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Compulsory attendance laws

Posted on by whpa-webadmin

What is the difference between compulsory attendance and compulsory education?

In Wisconsin, we have compulsory attendance laws (Wis Stat 118.15), which require children between the ages of 6-18 to attend school regularly. Wisconsin students can meet this legal requirement by attending a homeschool, or a public, private, or tribal school.

These laws do not require children to become educated. Requiring anyone to become educated would require agreement on what it means to be educated, and how to best deliver an education to each person, among other complex questions on which there is much diversity of thought. For this reason, and others, the state does not endeavor to define what it means to educate anyone nor require that anyone become educated under the law.

WHPA provides information about homeschooling in Wisconsin. WHPA does not provide specific legal advice to any specific individuals in the context of any specific matters. It is the responsibility of each homeschool administrator/parent or guardian to read original source material and make decisions on compliance for themselves. When you file the PI-1206 Homeschool Report with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, you take full responsibility for understanding and complying with the laws outlined on that form. WHPA does not endorse or provide curriculum suggestions or specific materials for any particular educational approach.