A bill changing the definition of homeschooling has passed out of the North Carolina House and sits in the Senate Education Committee.  The bill has 15 Senate sponsors, but it is controversial in the NC homeschool community.

A Christian homeschool group pushed for this bill, while other homeschoolers support a petition to the NC legislators to drop this bill as unnecessary.Along with other issues, there is concern new amendments could be added harming homeschoolers.

North Carolina’s Star News Proposed bill would allow homeschooled kids to play HS sports
By Powell Latimer

The bill, HB 228, was introduced on March 6 and is currently referred to the House Committee on Education.

Currently, the bill would make home-schooled students eligible to play sports for their local high school or middle school – but only in counties with fewer than 200,000 people. That currently includes all by 10 counties in North Carolina. New Hanover County has more than 200,000 people, but Brunswick, Pender, Duplin, Bladen and Columbus Counties would all fall into that category.

The reason for that distinction could be a lack of club opportunities in North Carolina’s more rural counties. Where a home schooled student in Wake County or even New Hanover County has a wide variety of club sports to play, outlying and smaller counties don’t have the same resources.

The bill currently has four sponsors, has been introduced in the past with opposition by the usual – the state-wide high school association overseeing sports and extra-curriculars (NCHSAA).

The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal posted an article regarding the Texas Home School Coalition.

Home school coalition focuses on custody, UIL sports in legislature

AUSTIN — As he has done over the years when the Texas Legislature is in session, Tim Lambert of Lubbock and a small group of young lieutenants were in Austin Tuesday to see how bills the organization he leads — the Texas Home School Coalition — favors or opposes.

One bill the coalition supports, named after NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, who was home-schooled, would allow home-schooled students to participate in University Interscholastic League sporting events in the school district where they live.

Tim Lambert feels they have the votes, after working on this issue for many years. (more…)

Brewer rallies with home-schooling advocates at Capitol – Cronkite News By Julia Shumway

Rep. Doris Goodale, R-Kingman, chairwoman of the House Education Committee, said Arizona’s home-schooling laws serve as an example for other states.

These laws allow home-schoolers access to public school special education services, the ability to compete on athletic teams with public schools and freedom from having to take standardized state tests required for public school students. The same laws apply to students in private schools.

Additionally, Arizona allows parents who want to home-school their children to hold off on beginning instruction until a child is 8 years old. Parents need only send their county school superintendent an affidavit stating their intent to home-school before beginning.

“Arizona rocks when it comes to parent choice in education,” Goodale told the crowd.

It’s always refreshing and liberating to see representatives seeking parental choice for education.  Offers more well-spent time with family living and learning, as opposed to tracking bills and legislators’ positions affecting your life.

[Governor] Brewer, who came to the event to declare Home School Week, said home-schoolers provide an example for other students.

“We will fight for your freedom from government intrusion,” she said.

That’s what we want to hear.

Chicago Senator Maloney introduced a bill two years ago that would require homeschool registration with the Illinois State Board of Education.  Even after an estimated 4,000 homeschoolers showed up at the Capitol for an informational only hearing on this bill, Senator Maloney had a hard time letting the bill finally go.  After hearing Senate Education Vice-Chair Lightford’s interview responses related to her bill lowering the compulsory attendance age, I don’t think the super-majority party is done with homeschoolers yet.

The Illinois homeschooling community thought we sent a clear and fair message we did not want our freedoms tampered with, we were obviously doing just fine in educating our children. The public school system should correct their gulf of educational failure, rather than worrying about any perceived cracks in parent-directed educations.

Below is what Senator Lightford said in the WTTW interview in the last minute.  They were talking about the fiscal report for her bill and the interview somehow drifted to Colorado and homeschooling:

Senator Lightford – we can’t assume all children are going to attend a public school, some may go to private school, some may stay home as homeschoolers. So that the range is so huge there, I have no way of giving you an exact number, but the state board is working on the [fiscal] impact.

Lipkin – In Colorado when they tried to lower the age to 5, they had a compromise at age 6  because there were objections from some parents who homeschool their children. Is there a potential impact of this legislation on people who choose to homeschool their children?

