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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/8/2006 11:27:52 AM Home School Legal Defense Association South Dakota--Calls Needed to Stop Compulsory Attendance Age Increase |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== February 8, 2006 Dear HSLDA members and friends: Calls are needed immediately to stop House Bill 1235 (H.B. 1235) which would raise the age of compulsory attendance from 16 to 18. If this bill became law, families would be subject to government requirements for 2 more years. It is scheduled for a hearing on Thursday, February 9, at 7 a.m. Proponents of raising the compulsory attendance age claim it will lead to higher graduation rates. But the state with the highest graduation rate in the country, New Jersey, at 89%, only requires attendance to age 16. In addition, Florida requires attendance to age 18 but has one of the nation's lowest graduation rates at 59%. The facts demonstrate that forcing unwilling students to stay in school longer does not increase graduation rates. Furthermore, it does not reduce juvenile crime. In addition, it is certain that your tax bill will increase. When California raised its compulsory attendance age, taxpayers were forced to pay for a whole new school system to handle the numerous problems these unruly, unwilling students caused. Action Requested: If your representative is on the House Education Committee, immediately call and ask them to vote against this bill. Use our legislative toolbox http://www.hslda.org/toolbox to find your representative's name. You can express your opposition in your own words. Be concise and courteous. Here is an example: "Please vote against House Bill 1235, which would raise the compulsory attendance age from 16 to 18. It will raise taxes, but statistics show it will not reduce juvenile crime or the dropout rate, and it will not increase the graduation rate." This bill affects all students, so DO NOT identify yourself as a homeschooler. House Education Committee Members: Representative Phyllis M Heineman - Chair Home: 605-339-2167 Fax: 605-339-7015 Representative Ed McLaughlin - Vice Chair Home: 605-343-8713 Capitol: 605-224-0411 Business: 605-343-8713 Fax: 605-348-6708 Representative Jim Bradford Home: 605-867-5369 Capitol: 605-441-8805 Business: 605-867-5174 Representative Thomas J Brunner Home: 605-257-2336 Business: 605-257-2153 Fax: 605-257-2336 Representative Michael Buckingham Home: 605-343-7657 Capitol: 605-224-0411 Business: 605-394-5050 Fax: 605-394-5054 Representative Burt Elliott Home: 605-225-7136 Business: 605-725-8100 Representative Thomas R Hills Home: 605-642-5620 Representative Paul Nelson Home: 605-983-5014 Capitol: 605-223-2462 Fax: 605-983-5014 Representative Al Novstrup Home: 605-226-2505 Capitol: 605-360-9711 Business: 605-360-9711 Fax: 605-226-8508 Representative Ryan P Olson Home: 605-258-2398 Capitol: 605-773-3851 Business: 605-280-2398 Fax: 801-409-8499 Representative Elaine Roberts Home: 605-331-5788 Capitol: 605-224-0411 Representative Donna Schafer Home: 605-624-4819 Capitol: 605-224-4200 Representative Thomas J Van Norman Home: 605-964-8665 Business: 605-964-6686 Fax: 605-964-1166 Representative Keri K Weems Home: 605-274-2525 Capitol: 605-224-4200 Fax: 605-274-2525 Representative Hal G Wick Home: 605-332-1360 Capitol: 605-224-5951 Fax: 605-332-4365 Background: 1. The statistics above come from the February, 2005, publication of the Manhattan Institute's Center for Civic Innovation, "Public High School Graduation and College-Readiness Rates: 1991-2002," by Dr. Jay P. Greene. 2. States which compel attendance only to age 16 have best high school completion rates than states that compel attendance to 17 or 18, on average. (Source: "Dropout Rates in the United States: 2000," pp. 9-10, 40-41; National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, Office of educational Research and Improvement, Doc. No. NCES 2002-114.) 3. States which compel attendance only to age 16 also have lower dropout rates than states that compel attendance to 17 or 18, on average. (Source: same as above.) 4. According to statistics published by the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Dropout Prevention, a higher compulsory attendance age is not correlated to a reduction in juvenile crime. (Source: "Juvenile Arrests 1999." Washington, D.C.: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2000.) 5. You may be told there is a "home school" exception to the higher compulsory attendance age. That is misleading. Homeschool students born between July 1, 1988 and June 30, 1990 would remain subject to the existing 16 year limit. All others would be subject to the higher limit if it passes. Thank you for standing with us for freedom. Sincerely, Scott Woodruff HSLDA Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Is customer service an art or a science? For us, good customer service is both an art and a science -it should appeal to our members and be effective. Consider what our members say about us: We're thankful for the support HSLDA membership provides us. We'd never homeschool without them. We highly recommend HSLDA to all homeschoolers. - North Tonawanda, NY I cannot imagine our homeschool journey without HSLDA's strong leadership, protection, and guidance. God bless HSLDA! - Alta Loma, California More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1940 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
