HSLDA’s Department of Federal Relations	September 6, 2007

By Will Estrada

On Tuesday, August 28, HSLDA, American Association of Christian Schools (AACS), and Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) held a joint briefing for congressional staffers and education staffers from other organizations in Washington, D.C. The focus was on the upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). This is also known as the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).

The approximately 40 attendees were given a packet of information about the most important language in NCLB that protects homeschoolers, and heard from representatives of HSLDA, AACS, and ACSI.

Home School Legal Defense Association does not support NCLB because we view it as a massive encroachment of the federal government into the state and local government’s authority over education. However, Congress put language into NCLB in 2001 to ensure that the federal, state, and local governments do not interfere with homeschoolers and private and religious schools. Additional language protects against a nationalized test, nationalized curriculum, nationalized teacher certification, or a national database of student-specific information. HSLDA remains committed to ensuring that this language protecting homeschool families from government control remains in the final bill.

We will continue to monitor and report on Congress’ actions as NCLB is poised for reauthorization. The language that Congress included in 2001, along with reasons for why this language is important is included below. We encourage homeschooling families, along with families who use private or religious schools, to write to their federal representatives and ask them to keep this language in the reauthorized version of No Child Left Behind.

Other Resources

HSLDA Issues Library: No Child Left Behind Act