Iowa Truancy Law Encourages Citizens Monitor Home-Schooled Neighbors

If they don't think the kids are doing school work

Iowa education officials passed a new rule that renders home-schooled students "subject to state truancy laws," but the policy can't be enforced unless average citizens report their neighbors to government authorities.

Under the rule, public school districts can check up on home-schoolers. "The district has to make a good-faith attempt, they can ask for information," Mike Cormack, policy liaison for the Iowa Board of Education, told the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier.

"The next step, Cormack said, would be for someone who thinks a child is not getting classwork done at their home school to contact local authorities," according to WCF.