Reply #13: I know the Alabama law as I did a seminar paper on homeschooling 3 years ago:

[nealmhughes]

"Private" schools have to teach the state approved courses and meet all safety requirments.

"Home schools" are at least supposed to document attendance and physical education, but can use any text they like.

"Religious schools" don't have to meet any standards of any sort, from safety to teaching the English language or any other criteria at all. They are free agents.

The home schools are not randomly inspected, and no one but the "staff" submits the paperwork to the local school board monthly, and only for attendance.

In effect, Chavez is doing exactly what the State of Alabama already does, minus mandating texts, but since they have to teach Alabama history in the 4th grade, I wonder how many texts there are geared for 4th graders save the ones the state already uses!