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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/20/2004 4:32:26 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Arizona--Oppose Raising the Compulsory Attendance Age! |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== February 20, 2004 Arizona--Oppose Raising the Compulsory Attendance Age! Dear HSLDA members and friends: A bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives that would raise the compulsory attendance age in Arizona from 16 to 18. Informed observers believe this is unlikely to pass because it is so expensive. We are asking homeschoolers to call the members of the Education Committee to put a stop to this bill now. Action Requested: Please call the members of the Education Committee. Tell them, "Please vote no on HB 2548. This bill would increase expenses without improving education." Rep. Linda Gray, Chair (602) 926-3376 Rep. Warde Nichols, Vice-Chair (602) 926-5168 Rep. John M. Allen (602) 926-3395 Rep. Bill Arnold (602) 926-5894 Rep. Tom Boone (602) 926-3297 Rep. Olivia Cajero Bedford (602) 926-5835 Rep. James R. Carruthers (602) 926-5273 Rep. Ted Downing (602) 926-5108 Rep. John Huppenthal (602) 926-5898 Rep. Linda Lopez (602) 926-4089 Rep. Ben R. Miranda (602) 926-4893 Rep. Steven B. Yarbrough (602) 926-5863 Background: - (You do not need to share this reason with your legislators.) Raising the compulsory attendance age from 16 to 18 would would subject Arizona home educators to the requirements of the homeschool statute for two years beyond that which is currently required. - Raising the compulsory attendance age will not reduce the dropout rate. In fact, the two states with the highest high school completion rates, Maryland at 94.5% and North Dakota at 94.7%, compel attendance only to age 16. The state with the lowest completion rate (Oregon: 75.4%) compels attendance to age 18. (Figures are three year averages, 1996 through 1998.) - Twenty-nine states only require attendance to age 16. Older children unwilling to learn can cause classroom disruptions and even violence, making learning harder for their classmates who truly want to learn. - It would restrict parents' freedom to decide if their 16 year old is ready for college or the workforce. (Some 16 year olds who are not academically inclined benefit more from valuable work experience than from being forced to sit in a classroom.) - Another significant impact of expanding the compulsory attendance age would be an inevitable tax increase to pay for more classroom space and teachers to accommodate the additional students compelled to attend public schools. When California raised the age of compulsory attendance, unwilling students were so disruptive that new schools had to be built just to handle them and their behavior problems, all at the expense of the taxpayer. For more information on compulsory attendance, please see our memorandum at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=1341 Sincerely, Scott Somerville HSLDA Staff Attorney {{JoinAd}} ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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