MACHE 2026 Legislative Update

Keep Homeschooling Strong in Maryland

We are in the middle of Maryland’s 90-day legislative session, and MACHE is actively monitoring legislation that impacts home education across the state. Join us on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the MACHE Homeschool Day at the Capitol, where hundreds of homeschoolers will gather for a day of meeting legislators and learning about Maryland civics.

Our MACHE theme is Keep Homeschooling Strong in Maryland. Our dedicated team of volunteers is tracking activity in the Maryland General Assembly to identify bills that may affect homeschool freedom, parental rights, and education policy.

We encourage every homeschool family to stay informed and to attend MACHE Homeschool Day at the Capitol.  

Homeschool-Related Legislation with Committee Hearings

Below are several bills currently scheduled for hearings that may impact homeschool students in Maryland:

HB1043 – Homeschool Students in Maryland – Right to Play

Hearing Date: March 4 at 1:00 p.m.
Committee: House Ways and Means Committee
Sponsor: Delegate Smith

This bill would authorize certain homeschool students to participate in athletic activities sponsored by public high schools, provided they meet specified eligibility requirements. The legislation also outlines insurance coverage provisions for participating homeschool students.

SB0478 – Washington County – Institutions of Higher Education – Dually Enrolled Students

Hearing Date: March 11 at 1:00 p.m.
Committee: Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee
Sponsor: Senator McKay

This bill would expand the definition of “dually enrolled student” in Washington County to include homeschool students and nonpublic secondary school students. If passed, eligible homeschool students could apply for the Part-Time Grant Program and the Early College Access Grant.

HB1528 – Education – Homeschool Students – Extracurricular Activities

Hearing Date: March 12 at 1:00 p.m.
Committee: House Ways and Means Committee
Sponsors: Delegates Ross, Bhandari, Roberson, Toles, and Wilson

This legislation would allow homeschool students to participate in public school extracurricular activities under certain conditions. If participation limits exist, priority placement would be given to students enrolled in the school.

HB1204 – Primary and Secondary Education – Education Savings Account Program – Establishment

Status: In the House – Reassigned to Appropriations
Committee: Appropriations
Sponsors: Delegates Wivell, Baker, Hinebaugh, Miller, and Valentine

This bill would establish an Education Savings Account (ESA) Program administered by the State Department of Education. Under the proposal, the State would deposit a percentage of the per pupil State and local funding into an account for each eligible student on a quarterly basis. Funds could be used for approved educational expenses.

The bill also allows a subtraction modification under the State income tax for deposits into an education savings account. It would take effect July 1, 2026, and includes both a mandated appropriation in the annual State Budget Bill and a local government mandate.

HB1231 – Washington County – Dually Enrolled Students

Hearing Date: March 11 at 1:00 p.m. – House Ways and Means Committee
Sponsors: Delegates Wivell, Baker, and Valentine

This bill would alter the definition of “dually enrolled student” in Washington County to include both nonpublic secondary school students and homeschool students. As a result, eligible homeschool students would be able to apply for the Part-Time Grant Program and the Early College Access Grant.

The legislation would also adjust the definition of “full-time equivalent enrollment” to include nonpublic and homeschool students in Washington County.

Join Us for Homeschool Day at the Capitol

Homeschool Day at the Capitol is one of the most impactful ways our community shows up during the legislative session. Families gather in Annapolis to meet lawmakers and see firsthand how education laws are introduced and debated, making a meaningful impression on legislators.

It’s also a powerful learning experience for students, bringing civics to life and building confidence as they engage with elected officials. Students also gain a clearer understanding of how state government works beyond what they read in textbooks. When we show up together, we demonstrate that Maryland homeschoolers are engaged and committed to protecting educational freedom.

We encourage every family who is able to register and join us.

Volunteer for Capitol Day

We are looking for volunteers to help with check-in, event coordination, and general support during Homeschool Day at the Capitol. This is a great way for parents, students, and supporters to get involved and ensure the day runs smoothly.

Volunteering provides a hands-on experience of the legislative process, offers a chance to meet other homeschool families, and contributes to showcasing the strength and engagement of Maryland’s homeschool community. Your help makes a real difference in making Capitol Day a success!

Important Legislative Dates to Remember

• Monday, March 9 – 55th Day

  • Final day by which Senate and House bills can be introduced without suspension of the rules.

• Monday, March 23 – Crossover Day

  • Crossover Day is the deadline for a bill to pass out of its original chamber (House or Senate) and move to the opposite chamber for consideration.
  • Crossover Day is especially significant. Bills that do not pass their original chamber by this deadline typically do not move forward during the session.
• Monday, April 13 – ADJOURNMENT “SINE DIE” – the legislative session adjourns.

Resources

Current bills? Find active legislation for the 2026 session and stay informed on issues impacting homeschool families.

Who’s my legislator? Get the contact information you need to call or email your delegate or senator.

