The Homeschool Briefing

Connecticut HB 5468 is on Governor Ned Lamont's desk after the state Senate passed it 22-14 on May 4. If signed, the bill imposes Connecticut's first formal homeschool regulations in 276 years, including annual intent-to-educate forms, DCF records checks for adults in the home, and portfolio or test-based progress reviews. Meanwhile, Tennessee's Education Savings Account application for the 2026-27 school year closes May 26. We close with a Charlotte Mason narration tip you can use at your kitchen table this morning.

In this episode:

- Connecticut HB 5468 awaits Gov. Lamont's signature; what the bill actually does

- Deuteronomy 6:7 and the parent's calling that no statute can grant or revoke

- Tennessee ESA deadline May 26 (and a nudge to check your own state)

- Your Homeschool Win Today: a 10-minute narration exercise

Links:

- HSLDA on Connecticut HB 5468: https://hslda.org/post/hb-5468

- Connecticut Mirror coverage: https://ctmirror.org/2026/05/04/homeschool-bill-passes-over-gop-objections/

- Tennessee ESA program: https://www.tn.gov/education/esa.html

Proudly sponsored by Bible Copilot, the free app that makes daily Bible study a family habit. Download on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bible-copilot-ai-bible-study/id6758913373?ct=hsb-2026-05-11&mt=8

Keep teaching, keep trusting.

On today's Homeschool Briefing: Connecticut's HB 5468 has cleared both chambers and now waits on Governor Ned Lamont. We walk through what the bill would do, why HSLDA is sounding the alarm, and why Deuteronomy 6 still answers the underlying question. Then to the kitchen table: a new study on reading aloud for just fourteen bedtimes shows measurable gains in empathy and creativity for kids ages six to eight.

In this episode:

- Connecticut HB 5468 heads to Governor Lamont's desk after a late-night Senate vote

- New research: fourteen bedtimes of read-aloud boosts empathy and creativity in children ages six to eight

- Your Homeschool Win Today: read one chapter aloud tonight, no quiz, no narration sheet

Links:

- Connecticut Mirror coverage: https://ctmirror.org/2026/05/04/homeschool-bill-passes-over-gop-objections/

- HSLDA on the wave of state homeschool legislation: https://hslda.org/post/homeschool-freedom-takes-a-hit-after-wave-of-bad-legislation

- Reading aloud research summary (The Conversation): https://theconversation.com/reading-to-young-kids-improves-their-social-skills-and-a-new-study-shows-it-doesnt-matter-whether-parents-stop-to-ask-questions-274926

Proudly sponsored by Bible Copilot — the free app that makes daily Bible study a family habit. Download on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bible-copilot-ai-bible-study/id6758913373?ct=hsb-2026-05-08&mt=8

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Connecticut's Senate has passed a bill requiring annual in-person registration and background checks for homeschool parents, with HSLDA warning it creates a surveillance state. Meanwhile, a new Mississippi State University study explains why so many pandemic-era families decided to stay home after schools reopened, and what that reveals about the future of homeschooling in America.

In this episode:

- Connecticut Senate passes first-ever homeschool regulation bill, 22-14, heading to governor's desk

- HSLDA attorney warns the framework creates a 'surveillance state' for compliant families

- New research from The Conversation and Washington Post: 43% of homeschool parents say benefits outweigh public school, and work flexibility is the strongest predictor of who stays

- Your Homeschool Win Today: write out the actual rhythm of your week and protect what your kids will remember in twenty years

Links:

- CT Mirror coverage of the homeschool bill: https://ctmirror.org/2026/05/04/homeschool-bill-passes-over-gop-objections/

- HSLDA on homeschool legislation: https://hslda.org/legal/legislation

- The Conversation on the lasting appeal of homeschooling: https://theconversation.com/the-lasting-appeal-of-homeschooling-what-motivated-families-to-continue-after-schools-reopened-post-pandemic-280118

Proudly sponsored by Bible Copilot, the free app that makes daily Bible study a family habit. Download on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bible-copilot-ai-bible-study/id6758913373?ct=hsb-2026-05-07&mt=8

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Connecticut's House Bill 5468 cleared the State Senate late Monday night and is now on Governor Ned Lamont's desk. If signed, it would replace a 276-year-old equivalent-instruction standard with an annual intent-to-educate form for every family and a mandatory DCF records check before any parent could withdraw a child to homeschool. We unpack what is in the bill, the biblical case for parental authority, and a practical word for May-weary homeschool moms.

