Kane County Reporter

Devin Corbett, chairman of the Aurora Township Republican Party, has expressed concerns regarding the advancement of the Homeschool Act to the House floor. He described it as a "dangerous and urgent threat to parental rights that demands immediate, unified opposition." Corbett made this statement to Kane County Reporter on March 31.

"The advancement of the overreaching Homeschool Act to the House floor is a clear and urgent threat to parental rights in Illinois," said Corbett. "This bill is a dangerous step toward unchecked government control over our families and our children's education. It treats loving, responsible parents as criminals and opens the door to invasive surveillance and forced compliance. We must rise up now, speak out loudly, and fight this assault on parental freedom before it's too late."

According to Capitol News Illinois, on March 19, the Illinois House Education Policy Committee voted 8-4 in favor of advancing the Homeschool Act. The proposed legislation requires homeschool families to notify school districts, mandates that parents possess a high school diploma or equivalent, and allows education officials to request proof of instruction from parents. Critics, including homeschool advocates and religious groups, argue that this constitutes government overreach. Capitol News reported that over 40,000 witness slips were filed in opposition to the bill. Opponents claim it places an undue burden on low-income families and infringes on the privacy of private and religious schools.

The Homeschool Act would create a "Homeschool Declaration Form" for homeschool administrators to submit information indicating a child's enrollment in a homeschool program. If a student is enrolled in such a program without notifying the public school or district using this form, they are considered truant, with penalties applicable. The act also outlines requirements for homeschool administrators and programs along with reporting obligations.

The National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) reports that homeschooled students typically score 15–25 percentile points higher on standardized tests compared to their public school counterparts. Furthermore, NHERI states that 78% of studies favor homeschoolers academically over traditional school students. The institute notes that homeschooled students' success is not significantly linked to parental education level or home income. Additionally, these students tend to perform above average on standardized tests like the SAT and ACT, which has led to increased college recruitment efforts.

Corbett was first elected as Chairman of the Aurora Township Republican Party in 2024. According to the organization’s website, he is focused on "boosting Republican voter turnout, growing the Party’s membership, and communicating the Party’s positions on issues that matter to Aurora Township voters."