When are hearings? Check committee schedules to see when bills are being heard.

How do I submit testimony? Learn how to provide written testimony to support or oppose legislation.

Want to attend in person? Register for Homeschool Day at the Capitol and join us in Annapolis.

Stay Connected

MACHE remains committed to serving Maryland homeschool families throughout the legislative session.

If you value strong homeschool freedom in Maryland:

• Join or Renew Your Membership

• Donate to Support Our Advocacy Efforts

Together, we can keep homeschooling strong in Maryland.

Updates Affecting Homeschool Freedom

The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.

This quote, attributed to Thomas Jefferson, reminds us of the watchfulness we homeschooling parents must maintain. The earlier generations of homeschooling parents, along with organizations like Home School Legal Defense, fought for the good homeschool regulations that we enjoy today.

However, there are often organizations or misguided people who would like to see that change.

In this summary of MACHE’s recent webinar with HSLDA’s Will Estrada, we highlight the positives of homeschooling in Maryland, along with the potential challenges.

Positives for Maryland homeschooling

We are blessed to work alongside HSLDA and individual homeschooling families to keep an eye on the workings of the State Department of Education and the current COMAR re-evaluations. Will Estrada and MACHE’s LaNissir James, along with other homeschool advocates, have discussed proposed changes with the DOE, as well as testifying in Annapolis on these important concerns.

Also, thanks to the many families who took the time to enter comments during the comment period on proposed regulation changes!

Another positive is the 45,000 homeschoolers in the state of Maryland. We are thankful that MACHE can help educate, encourage, and support families as they fulfill their God-given mission to home educate their children, while protecting their homeschool freedom.

One impactful MACHE event is the annual Capital Day. Last March 12th, around 500 homeschoolers attended our visit to the Maryland capital.

Other important MACHE events include our graduation, followed by our convention. In 2026, these will be held on May 15th and 16th. You don’t miss them!

Current challenges for Maryland homeschooling:

There are several potential challenges that MACHE and HSLDA are watching. 

COMAR review

Every eight years, the Maryland State Department of Education makes of review of COMAR (Code of Maryland Regulations). This includes reviewing homeschooling regulations. During the public comment period, Maryland homeschooling families did a great job of recording their comments, while Will Estrada and LaNissir James spent time with the DOE superintendent and at the Capital.

However, this story is not over yet. Keep an eye out for alerts from MACHE and HSLDA for any further advocacy work or information that we may need.

Portfolio review oversteps

Some local school districts have been overstepping state regulations for portfolio reviews for families who choose that homeschool option. Some districts appear to want to micromanage homeschooling families’ education.

Maryland is an interesting state in that the regulatory structure is clear in some areas and vague in others. So, it’s a little bit of a balancing act sometimes in how we respond and push back with school districts. HSLDA and MACHE are working together on this issue as homeschooling families report difficulties.

Anti-homeschool Publications

Elizabeth Bartholet’s infamous anti-homeschooling article was published in The Harvard Law Review in 2020. She argued that the state should impose a presumptive ban on homeschooling, allowing an exception for parents who can satisfy a heavy burden of justification. The article lost most of its punch when the outcry against the publication was overwhelming, followed by a pandemic that added millions of students to the homeschool population.

In 2023, the Washington Post entered the fray with a six-part series called Homeschool Nation, which many of you likely remember. After the series, Matthew Hennessy, an editor at the Wall Street Journal, wrote, “The knives are out for homeschooling. How else to interpret the sudden spate of critical articles?” Referring to the Washington Post series he wrote, “Somebody, somewhere has decided that this experiment in liberty has gone on long enough.” 

Recently, a Scientific American called on the Department of Education to enact nationwide standards regulating homeschooling, something the federal government does not have the power to do.

A recent ProPublica article weighed in. They asserted that too much homeschool liberty is a bad thing. (And in response, an Illinois legislator called for more regulation.)

The Coalition for Responsible Home Education

This is an organization that opposes homeschooling. They have introduced a model bill called The Make Homeschool Safe Act to the legislators in several states. The bill is an attempt to roll back the homeschool freedom that we enjoy. 

As the model bill’s fundamental assumption is that many children are not safe in a homeschool environment, without significant government regulation. In support of that view, CRHE has spent over ten years assembling the Home Schooling’s Invisible Children database, which the authors describe as a collection of 400 cases of abuse and neglect resulting in over 200 fatalities of homeschooled children.

The stories in that database are heart-wrenching. The idea that any parent would forsake their highest duty to protect and care for their own children is almost unconscionable. It’s the opposite of what homeschooling is all about. (It should be noted that most of these children were also on Child Protective Services’ radar before homeschooling entered the picture.)

