Indiana Association of Home Educators (IAHE) is founded by a Marion County judge, his wife, and two other couples after attending an event in Michigan with homeschool pioneer Dr. Raymond Moore. IAHE’s mission is to encourage and support homeschool families, maintain visibility as home educators with civil government leaders, influence the legislative process to protect our freedom to home educate, publish information of interest for home educators, and sponsor seminars and events to encourage families. It’s one of the earliest state homeschool organizations in the nation. 

In Mazanec v. North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation a federal district court recognized that parents have the constitutional right to educate their children in a home environment. 

The first IAHE Convention is held in Indianapolis at the Indiana War Memorial in Indianapolis.

A statewide meeting of superintendents is held with the goal of curtailment of home education. Local superintendents require an intrusive several-page questionaire to determine if families would “be allowed to homeschool.” A federal civil rights lawsuit was threatened, slowly ending the practice after 3 or 4 years.

The IAHE Regional Representative network is created to serve parents throughout the state.

A proposed amendment to federal legislation (H.R. 6) requires all teachers in America to be certified in every course they teach. IAHE joined HSLDA and other state homeschool organizations to defeat it with over 20,000 phone calls from angry homeschoolers, shutting down the Capitol Hill switchboards.

Focusing on content for Hoosier homeschool families, the IAHE publishes its first magazine, The Informer. It is later rebranded as Homeschool Indiana in 2018.

Columbus, IN proposes a daytime curfew. Homeschoolers, and others, fight it because it violates the 4th and 5th amendments to the U.S. Consitution.

A federal law opened doors for homeschoolers to enter military service.

The Indiana “Education Roundtable” had a draft plan with the potential to dramatically undercut the ability of private school students, including homeschoolers, to choose their own curriculum, be admitted to college and get scholarships and financial aid. Homeschoolers’ calls helped make satisfactory changes.

House Bill 1530 seeks to increase the compulsory school attendance age from 18 to 19, creating one more year of state “monitoring” of children. IAHE works to remove harmful provisions in the bill.

House Bill 1347 made it a crime for your children to be out in public or drive a car during public school hours. Homeschool calls helped remove curfew provisions.

A Terre Haute Senator, in a thinly-veiled attack on homeschooling, asked the Indiana Senate to create a committee to “examine the need for establishing homeschool guidelines.”

House Amendment 3 to Senate Bill 384 requires homeschooling parents to submit an educational plan before withdrawing their children from high school. Massive pushback from Indiana homeschoolers defeats the amendment.

The IAHE Indiana Homeschool Discussion Group on Facebook launches, allowing families to connect all year long. It surpasses 11K+ members in 2023.

Gov. Mike Pence addresses parents at the 30th Annual IAHE Convention, pledging: “so long as I shall serve in public office, I shall be a champion of the rights and the privileges of home educators in Indiana and in the United States of America.”

 IAHE Action is established to increase the ability to safeguard home education liberty and parental rights. 

IAHE defends Indiana homeschoolers before the Indiana Advisory Committee to the US Commission on Civil Rights after testimony claims the School to Prison Pipeline supposedly includes “homeschoolers.”

A massive snowstorm, nicknamed “Snowmageddon“, hits Indianapolis during the annual IAHE convention. A new daily snowfall record is set, 10.2” inches of snow in Indianapolis, and event attendees pitch in to help exhibits and each other to dig out of the parking lot.

With convention preparations almost complete, national news coverage begins to talk of a potential health crisis and “short-term” lockdowns. The IAHE team pivots their planning from an in-person event to the very first virtual homeschool conference during the pandemic… all in two weeks!

HB 1531 grants the department of child services unwarranted access to all Indiana children without parental knowledge or consent. IAHE and IAHE Action work with the committee chair to remove homeschoolers from the bill.

IAHE’s first in-person conference since the pandemic sells out! With standing-room-only sessions, a buzzing vendor hall, and encouraging fellowship, Indiana homeschoolers were excited to be back together.