About the TEA Director
- TEA Director, Wendy J. Bush, is a long-time homeschool advocate, “retired” homeschool parent, and former teacher. She was involved in the successful effort to pass the current Maryland home instruction regulations in the 1980s and founded one of the first Maryland State-registered homeschool oversight programs in 1988. She also was vitally involved for many years in legislative efforts to liberalize Pennsylvania’s home education statute and still serves as an effective advocate for Pennsylvania families on the state and local level. Advocating for the rights of parents and children to engage in home education has been her calling and passion for nearly 40 years and given her opportunities to interact with the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Congress, state legislatures, state education departments, colleges, businesses, sports organizations, and others.
- Wendy credits the relatively rapid establishment of home education as a credible education option to the dedication of parents and the irrefutable academic and social/emotional success of the many thousands of homeschool graduates who have excelled in their post-high school college and career endeavors.
- Having worked in this field since 1988, she has served thousands of students on all grade levels. She also has helped a number of new Maryland homeschool oversight programs (umbrellas) become established and provides consultation services to umbrella administrators.
- Her passions are helping families find the best methods for educating their children and advising teens in their college and career decision-making. She counsels hundreds of teens each year and graduates approximately 100 seniors each spring, more than many private schools. She is a recognized expert and leader in homeschool college admissions and has presented at conferences of the Potomac and Chesapeake Association for College Admission Counseling (PCACAC) and the Maryland Organization of Community College Registrars and Admissions Officers (MOCCRAO).
- Wendy is a former elementary and secondary school teacher, journalist, homeschool legislative liaison, and state-level support group leader. She has been a member of PCACAC, the Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling (PACAC), National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), American School Counselors Association (ASCA), and the Maryland School Counselors Association (MSCA).
