museum: Chicago, IL

• Chicago History Museum: Chicago, IL

• Chicago Museum of Science and Industry: Chicago, IL

• Chicago Playworks/Merle Reskin Theater: Chicago, IL

• Children’s Discovery Museum: Normal, IL

• Children’s Museum in Oak Lawn: Oak Lawn, IL

• Children’s Museum of Illinois: Decatur, IL

• Cosley Zoo: Wheaton, IL

• Dave’s Down to Earth Rock Shop and Prehistoric Life Museum: Evanston, IL

• Discovery Center Museum: Rockford, IL

• Discovery Depot Children’s Museum: Galesburg, IL

• Douglas-Hart Nature Center: Mattoon, IL

• DuPage Children’s Museum: Naperville, IL

• DuSable Museum of African American History: Chicago, IL

• Emily Oaks Nature Center: Skokie, IL

• Engineering for Kids: Aurora, IL

• Ernest Hemingway Birthplace and Museum: Oak Park, IL

• The Exploration Station: Bourbonnais, IL

• Field Museum of Natural History: Chicago, IL

• Forest Park Nature Center: Peoria Heights, IL

• Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio: Oak Park, IL

• Garfield Park Conservatory: Chicago, IL

• Henson Robinson Zoo: Springfield, IL

• Homestead Prairie Farm: Decatur, IL

• Illinois State Museum: Springfield, IL

• Joliet Area Historical Museum: Joliet, IL

• KidsWork Children’s Museum: Frankfort, IL

• Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago: Glenview, IL

• Lake County Discovery Museum: Wauconda, IL

• Lakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences: Peoria, IL

• Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site: Lerna, IL

• Lincoln Park Zoo: Chicago, IL

• McDonald’s #1 Store Museum/Original Restaurant: Des Plaines, IL

• Midway Village and Museum Center: Rockford, IL

• Midway Museum of Natural History: Sycamore, IL

• Miller Park Zoo: Bloomington, IL

• Niabi Zoo: Coal Valley, IL

• North Park Village Nature Center: Chicago, IL

• Orpheum Children’s Science Museum: Champaign, IL

• Peoria RiverFront Museum: Peoria, IL

• Peoria Zoo: Peoria, IL

• Pitcher Park Nature Center: Joliet, IL

• Randall Oaks Zoo: West Dundee, IL

• Red Oak Nature Center: Batavia, IL

• Science Center of Southern Illinois: Carbondale, IL

• SciTech Hands-on Museum: Aurora, IL

• Scovill Zoo: Decatur, IL

• Shedd Aquarium: Chicago, IL

• Spring Valley Nature Sanctuary: Schaumburg, IL

• Sugar Grove Nature Center: McLean, IL

• Thorn Creek Nature Preserve: Park Forest, IL

• Trail of Tears State Forest: Jonesboro, IL

• Ulysses S. Grant Home State Historic Site: Galena, IL

• Wildlife Prairie State Park: Hanna City, IL

• Wildwood Nature Center: Park Ridge, IL

• Willow Haven Nature Center: Kankakee, IL

• WonderWorks Children’s Museum: Oak Park, IL