Yesterday, February 18th, 2026, I sat and listened on YouTube as the Connecticut Education Committee raised a concept titled:
“An Act Concerning the Provision of Equivalent Instruction in Connecticut.”
If that sounds vague to you, that’s because it is.
And if you’re a homeschooling parent in Connecticut, or you send your child to private or parochial school, you should know that “equivalent instruction” is the statutory phrase that refers to anything outside the public school system.
That includes my family.
“I Raised This Title.”
Representative Jennifer Leeper confirmed during the session:
“I’ll say… I raised this title.”
Fair enough. She raised it.
But when asked what the bill would actually contain, what direction it would go, or what specific problem it was trying to solve, the answer over and over was that this was “just a procedural step” and that details would come later.
That’s where it starts to feel incredibly disingenuous because if you are raising something, you generally have a reason for raising it.
When pressed, she said the focus was on “educational components.”
So there is a focus? But there are no details? And the committee is supposed to vote to move it forward anyway?
Just think about that for a moment.
The Room Was Not Calm
Multiple legislators, not just one or two, asked basic, reasonable questions:
- What’s the benchmark?
- Equivalent to what?
- Is this about academic standards?
- Is this about child welfare oversight?
- Why now?
Those questions were not answered.
Instead, everyone in the room and those of us watching were told to wait for draft language.
And here’s the thing: once something is raised and moving, momentum builds. It rarely moves backward. I cannot say that loud enough.
The Tragedy That Keeps Being Referenced
Representative Dave DeFronzo spoke in support of raising the concept. He referenced the horrific tragedy in New Britain and said that in the wake of that, “all reasonable people” agreed we needed to look at every aspect of the system.
Let me be crystal clear, sir:
Every reasonable person agrees that child abuse is evil. Every reasonable person agrees that children must be protected.
But here is what also matters:
Representative DeFronzo is a longtime public school educator in New Britain. His professional experience is rooted in the public school system. This means his lived experience with homeschooling is limited to what he has seen from the outside or heard as rhetoric from people with an agenda. When someone who has spent their career inside one educational model votes to open up regulation on an entirely different educational model, one they have not operated within, that deserves scrutiny.
Public school educators understand public school systems.
Homeschooling families understand homeschooling.
Those are not the same ecosystems.
And decisions that affect tens of thousands of homeschooling families should not be driven solely by those who have never participated in that world.
Are We Solving a Problem Or Responding to Fear?
One of the most important moments in the hearing came when Representative Karen Reddington-Hughes warned that we must be careful not to craft laws in response to situations where we do not yet know all the facts.
Isolated tragedies, no matter how horrific, do not automatically justify systemic restrictions on lawful families.
And here’s what has still not been articulated:
- What academic deficiency are homeschoolers demonstrating?
- What measurable failure exists?
- What statewide data shows homeschooling is producing harm?
If we are going to talk about “equivalent instruction,” then we must first define what “equivalent” means.
Equivalent to the highest-performing public schools?
Equivalent to districts where only half of third graders read at grade level?
Equivalent to systems currently struggling with chronic absenteeism and declining scores?
If we’re going to set a bar, we need to talk about what that bar actually is.
This Is Personal
I have written about homeschooling in Connecticut before. I have defended it with facts. I have corrected narratives that were simply not true.
But this moment is different.
This is not a media narrative. This is a legislative action and it is being moved forward without a clearly articulated problem statement.
That makes parents uneasy, not because we are hiding something, but because we know how quickly “just a conversation” can turn into statutory mandates.
To The Legislators Who Spoke Up
You could have just voted no but you pushed back. You asked hard questions. You acknowledged the fear you are hearing from families. You spoke out against the clear injustice that was happening in that room from fellow representatives that chose anything other than transparency.
That matters.
You don’t have to agree with homeschooling to understand that legislative transparency is essential.
Those legislators are listed here with specific quotes directly from the session:
Representative Anne Dauphinais: “So you’re the one that raised the title, but you’re not sure what it’s going to be about?”
Representative Mitch Bolinsky: “This one does have history… and the history is spooking thousands, tens of thousands of families in the state of Connecticut right now.”
Senator Heather Somers: “There must be a specific reason why this is being raised.”
Representative Karen Reddington-Hughes: “It is absolutely irresponsible on our part to be crafting laws… in response to things that we do not know the details of.”
Representative Lezlye Zupkus: “If we’re going to talk safety… it should be all safety of children in every school, public, private, homeschooling, anything.”
Representative Irene Haines: “Equivalent to who and to what and to whose standards?”
Representative Kathy Kennedy: “This is a concept that I’m just not ready to support.”
Representative Tina Courpas: “It is really hard when we’re groping around in the dark, not really knowing where this is going.”
Representative Martin Foncello: “Why was this brought up in the first place?”
Senator Eric Berthel: “We have to be very deliberate… and make sure we are not eroding the freedoms that are provided.”
