WHEREAS, The State of Washington is committed to excellence in education; and
WHEREAS, Teaching children at home was the predominant form of education for much of America's early years; and
WHEREAS, Most children in the first two centuries of America's history received their precollege training at home and produced an extremely high literacy rate and made our nation the most educated on earth; and
WHEREAS, Many notable Americans have been the product of home education, including George and Martha Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Abigail Adams, John Quincy Adams, Thomas Edison, Helen Keller, Douglas MacArthur, Pearl S. Buck, Franklin Roosevelt, Patrick Henry, John Marshall, Abraham Lincoln, Booker T. Washington, and Woodrow Wilson; and
WHEREAS, The State of Washington recognizes the fundamental right and critical importance of parents to direct the upbringing and choice of education for their children; and
WHEREAS, The State of Washington appropriately recognizes, by law, the right to home education as a legitimate and viable educational alternative; and
WHEREAS, Studies confirm that children who are educated at home exhibit self-confidence and good citizenship and are fully prepared academically to meet the challenge of today's society; and
WHEREAS, It is appropriate that Washington home educating families be recognized for their sacrificial contribution to the diversity and quality of education in this great state;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Washington hereby honor, thank, and celebrate the home educating families in the state.

I, Mike O'Connell, Secretary of the Senate,
do hereby certify that this is a true and
correct copy of Senate Resolution 1997-8652,
adopted by the Senate April 23, 1997.

MIKE O'CONNELL
Secretary of the Senate