| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 8/28/2002 4:58:52 PM Scott W. Somerville, Esq., Staff Attorney of HSLDA Nevada--Meeting Scheduled to Propose New Home School Regulations |
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear HSLDA Members and Friends, The Nevada Department of Education has now formally asked the state board of education to propose new home school regulations. The board will meet to discuss the issue on September 13 and 14 at an open meeting in Carson City. Meanwhile, home schoolers across the state have formed the Nevada Homeschool Network in order to present a united front as the laws are being changed. ACTION REQUESTED (1) Participate: HSLDA is delighted to see the formation of the Nevada Homeschool Network (NHN), the new statewide home school organization. You can get involved with NHN by sending a blank email to NV-Alert-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. You can also help us defend freedom in Nevada by encouraging families to join HSLDA. (2) Network: In the last week, HSLDA has added seven new local support groups to our website at http://www.hslda.org/orgs/default.asp?State=NV. If your group is not yet listed on the HSLDA website, please let me know by emailing me at scott@hslda.org. (3) Communicate: Contact your elected representatives. Please look up your state senator and assemblyman using HSLDA's Legislative Toolbox at www.hslda.org/toolbox. Then call them to explain that the state department of education has just asked the state board of education to rewrite the regulations for home schoolers. Ask them if they will support legislation to protect home school freedoms. Please let me or NHN know what you find out! BACKGROUND Keith Rheault, Deputy Superintendent of Education, has submitted a formal request to the state board of education. (http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/nv/NV-RheaultMemo.pdf) He writes: "When the requirements of NAC 392.025 are linked with the definition of "equivalent instruction" in NAC 392.035, which now includes the requirement to teach to the academic performance standards, department of education staff interpret the regulations to mean that equivalent home school instruction should include instruction that is equivalent to the academic standards. It is recommended that the state board review the information provided and that a workshop be scheduled to address the need to clarify/modify the current regulations that clearly state the intent of the requirement for the benefit of the home school parents, school districts and the department of education." We agree with the department of education that the regulations must be changed, but the department has not given us any indication as to HOW the regulations should be changed. We believe they should clearly indicate that home schoolers are not required to comply with the new Content and Performance Standards. I have spoken with one school official who expects there to be some pressure to make home schoolers comply with the new standards. NHN RESPONDS Elissa Wahl, the unanimously chosen as President of the Nevada Homeschool Network, has prepared the following letter for each member of the state board of education: "Homeschooling in Nevada has flourished partly as a result of your willingness to allow homeschoolers the freedom to excel. This freedom has historically given homeschooling parents the ability to tailor their curriculum to the needs of each individual child, and has proven to be a key element in the success of homeschooling both in Nevada and nationwide. "Recent changes in the NRS, intended to improve curriculum standards in Nevada's public schools, have inadvertently included homeschools under the curriculum standards as established by the DOE's 'Committee to Establish Academic Standards for Public Schools.' "We ask for your continued support of homeschoolers by working with us to change the NAC so that homeschoolers can continue to use any curriculum or approach that best meets the needs of their children. "Please contact us at any time if you have any questions. We look forward to working with you directly and through the Home School Advisory Councils, to resolve this very important matter." CONCLUSION New developments are taking place every day, but Nevada home schoolers have risen to the challenge. We will need every family to do their part before the law is changed. Please pass this message on to every Nevada home schooler! Very truly yours, Scott W. 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