In this episode:

- Connecticut HB 5468 passes the Senate 22-14 and heads to Governor Lamont

- Why Deuteronomy 6 still answers the 'who teaches the children' question

- A veteran-mom survival plan for finishing the homeschool year without burning out

- Your Homeschool Win Today: anchor next year's plan in two minutes

Links:

- CT Mirror coverage: https://ctmirror.org/2026/05/04/homeschool-bill-passes-over-gop-objections/

- HSLDA on HB 5468: https://hslda.org/post/hb-5468

- Bill text: https://www.cga.ct.gov/2026/TOB/H/PDF/2026HB-05468-R00-HB.PDF

- Treehouse Schoolhouse end-of-year reflection: https://treehouseschoolhouse.com/blog/end-of-homeschool-year-reflection-and-celebration-ideas

- Proverbial Homemaker on finishing well: https://www.proverbialhomemaker.com/finishing-the-homeschool-year.html

Proudly sponsored by Bible Copilot, the free app that makes daily Bible study a family habit. Download on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bible-copilot-ai-bible-study/id6758913373?ct=hsb-2026-05-06&mt=8

Keep teaching, keep trusting.

Connecticut's Senate passed the state's first homeschool oversight bill late Monday night and sent it to Governor Lamont's desk. New Johns Hopkins research shows nine out of ten homeschool families now lean on outside support. We connect both stories to your kitchen table.

In this episode:

- Connecticut Senate passes HB 5468 (22-14), sending the state's first-ever homeschool reporting law to Governor Ned Lamont

- Johns Hopkins / Rand survey: 88% of homeschool families use additional educational resources beyond what mom and dad teach

- Your Homeschool Win Today: pick one subject to outsource this week

Links:

- Connecticut Mirror: https://ctmirror.org/2026/05/04/homeschool-bill-passes-over-gop-objections/

- CT News Junkie: https://ctnewsjunkie.com/2026/05/04/senate-passes-homeschool-oversight-bill-in-late-night-session/

- HSLDA on the bill: https://hslda.org/post/is-connecticut-s-homeschooling-bill--repugnant--to-american-tradition

- The 74 on the Rand / Johns Hopkins survey: https://www.the74million.org/article/exclusive-most-homeschoolers-also-use-an-array-of-resources-data-shows/

Proudly sponsored by Bible Copilot, the free app that makes daily Bible study a family habit. Download on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bible-copilot-ai-bible-study/id6758913373?ct=hsb-2026-05-05&mt=8

Keep teaching, keep trusting.

Connecticut House Bill 5468 lands in the state Senate with the 2026 legislative session set to adjourn Wednesday, May 6. Plus a Charlotte Mason nature study habit you can start before lunch and a biblical anchor in Deuteronomy 6.

In this episode:

- Connecticut HB 5468 passes the House 96-53 and heads to the Senate, with mandatory DCF records checks for homeschool families

- A simple Charlotte Mason nature notebook habit that makes May the most productive month of your homeschool year

- Your Homeschool Win Today: a 10-minute outdoor habit that turns into a family rhythm

Links:

- CT Mirror, CT homeschool bill passes House: https://ctmirror.org/2026/04/23/ct-homeschool-bill-hb-5468-approved-house/

- HSLDA, Connecticut House Bill 5468: https://hslda.org/post/hb-5468

- Homeschool Nature Study, May garden activities: https://naturestudyhomeschool.com/homeschool-garden-activities-nature-studies/

Proudly sponsored by Bible Copilot, the free app that makes daily Bible study a family habit. Download on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bible-copilot-ai-bible-study/id6758913373?ct=hsb-2026-05-04&mt=8

Keep teaching, keep trusting.

Connecticut's homeschool law of 276 years could be rewritten this week as HB 5468 sits on the Senate calendar. We break down what the bill actually does, what HSLDA said at yesterday's Hartford press conference, and the deeper covenantal question every homeschool parent should be asking. Then a practical plan to finish the May home stretch without burning out.

In this episode:

- Connecticut HB 5468 — what passed the House, what's in front of the Senate, and what the DCF records check provision means

- A Deuteronomy 6 reframe of who is actually authorized to teach a child

- A three-bucket plan to finish the school year well instead of trying to finish everything

- Your Homeschool Win Today: a 10-minute fridge list with your kids

Links:

- HSLDA on HB 5468: https://hslda.org/post/hb-5468

- CT Mirror coverage of the House vote: https://ctmirror.org/2026/04/23/ct-homeschool-bill-hb-5468-approved-house/

- Family Institute of Connecticut analysis: https://www.ctfamily.org/homeschool-bill-expanded-to-include-universal-registration-and-dcf-check-of-all-home-residents/

Proudly sponsored by Bible Copilot, the free app that makes daily Bible study a family habit. Download on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bible-copilot-ai-bible-study/id6758913373?ct=hsb-2026-05-01&mt=8

Keep teaching, keep trusting.

