Serving Illinois Families Since 1983
Illinois Christian Home Educators is a non-profit organization composed of families dedicated to the success of home education in Illinois — rooted in Christian faith, built on community.
Our Mission
The mission of ICHE is to encourage and equip parents to glorify Jesus Christ by discipling their children through home education.
Our Vision
The Lord has given us a vision for home education that goes well beyond the classroom. We believe that true homeschooling includes whole family discipleship that seeks to present a people prepared to serve and glorify God. Home education is not merely a pursuit of academic goals, but also the training and discipleship of the whole family. In order for home education to succeed, it is essential for Christian parents to grow along with their children. To God be the Glory!
Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Forty Years of Faithful Service
Illinois Christian Home Educators is a non-profit Christian organization composed of families dedicated to the success of home education in Illinois. ICHE was started in December 1983 by four Christian families seeking the support and fellowship of like-minded home educators.
We love to serve all families and we require no membership or fee to be part of our community. ICHE is largely staffed by volunteer home-educating families. Its annual operating budget is met through generous donations, some advertising revenue, and event fees. We strive to price our events at or below "break even" cost, and we have many ways of helping families who cannot afford those fees – just ask!
ICHE Founded
Four Christian families form ICHE in December to support and encourage home educators across Illinois.
First Annual Conference
The inaugural ICHE conference draws families from across the state to share, learn, and worship together.
Legislative Task Force Forms
The Legislative Task Force is formed as a permanent committee under the board, to protect the freedoms of homeschool families in Illinois.
SB 136 Withdrawn
ICHE and HSLDA unite to oppose Senate Bill 136, and with the help of families across Illinois, the bill is withdrawn.
40th Anniversary
ICHE celebrates 40 years of service to Illinois families
HB 2827 Stopped
Partnering again with HSLDA, ICHE opposes House Bill 2827 which is sent back to committee in April, and does not return before adjournment.
Kirk Smith joined ICHE as Executive Director in 2013. He and his wife, Joely, have eleven children and are now anticipating the next generation of homeschoolers with their three grandchildren. In their nearly thirty years of homeschooling, the vision of home discipleship with the centrality of Jesus Christ has been Kirk and Joely's passion and anchor.
Before joining ICHE, Kirk taught and coached for two years at the high school level. He founded the House of Prayer church in Albion, IL, where he pastored for almost 25 years.
Even though Kirk and Joely were both trained as public educators, they committed to homeschooling before their children were even born — convinced there was no way to fully live out Deuteronomy 6 if their children were away from home 8–10 hours each day. By the grace of God their journey has evolved from a model of "public schooling at home" to a lifestyle of home discipleship.
The cornerstone of their home-discipleship vision is the deepest conviction that it is through the fear of the Lord that both knowledge and wisdom are imparted, and that through seeking God's kingdom first all the secondary considerations are added. This shared perspective with ICHE is what motivated Kirk to accept the position of Executive Director.
Board of Directors
Statement of Faith
The Scriptures
We believe the Bible in its original autograph to be the infallible Word of God, the supreme and final authority for all faith and life.
One God in Three Persons
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The Lord Jesus Christ
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, His bodily resurrection, His ascension and His return in power and glory.
Man and the Fall
We believe that man was created in the image of God, but fell into sin and is therefore spiritually dead and at enmity with God.
Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man and requires belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and His substitutionary death on the cross paying the penalty for man's sin.
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convict men, grant repentance and faith, indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service.
The Unity of Believers
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers through our common faith in Jesus Christ and that lesser doctrinal differences which may exist should not hinder the cooperation of Christian home educators.
Marriage
We believe that marriage is ordained by God, is between one man and one woman as set forth in the Bible, and is intended to be a picture of Jesus Christ and the Church.
Join the ICHE Family
Whether you're just beginning your homeschool journey or you've been at it for years — there is a place for you in the ICHE community.