The hard questions
Homeschool vs. Virtual School
They get lumped together constantly, and legally they're not close
"We're doing virtual school" and "we homeschool" get used as if they're the same sentence, and I understand why, both mean a kid learning at your kitchen table instead of a school building. Legally they are not close. One keeps your child enrolled in public school. The other doesn't enroll them anywhere at all.
What actually separates them
| Homeschool | Online public school | |
|---|---|---|
| Enrollment | None. Your child isn't enrolled anywhere | Enrolled in a public school or district program |
| Who teaches | You, plus whatever outside classes you arrange | Certified teachers, live or asynchronous |
| Curriculum control | Entirely yours to choose | Set by the school, aligned to state standards |
| State oversight | None. No registration, testing, or reporting | Same accountability as any public school |
| Cost | Out of pocket, no public funding | Tuition-free, funded like any public enrollment |
| Schedule | Whatever you set | Often a set daily schedule with live class times |
The two categories are also mutually exclusive. Enroll your child in an online public school and you are, by definition, no longer homeschooling under Illinois law, they're a public school student who happens to attend from home. See what Illinois actually requires of an actual homeschool for the full picture.
Illinois's online public options
As of July 2026, Illinois Virtual Schools and Academy (IVSA), administered by Lake County Regional Office of Education 34, is the state's approved full-time virtual public school and appears in ISBE's own Virtual Course Catalog. It's tuition-free for Illinois residents, and students remain part of the public education system while attending. Some districts, Chicago Public Schools among them, also run their own virtual programs, often limited to students with a medical need for remote learning. Confirm current eligibility and enrollment steps directly with IVSA or your own district, this is exactly the kind of program detail that changes year to year.
Paid online curriculum isn't the same question
A paid online curriculum you buy and administer yourself, Power Homeschool, Time4Learning, and similar programs, is not a public school enrollment. Your child isn't enrolled anywhere, you're simply using an online tool to teach, the same as a workbook or a video course. That's homeschooling, full stop, no matter how much of the day happens on a screen.
Which one actually fits
Online public school tends to fit a family that wants a teacher-led structure and a set schedule, without giving up the at-home setting, and doesn't mind the tradeoff of following someone else's curriculum and calendar. It's also the more natural landing spot if your child has an IEP or 504 plan you want the public system to keep administering, since enrollment is what keeps that obligation in place, see what happens to an IEP if you homeschool instead.
Homeschooling fits a family that wants real control over curriculum, pace, and calendar, and is willing to trade a set schedule and public funding for that flexibility. If you've tried an online public school and the fixed schedule or curriculum isn't working, switching to homeschooling is a normal move, not a failure, withdraw the same way you would from a brick-and-mortar school, see withdrawing your child.
Common questions
Is virtual school considered homeschooling in Illinois?
No. A student enrolled in a full-time online public school remains a public school student under Illinois law. Homeschool status applies only when a child isn't enrolled in any public or private school.
Does Illinois have a free full-time online public school?
Yes. Illinois Virtual Schools and Academy (IVSA), run through Lake County Regional Office of Education 34, is the state's approved provider and is tuition-free for residents. Confirm current enrollment details directly, since program specifics change.
Can I switch from online public school to homeschooling?
Yes, the same way you'd leave any public school: written notice of withdrawal, and a request for your child's records. Once withdrawn, ordinary Illinois homeschool rules apply, meaning essentially none of the reporting a public enrollment requires.
If you're choosing homeschooling, start here
Withdrawal first, deschooling second, curriculum a distant third. The getting-started guide walks through the order that actually works.
How to start homeschooling Homeschool 101Free download
The Illinois Homeschool Starter Kit
A one-page compliance checklist, a withdrawal letter you can copy word for word, and a record-keeping log that fits on a single sheet. The paperwork part, done, so you can get on with the actual question of what to teach.
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