What Happens Next
There will be draft language. There will be a public hearing.
When that happens, homeschooling families need to show up. Calmly. Clearly. Factually. Not with hysteria but with truth.
This is not about abstract policy, it’s about our children and our families.
When legislation touches your children’s education, “just a concept” stops being procedural. It becomes personal.
Watch the Full Session & Take Action
If you would like to watch the February 18th Education Committee session for yourself, you can view the full recording here:
I strongly encourage you to watch it. Listen to the questions. Listen to the answers. Decide for yourself whether this felt transparent and forthcoming, or vague and evasive.
Contact the Education Committee
Below, you will find the email addresses for members of the Education Committee. If you are a homeschooling parent, a private school parent, or simply a Connecticut resident who believes in educational freedom and legislative transparency, now is the time to respectfully reach out.
Douglas.McCrory@cga.ct.gov; Jennifer.Leeper@cga.ct.gov; Eric.Berthel@cga.ct.gov; Lezlye.Zupkus@housegop.ct.gov; Gary.Winfield@cga.ct.gov; Kevin.Brown@cga.ct.gov; Mark.Anderson@housegop.ct.gov; hector.arzeno@cga.ct.gov; Patrick.Biggins@cga.ct.gov; Mitch.Bolinsky@housegop.ct.gov; Juan.Candelaria@cga.ct.gov; Devin.Carney@housegop.ct.gov; Robin.Comey@cga.ct.gov; Savet.Constantine@cga.ct.gov; Tina.Courpas@housegop.ct.gov; Anne.Dauphinais@housegop.ct.gov; Dave.DeFronzo@cga.ct.gov; Ryan.Fazio@cga.ct.gov; Antonio.Felipe@cga.ct.gov; Mae.Flexer@cga.ct.gov; Martin.Foncello@housegop.ct.gov; sujata.gadkarwilcox@cga.ct.gov; henry.genga@cga.ct.gov; Bobby.Gibson@cga.ct.gov; Ken.Gucker@cga.ct.gov; Irene.Haines@housegop.ct.gov; Greg.Howard@housegop.ct.gov; Susan.Johnson@cga.ct.gov; Kathy.Kennedy@housegop.ct.gov; Maryam.Khan@cga.ct.gov; Julie.Kushner@cga.ct.gov; Trenee.McGee@cga.ct.gov; Nick.Menapace@cga.ct.gov; miller@senatedems.ct.gov; JohnMichael.Parker@cga.ct.gov; larry.pemberton@cga.ct.gov; Christopher.Poulos@cga.ct.gov; Moira.Rader@cga.ct.gov; Karen.Reddington-Hughes@housegop.ct.gov; Kadeem.Roberts@cga.ct.gov; amy.romano@housegop.ct.gov; emmanuel.sanchez@cga.ct.gov; Frank.Smith@cga.ct.gov; Heather.Somers@cga.ct.gov; chris.stewart@housegop.ct.gov; Mary.Welander@cga.ct.gov
You can copy and paste the sample email below and personalize it for you.
Sample Email
Subject: Opposition to Further Homeschool Legislation & Request for Transparency
Dear Representative/Senator [Last Name],
I am writing regarding the February 18th Education Committee meeting in which the concept titled “An Act Concerning the Provision of Equivalent Instruction in Connecticut” was raised.
As a Connecticut resident, I am deeply concerned about the lack of clarity surrounding this concept. During the session, legislators and members of the public were told that there were no specific details available, yet it was also stated that the focus would be on educational components. Moving legislation forward without clearly defining the problem it seeks to solve creates unnecessary fear and erodes public trust.
I respectfully urge you to:
- Oppose any further legislation targeting homeschooling families unless clear, data-driven evidence demonstrates a widespread problem that requires statutory change.
- Ensure full transparency in the drafting process going forward.
- Commit to clearly articulating the intent, scope, and justification of any proposal before asking for public support.
Homeschooling families in Connecticut are not asking to be above the law. We are asking for fairness, evidence-based policy, and open communication. Decisions affecting tens of thousands of families should not proceed under vague language or procedural ambiguity.
Please stand for transparency, educational freedom, and parental rights.
Thank you for your time and service to our state.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Town]
I will continue monitoring this issue closely and will provide updates as draft language becomes available and as the public hearing is scheduled.
Stay informed. Stay engaged. And stay respectful… because this conversation is far from over.
This article was written and independently published by Jessica S. Dugas, homeschooling mother and freedom advocate, and does not represent or claim to represent the official stance of any organization, legislator, or legal entity. All opinions expressed are solely my own, based on publicly available information, personal experience, and ongoing research. Readers are encouraged to review the sources provided and draw their own conclusions.
Learn more about homeschooling in Connecticut by visiting: https://cthomeschoolnetwork.org/
Keep up to date with the FACTS and LAWS regarding homeschooling by visiting: https://www.nheld.us/