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ACROSS THE STATES

RHODE ISLAND

Middletown policy improves

Middletown Public Schools recently made several incremental improvements to its homeschool policy:

>> Old policy: Parents required to meet with a "screening committee." (Home School Legal Defense Association has consistently opposed mandatory meetings with school officials.)
New policy: Superintendent merely "offers" to meet with the parents.

>> Old policy: "Capacity of the in-structor . . . [must] be evaluated."
New policy: Demand has been removed.

>> Old policy: Complicated testing component included.
New policy: Simple end-of-year report required instead.

While Middletown's policy still has a number of undesirable features, these changes represent a welcome step forward in one of the most restrictive states for homeschoolers. Rhode Island is one of only three remaining states that require "approval." HSLDA is committed to moving Rhode Island into the mainstream and working toward the day when homeschoolers there enjoy the same freedoms as many other states.

— Scott A. Woodruff