The next homeschooling sub-committee meeting will be on Tuesday, September 13th at 10:00 AM in the LOB Room 207.
If you can’t make this meeting, please contact the committee members with your concerns. They need to hear from homeschoolers.
The sub-committee’s current plan is to kill HB 301 – which proposes to criminalize homeschoolers should they fail to meet an arbitrary state standard, kill HB 595, which recognizes our right to instruct our children without state regulation; and pass an amended version of HB 545, eliminating DoE rules and allowing the HEAC to advise the legislature on behalf of homeschooling parents.
Consider the problems that may arise from eliminating DoE rules:
Ed 315.02 (k) allows for use of out-of-state teachers for portfolio evaluations. Without this rule, what’s to prevent the local district from limiting the choice of teachers to teachers certified in NH?
Ed 315.02 (c) limits the composite results, from the standardized test, to one score (either the composite score or an average of the subscores). Without this rule, what’s to prevent the local district from demanding all of the subscores?
Ed 315.02 (f) defines “educational progress” in such a way as to make it clear that the curriculum used to measure the child’s performance is curriculum that the parent chooses. Without this rule, what’s to prevent the local district from dictating which curriculum parents must use?
Ed 315.04 (a) lets local districts know that homeschooling parents have the right to set their own schedule. Without this rule, what’s to prevent the local district from trying to impose a certain date/time schedule on homeschooling programs?
Ed 315.05 (e) (4) allows for amended notification if the first notification doesn’t satisfy the law. Without this rule, there may be no allowance for amended notifications.
Ed 315.05 (6) requires the agent to send a letter explaining the deficiencies of a notification. Without this rule parents may get not explanation when their notification isn’t approved.
Ed 315.05 (10) allows for a grievance conference. Without this rule parents may have such an opportunity.
Ed 315.05 (13) allows the parent 10 days to request a grievance conference. Without this rule parents may not have this opportunity to request a grievance conference.
Ed 315.06 (b) specifies that access to the portfolio shall be at the parent’s discretion. Without this rule, what’s to prevent the local district from demanding to see the portfolio?
Ed 315.06 (c) protects the privacy of home education documents and records. Without this rule, will the privacy of home education documents and records be protected?
Ed 315.07 defines the scope of the annual evaluation. Without this rule, parents may be required to present more substantive evidence for re-evaluation by the participating agent in addition to the evaluator.
RSA 193-A does not cover every aspect of homes education. Eliminate rulemaking from the DoE and local districts will create policy to fill in the gaps in the law. Those who favor eliminating rulemaking say that local districts can only make policies that the law says they can make; they can’t make policies for things not in the law. Technically, they are correct, but who is going to make sure local districts do not overreach?
Some districts may assume that every subject (science, mathematics, language, government, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, the history of the constitutions of New Hampshire and the United States, and an exposure to and appreciation of art and music) must be instructed ever year. Who’s going to say otherwise without clarifying rules?
Problems with HEAC:
Giving an unrepresentative and unelected board, the HEAC, additional authority to advise the legislature is extremely dangerous. These members will be appointed to insure a specific political agenda is established and insure that no freedom is given to homeschooling parents.
House Education Committee members: Sub-committee members are marked in yellow.
Balboni, Michael – Chair R
Nashua
598-3851
271-3319
michael.balboni@leg.state.nh.us
Boehm, Ralph – Chair R
Litchfield
860-6309
ralph.boehm@leg.state.nh.us
Hill. Gregory – R
Northfield
286-7329
gregory.hill@leg.state.nh.us
Hoell, Joseph – R
Dunbarton
315-9002
joseph.hoell@leg.state.nh.us
Fleck, Joseph – R
E. Wakefield
522-6741
joseph.fleck@leg.state.nh.us
Jones, Laura – R
Rochester
948-2264
laurajonesnh@gmail.com
Laurer-Rago, Kathleen – R
Franklin
934-8223
kathyrago4nh@yahoo.com
Pitre, Joseph – R
Farmington
755-2447
jpitre@metrocast.net
Hutchinson, Karen – R
Londonderry
434-9415
northernpatriot@aol.com
Ladd, Rick, Jr.- Clerk – R
Haverhill
989-3268
ladd.nhhouse@charter.net
St. Cyr, Jeffrey L. – R
Alton
875-5473
jeffrey.stcyr@leg.state.nh.us
Brosseau, Charles – R
Campton
536-1367
charlesbrosseau@gmail.com
Greemore, Robert – R
Meredith
279-8792
roberthenry@metrocast.net
Gorman, Mary – D
Nashua
886-1652
mqgorman@comcast.net
Shaw, Barbara – D
Manchester
626-4681
beshaw3@comcast.net
Gile, Mary – D
Concord
224-2278
mary.gile@leg.state.nh.us
Frazer, June – D
Concord
228-0048
june.frazer@leg.state.nh.us