Some parts of CHRE’s Make Homeschool Safe model bill:

• Every homeschooling parent must have a high school diploma (research shows that the parent’s level of education does hinder success in homeschooling)
• Parents who have committed serious offenses cannot homeschool (this is superfluous, since these parents do not have access to their children)
• One subsection of the bill would bar any parents from withdrawing their children from public school if their family has been investigated by CPS in the previous three years, regardless of the reason for the investigations or the outcome of the investigation. Unfortunately, CPS reports are filed for any number of reasons. Some are legitimate. A child is being harmed, others are meritless, such as when somebody mistakenly believes a child isn’t in school when they are in fact being taught at home. Some reports are even malicious: a neighbor calls CPS to gain leverage in a property dispute.

But what the model bill gets wrong in our view is that it starts with the assumption that a startling number of parents are looking to use homeschooling to abuse their kids. The vast majority of parents sign up for homeschooling because they love their children and love them sacrificially.

Of course, parents who opt to make the sacrifice need to obey the law, and HSLDA and MACHE exist in part to help them do that.

BTW: You might know that one of their co-founders said that Germany is the model country when it comes to homeschooling. (Of course, we know that homeschooling is illegal in Germany.)

Keeping children safe

The millions of homeschoolers in the United States have access to safety without unnecessary regulations. For instance, HSLDS has a robust program for keeping children safe with the work of Darren Jones, who handles group services.

The results

We find ourselves in a position where both in the realm of academia and in the media channels, homeschooling finds itself under a critical eye. While we recognize that criticisms of homeschooling are certainly not new, we also recognize that the calls for regulation are increasing in frequency and in intensity, and from a wide variety of sources, many of which have large platforms and quite a wide reach.

These calls for increased regulation and oversight stem from a fundamental view that’s different and distinct from the one that many of us hold. Homeschooling parents’ view (and good research shows) is that children generally thrive in homeschooling, and it has produced incredible successes for children.

Children benefit when their parents are free to do what is best for them and are respected by the law. 

Join HSLDA and MACHE

HSLDA’s mission is to see trends emerging and respond at the earliest opportunity, but we are humbly aware that we can’t defend homeschool freedom on our own. 

Every single victory for homeschooling since HSLDA was founded has only come about through passionate and mobilized homeschool communities like MACHE.

When HSLDA and MACHE tell you what they see on the horizon and where they think it’s headed, it’s because they want you right alongside us. The challenges today are different from those homeschoolers faced forty years ago, but with the Lord’s guidance and help, working together in common cause, we can have confidence that he will give us all that we need to meet today’s challenges.

Will you join us?

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Homeschool Regulations Now Open for Possible Amendment or Repeal

Protect Maryland Homeschool Freedom

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has officially opened the Maryland homeschool regulations for potential amendment or repeal. This means the current homeschool law — COMAR 13A.10.01: Home Instruction — could soon change.

Homeschool families across Maryland must act now to ensure their voices are heard.

Immediate public comments should be sent to MSDE to protect Maryland Homeschool Freedom.

Background

In Summer 2025, MSDE reviewed several sections of the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR), including 13A.10.01: Home Instruction, which governs homeschool laws in Maryland.

During the public comment period (May–August 2025), home instruction received more attention than any other topic, with over 2,500 comments submitted by families and organizations statewide. Nearly all supported keeping the current homeschool regulations unchanged.

Although MSDE initially indicated no changes were expected, the Final Evaluation Report (September 2025) reversed course.
MSDE now recommends that COMAR 13A.10.01 “Home Instruction” be opened for possible amendment or repeal in 2026.

MSDE Staff Evaluation Summary

MSDE staff have proposed technical and clarifying amendments to the homeschool regulation. The following summaries were included in the official Regulatory Review Evaluation Report:

Intent to Homeschool

13A.10.01: Students – Home Instruction
A technical amendment could close a loophole that allows parents to enroll a student in the local education agency (LEA) for a day, withdraw them immediately, and then resume the same home instruction program — a practice previously found to be insufficient.

Maryland Umbrella Programs

The chapter also states that supervising nonpublic schools or institutions must annually verify with the LEA the identification of students continuing under their supervision.
A clarifying amendment could specify when this verification must occur (e.g., by August 30 or another set date).

How You Can Take Action

Now that COMAR 13A.10.01 Home Instruction is open for possible amendment. Homeschool families should:

• Send public comments to MSDE immediately.

  • Let your voice be heard in support of homeschool freedom.

• Sign up for MACHE’s Maryland Homeschool Alerts & Updates

  • Stay informed about ongoing developments in the regulatory process.

• Follow advocacy partners like HSLDA

  • Receive timely updates and alerts regarding the proposed changes.

Submit public comments in support of the current homeschool regulations.

BY MAIL
Madeline Houck, Policy Analyst in the Office of Government Affairs
Maryland State Department of Education
200 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

BY EMAIL: regulatoryreview.msde@maryland.gov
Put “Regulatory Review” in the subject line.

We’re so grateful to have you alongside us as we work to support and defend homeschooling freedoms in Maryland!

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