Senator Lightford – No, not at all. In fact homeschoolers aren’t even required to register their kids today so I can’t see what their argument would be in having to register their children at 5 when they don’t have to register their kids anyway. So I’m trying to understand  the opposition.…maybe Colorado  had on their books that the kids had to be registered. In the state our kids are not, which is another area I think deserves some tweaking.

Illinois homeschoolers can provide all the finishing touches to their children’s education without legislative tweaking. We know our rights and responsibilities, as laid out in the compulsory attendance exemption for private schools.  Senator Lightford was interviewed by an Oak Park media source six years ago. She was the Senate Education Chair at the time. Below are her concerns about homeschoolers not answering to the state.  Remember Senator Lightford seems to be somewhat oblivious to education issues, such as the compulsory attendance age in Illinois:

“I would have assumed to some degree that we had accountability over how many home schoolers there were, where they were located, and that they would be tested,” Lightford said.

She was so surprised that she said she is planning to delve deeper into the issue.

“I’m glad you sparked this,” Lightford said. “You just really put me into a situation where I’d be interested in looking at legislation.

“So you don’t even know your child’s aptitude or ability or where they are? At what level?” she asked, still sounding astonished. “That’s scary.”

We’re not scary. Chicago’s high school dropout rate is scary.  Let’s focus. Makes sense that our legislators’ focus should not be on homeschoolers.

Illinois House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee Chair and Representative Chapa-LaVia was quoted mentioning homeschoolers in this Chicago Tribune article:

State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora, who is forming a top-level task force to address Chicago’s K-8 truancy and absenteeism, told the Tribune that she strongly supports lowering Illinois’ compulsory attendance age, although she could consider carving out an exemption for families who are home-schooling.

Homeschoolers don’t need an exemption carved out any more than any other private school.  We’re exempt from the compulsory attendance statute Senator Lightford found surprising.  If they’re trying to appease us, it’s not working with these little tweaks from our lawmakers.

Two years ago, Dana Loesch interviewed (now retired) Senator Maloney and this response was also in the last minutes.

Dana Loesch – Will this legislation go away?

Senator Maloney – SB 136 has gone away. We will have a discussion relative to, primarily the truancy issue and how we can identify that and with all parties involved and hopefully we can come up some way, some, fashioning some sort of legislation that will be able to identify those students without invading anybody’s privacy.

Fashioning legislation for a problem that doesn’t exist would be unfortunate.

February 15, 2011 Senate Education Hearing led by Vice-Chair Senator Kimberly Lightford. Senator Luechtefeld was questioning Wm. Reynolds, truant officer,  about the prospects of Illinois homeschool registration and a truant officer’s role in this registration process.

Senator Luechtefeld [Senate Education Committee Minority Spokesman] - We will, presently, go out and with these kids you maybe know are not being schooled, and I’m sure that happens, you say you can’t do anything as soon as they say they’re homeschooling. Now with, now explain to me how it would change if they were just registered. You still wouldn’t be able to do anything. Am I right about that? Would things change?

Truant Officer – Well, I’m not sure. Mr. Woodruff (HSLDA attorney) has given me enough case law that indicates that in Illinois, I can in some cases.

Senator Luechtefeld -  But you could even now, am I right?

Truant Officer –  And I believe that’s true, Senator. I believe that’s true.

Senator Luechtefeld - Yeah, my question is, “How does registering change that?” I agree there are some abuses but I’m concerned about how things would be different for you because if you see these kids on the street day after day after day, you probably can do something even if they say they’re home schoolers. How would it change if they’re registered?

Truant Officer –  It would give me access to the ones that I don’t see on the street that I don’t get a police report on, that I don’t get a phone call from their neighbor indicating that they’re not going to school. At least I’ll have a wider range of…

Senator Luechtefeld - And then you would go to their home and check on them?

Truant Officer - I would go to the home and offer my help.

Senator Luechtefeld - But you don’t know they need help because you said you’ve not seen them. No one’s reported them.

Truant Officer - Well if they register then I think I have the obligation to see if I can help them.

Senator Luechtefeld - So are you going to go into any…any person who registers, will you be going then into the home? To go by and say, “Can I help?”

