Issue Position: Homeschooling and School Choice

Issue Position

Rob is a committed supporter of homeschooling.

His mother, Mary Bell, homeschooled Rob's brother and sister. She even testified before the Virginia General Assembly in support of Virginia's first homeschooling law in 1984.

In 2004, Rob patroned a bill to expand Virginia's homeschooling law to cover those parents without a college degree. Although it passed the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate, Gov. Mark Warner vetoed the bill. In 2006, Rob was again able to successfully patron the bill through the House and the Senate. Gov. Tim Kaine signed HB1340 into law.

For this work, Rob received the "Outstanding Leadership in Advancing the Rights of Home-Educating Parents" award from the Home Educators Association of Virginia (HEAV).

In 2012, Rob patroned HB 947 to allow homeschool students to play sports at their local high schools. Over 100 homeschoolers attended committee meetings, and many students testified in committee in favor of the bill. This "Tebow Bill" passed the House but was defeated in the Senate committee by a single vote. Rob will continue to promote this measure in the future.

Rob also supports school choice for public school students. In 2012, he co-patroned House Bill 321 to create tax credits for scholarships for students to attend private schools. He also supports expansion of Virginia's charter schools law.

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