Wyoming
Bill Proposed Annual Testing
The Wyoming legislature’s budget session opened February 14, 2000. Any non-budget legislation prefiled must receive a two-thirds vote in order to be introduced into this session.
One such bill was prefiled by Senator Kathryn Sessions (D-7). Senate File 75 would have required home-based educational programs to annually administer certain competence-based tests. Fortunately, the bill did not receive a two-thirds majority and will not be debated this session. However, it portends the need to be prepared for a similar bill in the next session.
S.F. 75 would have required home school students to submit to “competency-based equivalency examinations demonstrating mastery of basic academic educational programs.” Failure to submit examination results annually to the public school would have resulted in a prima facie finding that the home school program does not meet the requirements of the law.
These examinations are not nationally normed standardized achievement tests. Competency-based equivalency examinations usually cover a given body of material pretaught to the test taker.
Additionally, missing from the proposed law was how mastery of a basic academic educational program would be determined. The logical conclusion is that public school officials would make the determination.
Any mandatory testing of home school students should be vigorously opposed because there is no legitimate justification for it. Home schoolers have nationally demonstrated that they far exceed average results. In addition, S.F. 75’s apparent requirement that home schoolers use public school testing instruments and public school officials to determine mastery is totally unsatisfactory.
Homeschoolers of Wyoming and Home School Legal Defense Association will continue to monitor legislation that has any impact on home schooling and parental freedoms. If we need to address testing in the legislature, we are confident that every home school family in Wyoming will rise to the occasion and voice their opposition to mandatory testing. To that end, HSLDA recommends that you join a support group phone tree or e-mail list so you will receive alerts calling for action. — J. Michael Smith