Truant Officer - Yes, sir.

Senator Luechtefeld - Even the people who are doing the really good job? Because you don’t know ahead of time which one…

Truant Officer - That’s exactly right. And I’ll know very quickly as I knock on the door…the ones who are doing a great job won’t let me go. They want me to come in. The ones that say, “We don’t want you around…” well, we might need to take some other action.

Senator Luechtefeld - I guess I don’t see…maybe someone else here could say to me how this changes things. Other than the fact that they’re registered.

Truant Officer – It would give me the names and the opportunity.

Senator Luechtefeld – I see.

Truancy concerns, adding two more years to the (failing) school system and then, homeschooling pops into the picture again.  Homeschoolers have long memories, will do what is necessary to protect their family freedoms and lifestyle, certainly considering a trip to the state Capitol an ideal civics lesson.  We’d rather not do this because our legislators are giving us problems, but I bet we could top 4,000.  Next time, we need a much larger room in our Capitol building.  They surely would want this lesson in view for our homeschooled children, their future constituents.  Let’s hope there isn’t a next time.

 We were hoping that 2 years ago.

South Carolina homeschoolers had their say and then some.  The proposed homeschool bill is down to one sponsor now and he said he doesn’t want the bill to pass.

Home-schooling in SC still home-free by Ellen Meder SCNow

The legislation, which was introduced at the beginning of the month by Rep. Doug Brannon, R-Spartanburg, would require home-schooled students to take standardized testing and would take away one of the three options they have to register.

“I have had a huge outpouring of emails and letters and telephone calls in opposition to that bill and I have not assigned that bill to a subcommittee,” Owens, House Education and Public Works chairman, said Wednesday. “At this point having witnessed all the cosponsors deserting that bill and hearing the main sponsor has no desire to advance that bill, at this point I would say that bill is not moving forward.”

The articles states a Facebook group - “STOP Proposed Bill H3478” – gained 2,600 members so far.  Social media is an effective way to share grassroots information, go at these bills and make legislators pay attention.

It’s hard to understand how a group such as SCAIHS gained a foothold in state law documentation as an option.  The states can charge and certainly do charge high registration fees for licenses and such, but I’m baffled the government can direct citizens to pay fees to a separate organization in this manner.

Families oppose changes to home-schooling law | Upstate Parent –  Greenville Edition

“We are Option 3 home-schoolers, and Option 3 basically means you go through an accountability association and you keep your own records,” she said. “If Option 3 is taken off the table, we either have to go through the school district or we have to go through an association where it’s about $400 a year to register my children to home-school. As a family of six, we can’t afford that.”

Along with the required high fees, the group  seems to have strong ties to a particular Christian homeschool lobbying group and highly recommends membership in the application, while touting the same group in their sidebar.  Not only that, a Statement of Commitment must be signed off by parents which states: “As members of the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools, we agree that the foundation of home schooling is built, in part, on the traditional family, established by a marriage between one man and one woman.”  This second “option” isn’t really an option for single parent homeschoolers and/or those not willing to sign off on that philosophy.

It’s good that South Carolina homeschoolers don’t lose that third option, even as I wonder how current restrictive laws such as South Carolina’s can legally exist.

A Seattle article presents an appealing looking title for many [Homeschoolers exempt from bill lowering mandatory school age].  Except, over my years of observation,  I’m apprehensive of any law’s existence that you must be exempt from, especially when “homeschool” is brought in. As laws go, “exempt” in can mean “exempt” out.  Since it’s usually homeschool volunteers watching those bills and language fly by, better safe than sorry works well.

I’m also one of those oddballs thinking Washington State’s current compulsory attendance age starting at eight years of age is wonderful.  HB 1283 proposes lowering that age to six. There are 15 sponsors and it’s sitting in the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education. From KOMO:

Rep. Marcie Maxwell, D-Renton, House Bill 1283′s sponsor, said her reason for introducing it is simple: Society has changed since the early 20th century, when the current rules were created, and our laws should reflect that.

“We know today how important early education is,” she said. “Kindergarten, first grade, second grade and beyond are a vital part of all students’ preparation.”

