HSLDA | Virginia Legislation 2004�House Bill 675: Eliminates Baccalaureate Degree Requirement for Homeschooling Parents

May 27, 2004

House Bill 675: Eliminates Baccalaureate Degree Requirement for Homeschooling Parents

Sponsor:
Del. Rob Bell.

Summary:
HB 675 would have ended the baccalaureate degree requirement for homeschooling parents in Virginia. Once passed into law, this bill would have allowed families to homeschool with just a high school diploma.

Status:

01/14/04		House: Referred to Committee on Education
01/28/04		House: PASSED Education Committee
02/02/04		House: PASSED House of Delegates
02/13/04		Senate: PASSED out of Education subcommittee 3-1
02/19/04		Senate: Hearing before Education Committee
02/26/04		Senate: PASSED Education Committee 8-7
02/26/04		Senate: PASSED full Senate (25 Yeas, 15 Nays). HB 675 will now go to Governor Mark Warner for his signature.
03/01/04		Senate: Read third time
03/01/04		Senate:Passed Senate (25-Y 15-N)
03/19/04		House: Enrolled
04/15/04		House: Governor's recommendation received by House
04/21/04		House: Rejected Governor's recommendations by a vote of 62-37.
05/26/04		Vetoed by Governor

Action Requested:
Please take a moment to call Governor Warner's office and urge him to sign HB 675. Give him the message below in your own words.

"Please sign HB 675 and thereby protect every parent's right to homeschool in Virginia. This will bring Virginia up to speed with the other 49 states that focus on results, not qualifications. The studies all show that homeschooling works, with students scoring above average regardless of the parents' qualifications."

Governor Mark R. Warner
Phone: (804) 786-2211
Fax: (804) 371-6351
Address:
State Capitol, 3rd Floor
Richmond, Virginia 23219

You can also email the Governor here: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/Contact/email_form.html

HSLDA's Position:
HSLDA supports this bill.

Background:
This bill would have brought Virginia up to speed with 49 other states that allow homeschoolers to only have a high school diploma or less to teach their children. It would also have ended the harassment some families without college degrees have faced from school districts.

HSLDA and the Home Educators Association of Virginia (HEAV) had HB 675 introduced by Del. Rob Bell of Charlottesville. Homeschool lobbyist Joe Guarino, representing both organizations, worked tirelessly visiting the members of the General Assembly to secure support for the bill.

For more information and documentation that demonstrates that there is no positive correlation between teacher qualifications and student performance, see http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000002/00000214.asp.