Winter 2019

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WINTER 2019 HOMESCHOOL IOWA 5
2019 in Review and Looking Ahead
JOE BAILEY, PRESIDENT
“What Has Happened in Congress?” This was the cover
article of a NICHE (Network of Iowa Christian Home
Educators) newsletter 25 years ago. It went on to describe a
series of federal legislative attacks on homeschooling that had
been successfully defeated that year (1994). The most notori-
ous one was H.R. 6, an education funding bill that could have
forced teacher certification requirements on all homeschoolers.
Thankfully, concerned parents flooded Congress with so many
calls that it shut down the switchboard system on Capitol Hill.
Overwhelmed by the response, lawmakers scrambled to amend
the bill to protect home educators from federal regulations, a
180-degree switch!
Just 25 years ago homeschooling was barely legal, there
weren’t very many curriculum options, it was socially frowned
upon, and it was difficult. But a number of brave families plowed
the hard ground. Some of them stumbled into it, feeling there
was no better option. Many of them caught the vision, that
God calls all parents to disciple their children, and that doing
so through home education is the best way to accomplish this.
Today we see the fruits of these homeschoolers’ efforts.
Homeschooling is no longer considered odd. National studies
have demonstrated that homeschooled students perform well
academically. Over 2.3 million students are homeschooled in the
U.S., and we continue to see it grow nationally and internation-
ally. Most importantly, homeschooled graduates carry forward
their parent’s beliefs at a much higher rate than their peers. A
whole generation is now engaging the culture as welders, doctors,
lawmakers, and homemakers. They are now raising
their families with the same vision. As a homeschool
graduate, I am thankful to be part of this multi-gen-
erational movement.
Here at Homeschool Iowa, we are excited to sup-
port the growth and advancement of home educa-
tion. As the movement continues to expand, so do
we. This year our board of directors assembled a
5-year strategic plan focused on strengthening our
advocacy efforts, building better personal connec-
tions with and between homeschool families, and
inviting businesses and individuals to join in funding
the movement.
I am excited to report that we have already made
progress in these areas. This year we have grown our
advocacy team. This team is charged with building
rapport with legislators, providing legislative updates
to our members, and engaging the media to present
the positive message on homeschooling. We recently
purchased Voter Voice software and look forward to
using it this next legislative session to provide bet-
ter information to our members and connect home-
schoolers with their legislators.
We have also increased our number of regional
events. This year our regional representatives hosted
nine Homeschooling 101 events across the state. And, for the first
time ever, we have hosted a autumn teen event in partnership
with Generation Joshua and Americans for Prosperity.
As some of you may have noticed, we have been inviting indi-
viduals and businesses to partner with us financially to help fund
the mission. The response from you all has been such a blessing.
The additional funds donated this year have enabled us to add
to our advocacy efforts and better thank some of our volunteers
without increasing costs to hard-working homeschool families.
In short, I am extremely encouraged seeing what God is doing
in the homeschool movement and how He is prospering Home-
school Iowa’s work to help. If this vision excites you, I would like
to invite you to get involved! There is so much yet to be done
and so many ways to help. From encouraging a neighboring
homeschool family, to volunteering to help with an event, to
financially contributing to help fund the cause, there is a place
for you to help build God’s kingdom through home discipleship.
Please join us!
Joe and Elizabeth Bailey have been married since 2012 and
have five children. Joe was homeschooled K-12 and was involved
with his local homeschool choir, volunteering for Homeschool
Iowa, 4-H, First Lego League, and running his own lawn care
business. Joe went on to receive his B.S. degree in Mechanical and
Welding Engineering from LeTourneau University. Joe now works
as a weld engineer at Vermeer Corp. is currently serving as Home-
school Iowa President. Joe & Elizabeth are both passionate about
securing homeschooling freedoms for their own children and for
future generations.
2019 Capitol Day 2019 Conference
2019 Graduation