Our society has changed, but I would wager the previous societies (and parents) knew exactly how important education is for all.  Off the top of my head – Hypatia, Nathaniel Bowditch, Abraham Lincoln, Leonardo da Vinci are some examples of autodidacts who loved to learn.  All without the assumption involuntary seat time in a classroom is necessary for 13 years.
Washington homeschoolers must file papers declaring intent to homeschool.  Because homeschooling families can be mighty lobbying bodies when government agencies could interfere with our lives, the writers of HB 1283 release  homeschoolers from filing homeschooling intent until eight years of age.  But there’s always something to worry about if there’s a search for more control. Here’s a KOMO article excerpt by Jonathan Kaminsky:

What, then, is to stop a parent who doesn’t want to enroll his or her 6- or 7-year old from claiming to be homeschooling? “I suppose you could do that,” Maxwell said. “I would hope that everybody is looking out for the best interest of the child. I’d like to give parents the benefit of the doubt.”

This is an unnecessary concern when the parent is looking out for the child’s best interests and feels they’re not ready for formal schooling.  Besides a truant six or seven year old just seems wrong.

A long-time homeschooling advocate has legitimate concerns quoted in the article:

Despite the concession to homeschoolers, some remain unhappy with the measure.Emilie Fogle, chairwoman of the Washington Homeschool Organization, said that there is no evidence that kids starting school earlier helps them later in life. She fears that an exception made for homeschoolers could be ephemeral.”An exemption puts us as a second group, and it can be taken away,” she said.

From KOMO, regarding the substantial financial interest in public education’s expansion with this bill’s potential passage:

The measure has broad support, including from the state’s Board of Education, the Association of Washington School Principals and the Washington Education Association – the state’s largest teachers’ union.

“We are working toward all-day kindergarten, and yet we have this archaic law on the books that doesn’t require families to send their kids to school until age 8,” said Connie Fletcher, a member of the state’s Board of Education. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

An incredible kindergarten teacher I worked with was leery of moving to an all-day kindergarten class for 5 year olds.  She thought it was too long and too much for the children.  She was never asked her opinion as the school district moved to all-day kindergarten.  The Washington homeschool group, WHO, is thinking ahead and following the edu-industry trends.  This bill’s movement will be interesting in seeing who wins, the children and families or the well-funded lobby groups.

The “Tebow” Bill is up again in Alabama.  The proposal has been raised in years past and defeated by legislators.
WHNT Lawmakers Review “Tebow Bill” For Home-Schooled Athletes by Nick Banaszak

Senate Bill 186, better known as the “Tim Tebow Act”, would erase the barrier that currently exists between home-schooled students and public high schools in Alabama. The Tebow Act would allow home-schoolers to play as long as they’re good enough to make the team.
Alabama is one of 25 states that still bar home-schoolers from playing for their local high public high school, with lawmakers staunchly rejecting similar legislation in the past. Tim Tebow famously won the Heisman Trophy and two national championships during his time at the University of Florida, but those honors were preceded by Tebow’s performance as a home-schooler when he led his public high school football team in Florida to a state championship.

There are currently five sponsors and it’s sitting in the Senate Education Committee.

Over in the Pacific, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Home-school bill on hold again by Nanea Kalani

Lawmakers have again shelved a bill to allow Hawaii’s home-schooled students to participate in extracurricular activities at public schools — a recurring debate at the state Capitol for at least the past decade.

But the issue remains in play, as Senate Education Committee Chairwoman Jill Tokuda said she will ask the state school board to thoroughly vet the issue and make a recommendation to lawmakers before next year’s legislative session.

It was a bit shocking to see extracurricular participation was popped into a bill that calls for Hawaiian homeschoolers to enroll in public schools. As I read it, that carrot would not be appealing with the stick.   It is good to see the Senate Education Chair and sponsor of this bill chose to defer it.  Let’s hope it dies a quick death too.  SB 922 called for this:

Requires all home school students to enroll at the public school in the student’s service area. Requires home school students who are enrolled at the school in their service area to be calculated as an unspecified per cent of a non-home school student at that public school under the weighted student formula. Allows home school students to participate in any extracurricular activities offered by a public school. Amends section 302A-101, HRS, to add definitions for “enroll” and “home school”.

