Work
Each year, new bills threatening private home education, private schools, and parental rights are introduced. FPM’s strategic leadership has been vital to stopping or amending dozens of damaging bills. Without their efforts, many harmful policies could have quietly passed, restricting the rights of parents and private educators.
Purpose
Defending the freedom of parents to train, educate and care for their children privately, without governmental interference. We have been working to detect, analyze, monitor, and intervene in all legislation affecting the legality of private home education in California since 1986. Our commitment remains unwavering as we continue to stand against policies that undermine parental authority and educational choice.
Coordination
Family Protection Ministries is critical in coordinating with other groups all across the state and nation to assure a united approach to legislation affecting parental rights, religious freedoms, and private home education. A premature or wrong approach in the legislative arena, by even a single well-meaning person or group, could make life very difficult for most of us.
Nathan Pierce
Executive Director
Starting in 2002, Nathan Pierce began working at Family Protection Ministries and currently serves as the Executive Director. He has over 20 years of experience doing advocacy work at the State Capitol.
His role at FPM includes screening the hundreds of bills that pour into the California Legislature each year, closely watching for any that could harm our freedoms as parents, and alerting parents to contact their legislators. He works behind the scenes at the State Capitol, meeting with legislators and staff as well as testifying in committees to advocate on behalf of homeschoolers. Nathan values the importance of evaluating all things from an intentionally biblical worldview and works every day to maintain our freedom to do so.
Nathan was homeschooled through high school and received a B.A. in Political Studies from The Master’s College. Nathan and his wife Betsy were married in 2004 and homeschool their 8 children. In 2018, Nathan received the Chris Klicka award for legislative work from HSLDA.
Our Duties
Serving the Lord Jesus Christ and glorifying Him by serving you and others.
- Acting as a central clearinghouse for information on California state legal/legislative status and action.
- Analyzing every bill introduced in the legislature and tracking dozens of state (and federal) legislative proposals each year (They are hard to spot and are changed rapidly and often secretively).
- Advocacy in support, opposition or modification of specific legislation.
- Sending regular Legislative Updates & Alerts for supporters and homeschool leaders both by mail and email.
- Writing position papers based on sound legal research and a Biblical worldview.
- Building positive relationships with legislators and education officials.
- Liaison to CHEA, HSLDA, and other homeschool groups, private school organizations and parental rights groups.
Our Milestones
2020
Advocacy for Homeschool Families e-book (2019) spotlighted by national homeschool organization ACHEL.
2018
Received the Christopher J. Klicka Award for legislative work protecting homeschool freedom.
2018
Fire inspections and regulatory committee for homeschoolers defeated.
2015
Secured exclusion from school vaccine requirements for homeschoolers.
2009
FPM’s Early Childhood Education Research Summaries were shared internationally.
2008
Aided in In Re Jonathan L. case recognizing homeschooling as a species of private school.
2003
Bathroom inspections for homeschoolers defeated.
2002
First official office opened.
2001
Nathan Pierce joined FPM.
1998
Montoya Act amended. Exempted homeschool parents from fingerprinting & background checks.
1997
First Homeschool Capitol Day.
1995
Roy brought on Jim Davis (retired) as a second full-time person.
1987
Proposal to ban homeschooling defeated.
1986
FPM Founded by Roy Hanson, Jr. (retired).
Special Thanks from Our Director
I am so thankful for all of you who have supported Family Protection Ministries over the last 35 years through your prayers and financial support. We have been so blessed to see God’s grace, provision, and strength as He has watched over us and our work preserving private homeschool freedoms in California. I know that God will continue to bless FPM’s work as we seek to serve Him and His people and that He will provide for FPM to accomplish all that He has for us to do.
Roy Hanson
Roy (now retired) and his wife Debra were married in 1972. They educated their children at home through high school. Roy holds a master’s degree in public policy and has many years of experience in legislative analysis and action. Before working in behalf of California homeschoolers full time, he was the Director of the Public Policy Resource Center in Southern California (‘81-‘86). Prior to that, Roy served on the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin (‘77 to ‘81). Roy founded FPM in 1986. Roy Hanson retired from FPM in 2017.
Jim Davis
Jim married Judy in 1964. They homeschooled their daughter through high school.
Jim received his Bachelor’s Degree in theology from Moody Bible Institute in 1975. Prior to joining Family Protection Ministries, Jim worked sixteen years for PG&E’s Nuclear Quality Assurance Department.
Jim created and developed the current system for searching out and monitoring legislation that FPM uses today. His work in helping formulate strategies used to oppose dangerous legislation and to support beneficial legislation was crucial in the struggle to protect the freedoms to educate and train children at home, free of government interference. Jim Davis retired in 2013.
From Nathan's Desk
Latest News
The Frontline: Homeschool Battles and the Future of Freedom
In the second half of Nathan's interview with Mike Smith, they walk through the intense 2018 legislative fight sparked...
The Frontline: Homeschooling in California ft. Mike Smith of HSLDA
In this episode of The Frontline with FPM, Nathan Pierce interviews Mike Smith, co-founder and former president of...
The Frontline: The Rise of Marxist Education
Nathan and Robert discuss the book “Woke and Weaponized,” the influence of Marxism on American public education…