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URGENT: Tell Lawmakers to Reject S1796 — A Dangerous Overreach Targeting Homeschool Families
- njpfvc
- Jun 4
- 2 min read
The New Jersey Legislature is fast-tracking Senate Bill S1796 FOR 6/5/2025, a bill that would require families who homeschool to file annual written notification with their local school districts and allow public reporting of homeschool enrollment data. While this may sound routine, it’s not — and we need your voice now.
💡 What’s Really Happening?
This bill is being rushed forward after one tragic incident — a heartbreaking case that has been used to justify greater oversight of all homeschool families. But here’s the truth:
S1796 would not have prevented that tragedy. Instead, it punishes families who have already been forced to adapt without support — including those pushed into homeschooling when New Jersey eliminated access to full-time virtual public education.
Families of neurodivergent children, medically fragile students, those who experienced bullying or trauma, and countless others turned to homeschooling not by choice, but by necessity. Now they’re being treated as if they’re a risk — simply for doing what’s best for their kids.
📣 What You Can Do
Contact the Senate Education Committee TODAY and ask them to reject S1796. We've made it easy for you with the sample email below. Please personalize it with your name and town to make an even greater impact.
📧 Sample Email: Copy & Send to Lawmakers
To: Members of the New Jersey Senate Education Committee
SenHenry@njleg.org
Subject: Oppose S1796 – Unjustified Overreach Against Homeschooling Families
Dear Members of the Senate Education Committee,
On behalf of New Jersey Parents for Virtual Choice (NJPFVC), we write in strong opposition to Senate Bill S1796. This bill — requiring annual written notification from homeschoolers and public reporting of enrollment data — is a harmful overreach that unfairly targets families already let down by the state's failure to offer flexible, modern education options.
Our members are not traditional homeschoolers. We represent families who turned to homeschooling because the state eliminated access to full-time virtual public education. These are families with medically fragile children, neurodivergent learners, students dealing with trauma, bullying, or other challenges that made in-person schooling impossible.
S1796 does not improve student safety. It creates unnecessary reporting burdens and opens the door to surveillance — without offering any support or solutions. It treats parents as suspects rather than partners in education.
Let us be clear: This bill would not have prevented the recent tragic case being used to justify its advancement. Abuse is already illegal and prosecutable. S1796 only punishes families doing everything they can to educate their children in a system that failed to support them.
We urge you to halt the advancement of S1796 immediately. This legislation will harm — not help — New Jersey students and families.
Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Town,]
NJPFVC Member,
New Jersey Parents for Virtual Choice
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