| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/12/2003 10:36:35 AM Home School Legal Defense Association South Dakota--Homeschool Involvement With Statewide Testing Must Be Ended |
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- February 12, 2003 Dear HSLDA Members and Friends, The South Dakota Legislature is working on two bills that would affect homeschoolers. One, Senate Bill 39, would end homeschool involvement with the "statewide testing program" that has defined our testing requirements for many years. The other, House Bill 1068, would allow homeschoolers and other students in unaccredited private schools to participate in sports and other interscholastic activities. Because both of these bills are being considered by the same legislators, leaders of the South Dakota homeschool community have requested all South Dakota homeschoolers to coordinate their efforts for maximum effect. In an effort to build a stronger statewide homeschool movement, HSLDA has agreed to drop our request for changes to SB 39 at this time. ACTION REQUESTED If your representative is one of the names below, please contact him or her with the following message: "Thank you for your efforts to help homeschoolers. We are willing to tolerate second grade testing for homeschoolers this year, but would like to see this addressed next year." You can determine who your representative is by using HSLDA's legislative toolbox at: www.hslda.org/toolbox. List of ten "friendly" House Education Committee members: Tim Begalka, District 4, (605) 773-3851, begalka@itctel.com Mike Buckingham, District 33, (605) 224-0411 Joel D Dykstra District 16, (605) 773-3851, jdd@sdapv.com Jeffrey K Haverly, District 35, (605) 223-9045, rep.haverly@state.sd.us Phyllis M Heineman, District 13, (605) 224-6877, rep.heineman@state.sd.us Kent Juhnke, District 26, (605) 683-6722, ksjuhnke@gwtc.net Matt McCaulley, District 10, (605) 224-0411, matt@sdrepublican.com Alice McCoy, District 35, (605) 716-6814, rep.mccoy@state.sd.us Donna Schafer, District 17, dschafer@mchsi.com Thomas J Van Norman, District 28A, (605) 964-6686 BACKGROUND South Dakota has required testing for homeschoolers in grades two, four, eight, and eleven for the last several years. New changes to the statewide testing program end second grade testing for public school students, but add four more years of testing across the board. Senate Bill 39 separates homeschool testing requirements from those of the public school, which is a major step forward. HSLDA strongly believes that second grade testing is unnecessary and burdensome, and no public school officials have yet argued that second grade testing provides important information. In light of this, we believe that second grade testing should eventually be eliminated. Homeschool leaders agree that second grade testing is generally a waste of time, but many homeschool activists are working very hard to get House Bill 1068 through the legislature this year. House Bill 1068 would make it possible for homeschooled students and other students in unaccredited schools to participate in sports and other activities. While HSLDA supports the rights of parents to direct the education of their own children, including the opportunity to participate in interscholastic programs, we have never been willing to sacrifice freedom of individual families for the right to participate in government programs. For this reason, we would not advise families to abandon the effort to eliminate unnecessary tests in order to trade them for government benefits. Our reason for dropping our request for amendments to Senate Bill 39 this year is solely to build a stronger homeschool movement in South Dakota which will be able to work together for the benefit of all in years to come. We urge all HSLDA members to join and support their local support groups and statewide organizations. By working together today, we can achieve more liberty tomorrow. We look forward to working with all South Dakota homeschoolers for years to come. Very truly yours, Scott W. 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