| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
< BACK TO ARCHIVE |
| Date: From: Subject: | 6/1/2004 11:28:35 AM Home School Legal Defense Association South Dakota--Calls Needed to Stop Discriminatory Rule |
|
====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== June 1, 2004 South Dakota--Calls Needed to Stop Discriminatory Rule Dear HSLDA members and friends: On Thursday, June 3, the Interim Rules Review Committee (IRRC) will decide the fate of a proposed regulation that would block all homeschooled students from enjoying the benefits of Opportunity Scholarships. The Opportunity Scholarship Program provides $5,000 over four years to high achieving South Dakota residents. The Board of Regents, however, wants a rule that would only allow students who attended an accredited or approved school to be eligible for the scholarship. This would exclude homeschool students. The IRRC has the power to stop the proposed rule or let it go through. The purpose of the scholarship is to encourage highly qualified South Dakota youngsters to stay in South Dakota for college. The hope is that if they stay in South Dakota for college, they will build their future in South Dakota, thus helping ensure a brighter future for all South Dakota citizens. The discriminatory rule the Board of Regents is supporting will make many highly qualified students feel unwelcome in their own state. ACTION REQUESTED: 1.Please call all the members of the Interim Rules Review Committee and courteously ask them to reject the definition of "high school" that the Board of Regents is proposing. Your message can be as simple as, " Please reject the Opportunity Scholarship rules the Board of Regents has proposed. The rules discriminate against homeschool students. Give homeschool students an equal opportunity. Their parents paid taxes to create the program!" Senator Royal "Mac" McCracken (Chair) Home: 605-341-7583 Senator Eric H Bogue Office: 605-967-2529 Fax: 605-967-2527 Senator H. Paul Dennert Home/Business: 605-396-2482 Representative Jean M Hunhoff (Vice Chair) Business: 605-668-8312 Fax: 605-665-0170 Representative Richard A Engels Home: 605-528-3644 Business: 605-334-0446 Fax: 605-334-5388 Representative Orville B Smidt Home: 605-697-5826 Business: 605-697-2000 Fax: 605-697-2002 2.If you know of a South Dakota homeschool student who has just finished 11th or 12th grade and had an SAT score of 1070 or above or an ACT of 24 or above, please reply by email. We would like to have a group of bright homeschool students testify to the Committee on Thursday. Thank you for standing with us for freedom and fairness! BACKGROUND: Homeschool representatives have spoken with Education Secretary Rick Melmer and Jim Shekleton, the attorney for the Board of Regents, and they seem unwilling to consider any definition other than the discriminatory one the Board of Regents is supporting. This scholarship was previously known as the Regents Scholarship. It previously authorized a scholarship worth $6,000, but no money was actually appropriated. The scholarship also requires that the students have taken specific courses in their high school program. Students must maintain a "B" average in college. Students must have an ACT score of 24 or an SAT score of 1070 to qualify. There are other requirements for initial and continuing eligibility. HSLDA has written a legal memorandum and is providing a copy to each member of the IRRC explaining how the Regents proposed definition of "high school" is inappropriate. The IRRC is composed of 3 senators, three representatives, and the Director of the Legislative Research Council. Sincerely, Scott A. Woodruff, Esq. HSLDA Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> ''I saved my entire membership fee with one discount'' ''We've been a Liberty Mutual customer for over 12 years. We called and asked about our HSLDA member discount and they lowered our premium by approx $85 per year...coincidentally the same amount as our HSLDA annual membership fee. Thought you'd want to know!!'' More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1107 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== 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. ====================================================================== | |
