Senate Bill 1013: Teacher Certification Required for Some Homeschool Parents

Author:
Sponsored by Senate Committee on Rules

Summary:
Since the Oregon Legislature Adjourned Sine Die on August 5, 2005 this bill is dead.

Senate Bill 1013 would have required any person who is paid to provide instruction to a child in kindergarten to twelfth grade to have a teaching license. This would have effectively stopped or severely curtailed homeschool co-ops across the state.

Furthermore, even music instructors, speech/debate instructors, and karate instructors would have needed a teaching license.

While the teaching license requirement was certainly the most outrageous, Senate Bill 1013 also would also have forced private schools operating across Oregon to be under the regulation and supervision of the Department of Education. No longer would private schools in Oregon have had the option of providing a "private" education without invasive governmental oversight. Under this bill if a private school chose not to comply they would have been as determined by the State Board of Education, for each violation.

If private schools were to be regulated, then homeschool families will lose a great ally for educational freedom in Oregon.

Senate Bill 1013 has been referred to the Senate Education and Workforce Committee. We need your calls now to both the Senate Education and Workforce Committee and the Senate Committee on Rules to defeat this legislation.

Status:

03/15/2005		Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.
03/18/2005		Referred to Education and Workforce Committee.
08/05/2005		In committee upon adjournment.

The Legislature Adjourned Sine Die on August 5, 2005 so this bill is now dead

HSLDA's Position:
HSLDA was strongly opposed to this legislation.

Action Requested:
No action required as this bill is now dead.

Reasons we oppose this bill:

Senate Bill 1013 would have-

Required all persons providing paid instruction to children in kindergarten through twelfth grade to have a teaching license.

The teaching license requirement would have applied to all instruction given to children in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Therefore, even music instructors, speech/debate instructors, and karate instructors would have needed to obtain a teaching license.

Violated parental liberty as recognized and protected by a number of U.S. Supreme Court Cases. One of the more important cases, Pierce v. Society of Sisters, began in Oregon. The Court declared in Pierce that the state does not have the authority to force parents to accept instruction from public teachers only. S.B. 1013 would have forced parents to accept instruction from publicly licensed teachers.

Required all private schools to register with the Department of Education.

Required all private schools to comply with fingerprinting and background checks required of public schools.

Required all private schools to only hire licensed teachers and administrators.

Any private school that failed to follow all of these requirements would have been fined an undetermined amount.

Other Resources

Mar-23-2005 — Oregon--Calls Needed - Stop Teacher Certification for Some Homeschool Parents

Bill Text