The "Home Education Freedom Act" revises New Hampshire's home education framework by affirming parental rights to home educate while ensuring privacy in program administration. Key changes include the introduction of new definitions and the removal of outdated references to previous frameworks. The bill guarantees that home-educated students can access public school programs and outlines local school boards' responsibilities in regulating participation without imposing stricter policies than those for resident pupils. It also establishes personal liability for individuals making unfounded abuse or neglect reports based on a child's home education status, allowing families to seek legal recourse. Additionally, it emphasizes the confidentiality of home education information, which cannot be disclosed without parental consent.

The bill further amends existing laws regarding home education and the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program, stating that a home education program terminates when a student begins participating in the EFA program, with parents required to notify their resident district. It clarifies that home education pupils not receiving services from cooperative school districts will not be included in average daily membership calculations, removing previous exceptions related to evaluations. The legislation also exempts children in home education or EFA programs from being classified as neglected based solely on their educational participation. Several sections of RSA 193-A related to record-keeping, evaluation, and the authority of school district officials over home education programs are repealed, with the state board of education mandated to expedite the repeal of specific administrative rules. The changes are set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 193-A:1, 193-A:4, 193-A:5, 193-A:6
As Amended by the House: 193:1-c, 194-F:2, 195:7, 195:18, 169-C:3, 21-N:9
HB1268 text: 193-A:1, 193-A:4, 193-A:5, 193-A:6