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| Date: From: Subject: | 3/12/2004 4:11:36 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Tennessee--Testing of Homeschoolers |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== March 12, 2004 Tennessee--Testing of Homeschoolers Dear HSLDA members and friends: You may have received a memorandum dated March 1, 2004, from Dr. Randy Hankins of the Tennessee Department of Education advising you that certain end-of-course tests are required for homeschool students. Specifically, Dr. Hankins' memorandum states that students in grade nine who are not associated with a church-related school and students in grades nine through twelve who are associated with a church-related school must take the following tests if enrolled in these courses: Math Foundations II, Algebra I, English I, English II, and Biology I. It is our opinion based upon the language of the homeschool statute, the legislative history, and constitutional considerations that homeschool students do not have to take the end-of-course tests described in Dr. Hankins' memorandum. On April 6, 1996, I sent a letter to an attorney at the Tennessee Department of Education, explaining the reasons for our opinion when this issue was first raised six years ago. To view this letter go to http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=1400 We are prepared to defend our members in court should this become necessary. Homeschool students not associated with a church-related school must take the same standardized tests required of public school students in grades five, seven, and nine. The state intends to administer the TCAP Achievement Test to students in grades five and seven. We believe these tests are required for students not associated with a church-related school. Dr. Hankins' memorandum also speaks of testing by church-related schools. Homeschool students associated with a church-related school are only required to be tested by the school if it administers tests to its regular day students. Church-related schools do not have to test homeschool students as part of any state testing. Should you be contacted further about taking the end-of-course tests and wish to discuss this further with us, please do not hesitate to contact my legal assistant, Jonathan Bechtle, or me. Sincerely, Dewitt T. Black, III HSLDA Staff Attorney {{JoinAd}} ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. Box 3000 Purcellville, Virginia 20134 Phone: (540) 338-5600 Fax: (540) 338-2733 Email: info@hslda.org Web: http://www.hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How To Subscribe: - Subscribe to the HSLDA E-lert Service at our website: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp?Process=Subscribe - Or send an email with name and complete mailing address to: subscribe@hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscription Information: - You subscribed to the HSLDA E-lert Service as: {{Email}} - To unsubscribe from the HSLDA E-lert Service send an email from the email address you want to unsubscribe to: unsubscribe@hslda.org - To change your email address or make other changes to your subscription, visit the HSLDA E-lert Service account web page at: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp ---------------------------------------------------------------------- POSTMASTERS: This message is being sent to the most recent address we have for our subscribers. If this is an invalid email address or you have other problems, please reply to webmaster@hslda.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message from HSLDA to its bonafide HSLDA E-lert Service subscribers. HSLDA cannot attest to the authenticity of copies posted, forwarded, or sent by any party other than HSLDA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Please do not reply or otherwise use this email address; hslda@hslda.org is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any email sent to this address. If you have comments or questions, please send email to info@hslda.org or call HSLDA at 540-338-5600. HSLDA members can also email staff directly through the Members website at http://members.hslda.org/contact.asp. Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
