Legal Assistance and Research

National Home Education Research Institute

The mission of NHERI is three-fold:

- Produce high-quality research on home-based education.

- Serve as a clearinghouse of research for homeschoolers, researchers, and policy makers.

- Educate the public concerning the findings of all research on home education.

Whether called homeschooling, home schooling, home-based education, home education, unschooling, deschooling, or a form of alternative education, the movement is growing and the National Home Education Research Institute is tracking and analyzing it, internationally. NHERI's forte is in the realm of research, statistics, technical reports, data, facts, demographics, the academic world, consulting, academic achievement tests, and

expert witness while serving people ranging from researchers and policy makers to professional educators, teachers, homeschoolers (home schoolers), and parents in general to the media, marketing consultants, and the general public.

    NHERI was founded by its president Dr. Brian D. Ray, Ph.D., who has been the editor of the refereed academic journal Home School Researcher since 1985.

In fulfilling its mission, NHERI engages in professional research for various clients throughout the nation and internationally. In addition, Dr. Ray and his associates serve as consultants to the growing number of those presently engaged in research on home education topics.

Home School Legal Defense Association

The Home School Legal Defense Association is a non-profit advocacy organization established to defend and advance the constitutional right of parents to direct the education of their children and to protect family freedoms. Through annual memberships, HSLDA is tens of thousands of families united in service together, providing a strong voice when and where needed. HSLDA advocates on the legal front by fully representing member families at every stage of proceedings. Each year, thousands of member families receive legal consultation by letter and phone, hundreds more are represented through negotiations with local officials, and dozens are represented in court proceedings. HSLDA also takes the offensive, filing actions to protect members against government intrusion and to establish legal

precedent. On occasion, HSLDA will handle precedent-setting cases for non-members, as well. HSLDA advocates on Capitol Hill by tracking federal legislation that affects home schooling and parental rights. HSLDA works to defeat or amend harmful bills, but also acts proactively, introducing legislation to protect and preserve family freedoms.

HSLDA advocates in state legislatures, at the invitation of state home school organizations, by assisting individual states in drafting language to improve their home school legal environment and to fight harmful legislation. HSLDA advocates in the media by presenting articulate and knowledgeable spokesmen to the press on the subject of home schooling. HSLDA staff members are regularly called upon for radio, television, and print interviews, and their writings are frequently published in newspapers and magazines across the country. HSLDA’s own bimonthly magazine, The Home School Court Report, provides news and commentary on a host of current issues affecting home schoolers. And its two-minute daily radio broadcast, “Home School Heartbeat” can be heard on nearly 400 radio stations.

HSLDA advocates for the movement, by commissioning and presenting quality research on the progress of home schooling. Whether it’s in print, from the podium, or on-the-air, HSLDA provides insightful vision and leadership for the cause of home schooling.

Home School Legal Defense Association . . . tens of thousands of American families working through more than fifty dedicated staff members to preserve each other’s right to home school . . . together, “Advocates for Family & Freedom.”