During this past legislative session, AFHE’s Government Affairs team sifted through a record-breaking 2,190 bills, memorials, and resolutions, keeping diligent watch for any bills that may have a direct or indirect impact on homeschool independence and freedom in Arizona.
For most families, summer means no school, no schedule, and no sanity by mid-July. But for homeschool families? Summer can be the perfect time to crank up the brainpower and outsmart the system — quietly and cleverly, of course.
Maintaining Freedom Requires Clear Boundaries. All of Arizona’s families have a stake in maintaining homeschool freedom and an authentically independent education option. If all education models are eventually seen as public education, funded by the government and accountable to the public system, we will have lost ground that will be very difficult to regain. The completely independent homeschool option is essential in order for educational choice to truly exist in Arizona.
Is Homeschooling Really At Risk? It is tempting to think the success and growth of homeschooling have rendered it immune to the kind of threats faced over the last 40-50 years. However, many homeschool advocates and observers assert we are now facing the greatest threat we have yet encountered: a growing expectation for all education options to be funded by the government.
Homeschool Is Distinct. Historically, the homeschool movement nationwide has been unified by the priority of achieving independence and freedom from government systems, not seeking taxpayer support or the obligations that it would entail.
AFHE’s Mission & History. Arizona Families for Home Education has been actively supporting and advocating on behalf of home educating families since 1983, with a particular focus on achieving maximum freedom from the government’s educational system.
We believe that Proposition 139 harms parents and children.
I always consider my time invested at my home state’s annual homeschool conference as my “professional development” as a home educator.
by Michelle Jibben, AFHE Director of Government Affairs Have you decided to homeschool through graduation? In Arizona, the parents of a homeschooled child set the
AFHE asked some longtime friends to share memories and greetings with all of you to commemorate this special milestone. Attendees at the 2023 AFHE Convention
There’s a joke among homeschoolers that we’ll count nearly anything as a field trip or an educational experience. “We’re heading to Walmart, kids. Bring your clipboards and write down all the countries where they manufactured whatever I put into the cart. I’ll be sure to find some stuff that’s not from China this time.”
Recognize that the longer your child has been in a traditional school, the stronger your expectations and theirs will be of what “school” looks like. it takes time to shake these false expectations and reimagine what education like.
No matter the changes that have altered the educational landscape over the years, AFHE has been very consistent in expressing how crucial it is to clearly distinguish between educational classifications. We will continue to educate parents, legislators, and the media about the meaning behind the terminology they are using.
There are six educational classifications in Arizona: public school, charter school, virtual charter school, private school, empowerment scholarship account (ESA), and homeschooling. Each classification has a legal definition within the Arizona Revised Statutes.
The inclination of Legislatures is to limit parental rights in the area of homeschooling. We cannot let this happen. Thanks to Arizona Families for Home Education you have the best homeschool law in the nation. This is not only my opinion, but is also the opinion of Mike Smith, president of the Home School Legal Defense Association.
You’ve made the decision to attend the AFHE Convention! We have put together some tips and hints to help make your experience at the convention enjoyable and easy to navigate.
It’s up to you, not an over-burdened school system, to help your children learn, discover, and grow up to be productive adults. They will one day thank you for all you’ve invested in them and the incredible opportunities they experienced through the homeschool adventure with you!
Producing a homeschool high school transcript is more important than ever. Not only is it an encouraging synopsis of your student’s high school years, and not only is it necessary to apply for college, but now it is extremely helpful for applying to work for all state governmental agencies.
Especially for at-home education options, there can often be confusion about whether a student is a homeschooler. While the schoolwork may take place at home, neither virtual charter school students nor ESA contract students are classified as homeschoolers according to Arizona Revised Statutes.
AFHE’s set of three free MP3s provides a great way to get started, as you listen to experienced homeschool moms address those common concerns and share how you can get started in this new endeavor.
It’s election season. And, that means we are all bombarded with information. How do you plan to cast an informed vote?
