| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 1/8/2003 4:28:51 PM Home School Legal Defense Association North Dakota--Legislation Threatens Homeschool Freedoms |
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- January 8, 2003 Dear HSLDA Members and Friends, On December 30, 2002, the House Education Committee of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly introduced a bill at the request of the Superintendent of Public Instruction which would effectively destroy home education in North Dakota. This is not an exaggeration. Designated as House Bill 1182, this legislation would require homeschool students to meet the state content and achievement standards on the state tests required of public school students. Since the state standards are derived from the public school curriculum, parents conducting home instruction will be forced to use public school textbooks in order to teach the same content. Home education in North Dakota would essentially become public school at home. The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires states to test public school students on state content and achievement standards at various grade levels. However, the federal law prohibits states from including homeschool students in this testing. If North Dakota wants to continue to receive federal funds for education, it must enact a law to require additional testing of public school students, but the Superintendent of Public Instruction is wrongly attempting to include homeschool students. This bill must be defeated before it gains any momentum. It is crucial that you contact all members of the House Education Committee as well as your own state representative to express your opposition to this bill. REQUESTED ACTION (1) Please contact the members of the House Education Committee listed below and your own state representative with this message: "Please vote against House Bill 1182 which violates the right of parents to choose the curriculum they consider best for their own children. The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 specifically prohibits states from mandating that homeschool students take state assessments. Enactment of this bill will jeopardize all federal funding for education in North Dakota." A letter is the most effective means of influencing legislators. If you choose not to write, please call and email the state representatives. They need to hear from every homeschooling family in North Dakota. House Education Committee: - Rep. RaeAnn G. Kelsch, Chairman 611 Craig Drive, Mandan, ND 58554-2353 701-255-1824 rkelsch@state.nd.us - Rep. Dennis Johnson 122 North Burke Road, Devils Lake, ND 58301-8942 701-662-4998 djohnson@state.nd.us - Rep. C. B. Haas 3519 94th Avenue SW, Taylor, ND 58656-9646 701-974-3535 chaas@state.nd.us - Rep. Lyle Hanson 337 15th Avenue NE, Jamestown, ND 58401-3830 701-251-1654 lhanson@state.nd.us - Rep. Kathy Hawken 503 Southwood Drive, Fargo, ND 58103-6033 701-293-5483 khawken@state.nd.us - Rep. Gil Herbel 1439 LaVergne Avenue, Grafton, ND 58237 701-376-5377 gherbel@state.nd.us - Rep. Bob Hunskor P.O. Box 1, Newburg, ND 58762-000 701-272-6283 bhunskor@state.nd.us - Rep. Lisa Meier 1713 South Third Street, Bismarck, ND 58504 701-255-4166 lmeier@state.nd.us - Rep. Phillip Mueller 1632 101st Avenue SE, Wimbledon, ND 58492 701-435-2737 pmueller@state.nd.us - Rep. Jon O. Nelson 4680 71st Street NE, Wolford, ND 58385-9536 701-477-8900 jonelson@state.nd.us - Rep. Mike Norland 218 14th Street East, Williston, ND 58801 701-770-1657 mnorland@state.nd.us - Rep. Margaret Sitte 808 Avenue C West, Bismarck, ND 58501 701-221-2104 ext. 321 msitte@state.nd.us - Rep. Dorvan Solberg 11395 66th Street NW, Ray, ND 58849-9473 701-568-3614 dsolberg@state.nd.us - Rep. Clark Williams 112 Third Avenue North, Wahpeton, ND 58075 701-642-4951 cdwilliams@state.nd.us Note: The Legislative Assembly went into session on January 7, so you may reach the state representatives by telephone at the State Capitol at 1-888-635-3447. (2) Please forward this E-lert to every homeschooling family you know who is not a member of HSLDA and urge them to contact the Committee members and their own state representative. - To get the name of your state representative, use HSLDA's Legislative Toolbox at http://www.hslda.org/toolbox. If you do not have Internet access, call the North Dakota legislative telephone message center at 1-888-NDLEGIS (635-3447). REASONS WE OPPOSE H.B. 1182 House Bill 1182 would make the following changes in the current law: - eliminate standardized achievement testing of home education students and instead require the same state tests given to public school students; - require home education students to achieve a test score meeting the state's content standards in all subjects tested (currently reading and mathematics, with science to be added by the 2007-08 school year); - prohibit parents from administering state tests to their own children, even if the parent has all of the professional qualifications required of test administrators; - require state testing in grades 4, 8, and 12 under current law and if the law for testing public school students is changed to comply with federal law as expected, require testing every year in grades 3 through 8 and one year in grades 10 through 12 by the 2005-06 school year. BACKGROUND On January 8, 2002, President Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Among other things, this federal law requires states to test public school students in the areas of mathematics, reading or language arts, and science at certain grade levels in order to measure their achievement of state academic content and achievement standards. North Dakota's plans to amend state law regarding the testing of public school students are intended to comply with the federal law. However, HSLDA added into this federal law a provision which specifically excludes homeschools from the testing requirement: "Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect a home school, whether or not a home school is treated as a home school or a private school under State law, nor shall any student schooled at home be required to participate in any assessment referenced in this chapter." The State Superintendent of Education's effort to include homeschool students in the state assessments is a clear violation of federal law and should result in the loss of all federal funding for education in North Dakota. To review a copy of the bill text, go to: http://www.state.nd.us/lr/assembly/58-2003/bill_text/DQVV0100.pdf To review a copy of the letter I sent to Dr. Wayne G. Sanstead, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, about this legislation, go to: http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/nd/200301070.asp To review a copy of Chris Klicka's memorandum on the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, go to: http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200301080.asp Very truly yours, Dewitt T. Black, III HSLDA Senior Counsel {{JoinAd}} ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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