Thursday, April 30, 2026. Connecticut's HB 5468 heads to the Senate with the legislative clock running out May 6, and new Johns Hopkins and RAND data shows 88 percent of homeschool families blend additional resources into their week. Plus a one-minute Charlotte Mason narration practice you can try at the kitchen table today.

In this episode:

- Connecticut HB 5468 clears the House 96-53 and now faces a Senate deadline. What the bill changes for homeschool families, and the worldview question underneath it.

- New Johns Hopkins/RAND data (via The 74) on how homeschoolers actually learn in 2026: co-ops, online classes, and microschools are the norm, not the exception.

- Your Homeschool Win Today: a 1-minute Charlotte Mason narration you can run after the next read-aloud.

Links:

- CT Mirror coverage of HB 5468 House vote: https://ctmirror.org/2026/04/23/ct-homeschool-bill-hb-5468-approved-house/

- HSLDA on HB 5468: https://hslda.org/post/hb-5468

- The 74 on the Johns Hopkins/RAND data: https://www.the74million.org/article/exclusive-most-homeschoolers-also-use-an-array-of-resources-data-shows/

- Johns Hopkins Homeschool Hub: https://education.jhu.edu/edpolicy/policy-research-initiatives/homeschool-hub/

Proudly sponsored by Bible Copilot, the free app that makes daily Bible study a family habit. Download on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bible-copilot-ai-bible-study/id6758913373?ct=hsb-2026-04-30&mt=8

Keep teaching, keep trusting.

Connecticut's homeschool oversight bill, HB 5468, heads to the state Senate this week after clearing the House 96 to 53. We walk through what is in it, why supporters and HSLDA are clashing, and then turn to a practical Charlotte Mason narration tool you can use at the kitchen table today.

In this episode:

- Connecticut HB 5468 moves to the Senate after House passage

- Charlotte Mason narration: the simplest, lowest-cost teaching tool in your homeschool day

- Your Homeschool Win: a two-page narration step you can do in under ten minutes

Links:

- CT Mirror coverage: https://ctmirror.org/2026/04/23/ct-homeschool-bill-hb-5468-approved-house/

- CT Examiner: https://ctexaminer.com/2026/04/24/scaled-back-homeschool-bill-clears-house-critics-still-cry-overreach/

- Western Mass News (Enfield case): https://www.westernmassnews.com/2026/04/28/death-enfield-girl-sparks-debate-over-homeschool-regulations/

- AmblesideOnline on narration: https://www.amblesideonline.org/narration

Proudly sponsored by Bible Copilot - the free app that makes daily Bible study a family habit. Download on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bible-copilot-ai-bible-study/id6758913373?ct=hsb-2026-04-29&mt=8

Keep teaching, keep trusting.

Two states, two opposite directions on homeschool freedom this week. Connecticut's House passed HB 5468 ninety-six to fifty-three, creating the state's first homeschool oversight framework, which now heads to the Senate before the May 6 session deadline. Meanwhile, New Hampshire's HB 1268 would strip nearly every administrative requirement off home-education families. And in Texas, the first Tier 1 Education Freedom Account award letters are hitting parents' inboxes, with $2,000 annual awards available to participating homeschool students. Plus a year-end portfolio prep tip every family can use this week.

In this episode:

- Connecticut HB 5468 passes House 96-53, heads to Senate (session ends May 6)

- New Hampshire HB 1268 moves the opposite direction, eliminating most homeschool reporting

- Texas TEFA Tier 1 award notifications begin landing in inboxes (April 22 onward)

- Your Homeschool Win Today: a 10-minute year-end portfolio jumpstart

Links:

- CT Mirror: https://ctmirror.org/2026/04/23/ct-homeschool-bill-hb-5468-approved-house/

- HSLDA on CT vs. NH: https://hslda.org/post/striking-ct-moves-to-increase-regs-while-nh-removes-them

- Texas Education Freedom Accounts: https://educationfreedom.texas.gov/

- New Hampshire HB 1268: https://hslda.org/post/hb-1268

Proudly sponsored by Bible Copilot, the free app that makes daily Bible study a family habit. Download on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bible-copilot-ai-bible-study/id6758913373?ct=hsb-2026-04-28&mt=8

Keep teaching, keep trusting.