Montana
An Example of God’s Providence
H.B. 549 would lower the compulsory attendance age from seven to six, thereby increasing the jurisdiction of the state over home schooled children. An important hearing on this bill was scheduled for February 14. That just “happened” to be the same day on which home schoolers from around the state gathered at the capitol in Helena for the Montana Home School Coalition’s Legislative Day.
Steve White, president of the MHSC, recounted what took place at the hearing: “I have been to many hearings, but I have never before seen such an overwhelming number of home schoolers testify. The only proponents [of H.B. 549] were [officials from] the Office of Public Instruction and the Montana Education Association. No other proponents testified. The sponsor, Representative Monica Lindeen, seemed totally unprepared to defend her bill, and was visibly shaken by the end of the hearing.”
After the hearing, the committee voted to kill H.B. 549 by tabling it. Rarely does a committee takes action so quickly. We thank God for this amazing outcome, and for the unity displayed by these home schoolers. Working together, home schoolers can make a difference.
Changes in College Admission Requirements
The Montana Board of Regents of Higher Education has recently amended the requirements for admission to four-year colleges in the Montana University System. Students who have not graduated from high school and students who completed their secondary education through home schooling may fulfill the requirement of high school graduation by either obtaining a General Educational Development (GED) equivalency diploma or achieving a satisfactory score on the American College Test (ACT) or Computerized Adaptive Placement Assessment and Support System (COMPASS) examinations. Standards for a satisfactory performance on the ACT examinations will be recommended by the admitting college and approved by the Board of Regents. All first-year undergraduate students under age 21 are required to take the ACT or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), so the testing requirement for home school graduates does not appear to be discriminatory.
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Montana
by
Charles C. Cohan
“. . . Mountains of sunset fire. The land I love the best . . .”
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