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The Family Institute of Connecticut Action, TEACH CT and Connecticut Homeschool Network, Inc today issued a strong statement in opposition to HB 5468, as amended by LCO 4428, warning that the proposal raises serious constitutional, privacy, and civil liberties concerns for Connecticut families.
“This bill crosses a dangerous line,” said Leslie Wolfgang, Director of Public Policy. “It conditions a parent’s fundamental right to direct their child’s education on government surveillance, data collection, and suspicionless screening—without any finding of wrongdoing.”
“Hard cases make bad law,” said Pam Lucashu, Legislative Liaison for TEACH CT, referring to the use of the tragic cases used to push the narrative. “Legislation should benefit the public and be based on reliable data. There is no data that supports this laser focus on homeschooling.”
1. Constitutional Violations
HB 5468 imposes restrictions on families based solely on contact with the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF)—even when no abuse or neglect has been substantiated. This raises serious concerns under the Connecticut Constitution’s guarantees of equal protection and due process. Families receiving voluntary or preventive services are treated the same as those with proven abuse, creating an arbitrary and overbroad classification.
2. Fundamental Rights at Stake
The bill interferes with a parent’s right to direct their child’s education—recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in cases such as Pierce v. Society of Sisters—by conditioning homeschooling on state approval processes and third-party background checks.
3. Warrantless Data Collection and Household Screening
Under LCO 4428, families seeking to homeschool must submit the names of all adult household members for a DCF records check. This represents a sweeping expansion of state surveillance into private homes without probable cause and disproportionately impacts multi-generational and minority households.
4. FERPA and Federal Compliance Risks
The bill attempts to designate DCF as an “educational authority” to facilitate the sharing of student information without parental consent. However, federal law under Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act strictly limits such disclosures. The misuse of the audit/evaluation exception (34 C.F.R. §§ 99.31 and 99.35) for generalized child welfare screening falls outside permissible bounds and may jeopardize federal education funding.
5. No Data Privacy Safeguards
Despite creating a new system of data collection—including withdrawal forms, household records checks, and statewide tracking—the bill contains no provisions governing data storage, security, retention, or public disclosure. This creates significant risk of misuse and exposure under Connecticut’s Freedom of Information laws.
“There is no evidence that increased regulation of homeschoolers reduces abuse,” Wolfgang added. “In fact, data shows no correlation between homeschool regulation and child safety outcomes. Meanwhile, intrusive investigations—even when unfounded—can cause lasting trauma to families.”
The organization also noted that 72% of DCF investigations in Connecticut do not result in substantiated findings, raising concerns about subjecting innocent families to unnecessary scrutiny.
The coalition urges lawmakers to reject HB 5468 or refer it to the Judiciary Committee for full constitutional review.
"This bill creates a system where exercising a constitutional right triggers government surveillance,” Wolfgang said. “That is not good policy—and it is not constitutional.”
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“This bill creates a system where exercising a constitutional right triggers government surveillance,” Wolfgang said. “That is not good policy—and it is not constitutional.”
Constitutional. We brandish the term as if it were still hallowed. Almost naïve to the interpreting, redefining, and reengineering that grossly contorts it. Ask your AG about the Constitution. He won’t tell you his and the Left’s affinity for ‘security’ trumps the Constitution and validates that reengineering.