A Brief History of the BCHEA

In November 2010, the BCHLA (now BCHEA) faced the threat of dissolution without the knowledge of the majority of the stakeholders in BC: home learning families. Quite by accident, past-members discovered the resolution to dissolve the society a few days prior to the AGM and quickly launched a campaign to save the BCHLA. New and renewed memberships flowed in from all corners of the province, demonstrating overwhelming support. With the stack of membership forms in front of them, the eligible voting members at the AGM realized that BC home learning families were committed to preserving their access to Section 12 of the School Act with the BCHLA as their provincial organization. The majority of those present voted against the resolution to dissolve this Society so it could continue with its mandate to protect and promote our right to home educate our children free of government interference.

What became apparent during those five hectic days before the AGM is that many home learning families in BC were not aware that the BCHLA even existed or why it is important.

Why does the BCHEA exist?

BCHEA’s beginnings go back to 1987 when the Sullivan Royal Commission on Education toured the province, garnering public input in regards to upcoming revisions to the School Act (1989). Many home educating families across BC presented personal letters publicly to the Commission sharing their experiences and advocating for the freedom to teach their children outside the formal school system.

Vicki Livingstone, on the advice of a lawyer representing a homeschooling family charged with truancy by the Kelowna school district, brought together interested individuals to create a united provincial organization of home educating families. In 1988, Vicki submitted a brief to the Royal Commission on behalf of the fledgling Canadian Home Educators’ Association of BC (CHEA). This submission was influential in the creation of Part 2, Division 4, Sections 12 through 14 of the School Act which give home learning families in BC the legal right to design and deliver their own educational program at home without reference to the BC curriculum and without a duty to report to a school authority. As a result, home learning families in BC enjoy some of the best home education laws across North America and, indeed, the world.

Over time, the organization evolved to clarify its purpose and scope. At the Annual General Meeting on October 6, 1999, members voted to change the name to the BC Home Learners’ Association (BCHLA), eliminating confusion with other groups using the CHEA acronym and to make it clear that this was a provincial organization. On September 30, 2016, the organization adopted its current name, the BC Home Educators’ Association (BCHEA), aligning more closely with School Act terminology and reflecting its mandate to represent families who educate their children at home independently, outside of home-based government programs. 

Who does the BCHEA represent?

For simplicity, this section uses the current term ‘Online Learning’ to refer to all historical forms of electronically delivered home-based programs. 

The BCHEA was established before Online Learning (OL) programs existed in British Columbia. Before the early 1990s, some publicly funded home-based education was available through Distance Learning, but because the curriculum was packaged and graded by teachers, families clearly understood the difference between these programs and home education under Section 12 of the School Act.

When electronically delivered programs began in the 90s, many registered homeschoolers chose to enrol. They received a computer for their home and money for resources, yet there was very little oversight and families still felt much of the same freedom to do their own thing at home while being enrolled in a school program. As programs started to expand across the province and as more districts recognised the financial benefits, they increased their offerings to entice registered homeschoolers to enrol. The Ministry soon stepped in to regulate this growing form of home learning.

By 2010, over 20,000 children were enrolled full-time in OL programs across BC and the Ministry continued to make sure these schools were brought into compliance with the BC School Act.

In 2004, the Ministry of Education clarified that the term “homeschooling” applied only to children registered under Section 12 of the BC School Act. Children enrolled in Online Learning programs were not considered homeschooled; in fact, the Ministry went so far as to say that the main difference between students in physical schools and those in Online Learning programs was simply location.

To align with this terminology, the 2004 BCHEA Board issued a Position Statement reaffirming its original mandate: to protect and promote the freedoms of home education under Section 12 of the School Act. This did not change who could be a member, vote, or serve on the Board.

BCHEA emphasizes that participation in the school system, including Online Learning, should always be optional, not mandatory. Section 12 guarantees that Online Learning is only one choice for home-based learning. Unlike in some other Canadian provinces, enrollment in these programs is not required if you wish to homeschool in BC. Families must retain control over how they educate their children, and the BCHEA welcomes all who wish to preserve this freedom, regardless of the educational path they currently follow.

Why is the BCHEA still important? 

Over the years, the BCHEA has built and maintained a positive, constructive relationship with the BC government, beginning with presentations to both the Government and Opposition caucuses to inform them about home education in BC. The BCHEA has continued this engagement through ongoing communication with the Office of the Inspector of Independent Schools (OIIS) within the Ministry of Education and Child Care, staying informed on issues affecting Sections 12, 13, and 14 of the School Act. This relationship ensures the BCHEA remains a recognized and valued stakeholder, able to address matters impacting registered home-educated children while staying current on Ministry developments.

Since its inception, BCHEA has also provided a tremendous amount of support to home learning families in BC: encouraging communities to create local support groups in the 1980s and 1990s, providing information about home education options to those seeking it, supporting families dealing with legal issues related to home education (including helping families resolve issues before going to court), providing important and accurate information to the lawyers representing those families, and helping to raise funds to cover legal costs. In fact, it is important that an organization like the BCHEA keep track of court rulings that may affect homeschooling in BC, even in custody cases, so that we are aware of decisions that may impact every parent’s legal right to educate their children at home under Section 12.

In addition to this direct support, the BCHEA has also worked to maintain a positive public image of home education in this province, providing information to the media, school board personnel, and members and employees of the government in order to provide accurate and consistent explanations of home education in British Columbia and how it operates under the School Act.

Most importantly, the non-intrusive educational freedom that is available to each home learning family in BC through Section 12 is due to the past efforts of the BCHEA. The continuation of the BCHEA as a strong provincial organisation ensures that home educating families in BC are connected, that they have a united voice, and that someone is paying attention to what is happening in terms of legislation that may affect our homeschooling freedoms in BC.

Through these combined efforts, the BCHEA continues to serve as the recognised provincial voice on home education. It operates as a non-partisan organisation that does not represent any single philosophical, religious, or cultural perspective, but instead reflects the diversity of families who choose to educate at home. The government views the BCHEA as a credible organisation and the respect the BCHEA gained in the beginning has grown over the years. This high esteem is also reflected back on each home educating family as the government has accepted BCHEA’s positions that each home “school” is unique, that home education is separate from the public system, and that decisions in regards to children’s education are best left to the parent.

 What do we need to do now?

The BCHEA has played a key role in shaping and protecting home education in BC. Its ongoing work ensures that the rights under Section 12 remain protected and recognised, allowing families to maintain control over how they educate their children.

Maintaining these freedoms requires ongoing awareness and cooperation within the home learning community. Families staying informed and connected helps ensure that home education continues without unnecessary interference.

The BCHEA is your organisation and your voice in protecting access to Section 12, and its strength comes from the families it represents.

Thank you for joining with us.