Here’s a headline below on a subject I’ve always found puzzling, while some of our state representatives seem to find the focus irresistible (or possibly diverting from real problems):

Rep. Woodrow Stanley, D-Flint, looks to crack down on homeschool truancy

MLive By Blake Thorne

State law does not require annual registration of home school students.

“Kids must be in school in order to learn,” Stanley said in a news release. “This bill requires parents to report their child’s attendance records, giving home schools the same standards as public schools. Passing this bill is a no-brainer, it’s necessary for Michigan students.”

Reporting attendance records and personal information to the Education Department might offer the same lack of privacy public school students have, but I doubt education standards correlate. Passing this bill is a no-brainer if you’re trying to increase the public school reach into private schools.  That notion doesn’t seem appropriate if families are paying for the private schools/homeschools and do not need to answer to their public servants. Homeschoolers answer to their families and that requires high accountability standards.

Seems like HB 4250 – registration of Michigan homeschooolers with the Education Department – is the least necessary component in the current condition of public schools, including Michigan’s.  The public school truancy problem should be resolved with the tax-funded truancy officers.  Not being in Michigan, maybe I’m missing the news about gangs of homeschoolers running amuck on the streets.

It doesn’t seem like a problem to solve.

Despite many Virginia homeschoolers‘ efforts and a Commonwealth Education Poll determining a good majority of Virginians (67%) favor allowing homeschooled students to participate on public school teams, Virginia’s Senate Education and Health Committee voted the bill down in an 8-7 vote.

19 year old Josh Henderson testified at the hearing.  He will be leaving soon for spring camp with the Los Angeles Dodgers, after his 16th-round 2012 Major League draft pick. Homeschooled, Josh played for a Suffolk Baptist school as a younger teen. He made a plea for the homeschool community.

From the CBS DC site: Senate Panel Sacks ‘Tebow’ Homeschooling Bill Again:

“I just want you all to give these guys a shot,” he said, gesturing toward about a dozen young children queued in the committee room aisle awaiting a chance to speak.

The Virginian-Pilot reported a rather impertinent response from a Senate public servant to Josh’s father:

‘Tebow’ home school sports bill sacked in Va. Senate By Julian Walker

When addressing the committee, Steve Henderson – Josh’s father – explained that he and his wife educated the two youngest of their six boys at home because it was the best choice for them, not a knock against public schools. He made the case that parents and students contribute to the state and thus shouldn’t be denied access to services.

“We pay our taxes, too,” the elder Henderson said. “There’s no difficulty in taking our money.”

“You pay taxes that also go to purchase an F-22 fighter, that doesn’t mean you get to fly it,” fired back Senate Minority Leader Richard Saslaw.

The Virginian-Pilot also pointed out the other opponents:

Opposing the measure were representatives of education interest groups, including the Virginia Parent Teacher Association, the Virginia Education Association, the Virginia High School League and the Virginia Association of School Superintendents. They said creating special dispensation for homeschooled students is unfair to public students who must meet standards homeschoolers don’t face.

Despite the VHSL claims of formation of a “small, elite group with separate and lesser standards”, the Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers pointed these facts out in their press release:

This year’s homeschool sports access bills specifically state that homeschool eligibility is subject to the policy of each local school board – there would be no mandate on public schools.  Qualified students would only be eligible at the public school in their residential attendance zone (no “team shopping”). They would have to be bona fide homeschoolers, presenting documented proof that they had homeschooled in compliance with Virginia’s home instruction statute for at least two consecutive school years, including the two years immediately prior to seeking participation (“dropouts” would not qualify).  Homeschoolers would also have to provide proof of two years of satisfactory academic progress, either through standardized testing scores or via professional academic evaluations approved by the local public school superintendent. Other eligibility rules required by the Virginia High School League (VHSL) would also apply.

In this case, it appears the special interest, big spending lobbying groups won.  But the homeschooled children in the hearing room had a contemporary, hands-on civics lesson in their state’s Capitol.  That experience meets exceptional standards of usefulness.