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| Date: From: Subject: | 3/6/2007 4:30:57 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Illinois: Help Needed to Stop Expansion of State Control Over Children |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== Illinois: Help Needed to Stop Expansion of State Control Over Children Dear HSLDA members and friends: In addition to Senator Kwame Raoul's compulsory attendance bills, Representative Mary E. Flowers is attempting to pass a bill (H.B. 1339) which would have 4-year olds in school. Children who are 4 years old, who have attended preschool, and who will be 5 within three months of the beginning of school year may, under this bill, enroll in kindergarten. The law currently states that a child must be 5 years old as of September 1. H.B. 1339 is scheduled to be heard in the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee tomorrow at 8 a.m. For 23 years HSLDA has been battling the slow advancement and expansion of the compulsory attendance age. The National Education Association and various child welfare organizations have been pushing to get children under the supervision of the state at as an early age as possible. Senate Bill 1079 is another example of the proverbial "foot in the door"; once the program is established for 4-year olds, the next step is to mandate enrollment of 4-year olds. Research has shown that early education does not make smart students (see Background below). Your calls in opposition of this bill are crucial to stopping this bill. As with Senator Raoul's bills, we are working closely with Ralph Garcia and the Christian Home Educators Coalition to oppose this bill. REQUESTED ACTION Please call as many members of the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee as possible. You can give them this message: "Please vote against H.B. 1339. We believe this is a waste of taxpayer money because it is proven that early childhood education programs have no long-term academic benefit. Parental involvement is the key factor for early childhood development, not the state." Do not identify yourself as a homeschooler. HOUSE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Chairperson, Michael K. Smith, (217) 782-8152 Vice-Chairperson, Monique D. Davis, (217) 782-0010 Republican Spokesperson, Jerry L. Mitchell, (217) 782-0535 Suzanne Bassi, (217) 782-8026 Linda CHapa LaVia, (217) 558-1002 Fred Crespo, (217) 782-0347 Lisa M. Dugan, (217) 782-5981 Roger L. Eddy, (217) 782-558-1040 Robert F. Flider, (217) 782-8398 Esther Golar, (217) 782-5971 Kevin Joyce, (217) 782-8200 Renee Kosel, (217) 782-0424 David E. Miller, (217) 782-8087 Rosemary Mulligan, (217) 782-8007 Ruth Munson, (217) 782-8020 Hary Osterman, (217) 782-8088 Brandon W. Phelps, (217) 782-5131 Sandar M. Pihos, (217) 782-8037 Robert W. Pritchard, (217) 782-0425 David Reis, (217) 782-2087 Jim Watson, (217) 782-1840 Karen A. Yarbrough, (217) 782-8120 BACKGROUND > According to the 2005 NAEP test scores, children from states that have low compulsory attendance ages (5-6) did not score any higher than children from the other states, and in some subjects their average was actually lower. > Many education experts have concluded that beginning a child's formal education too early may actually result in burnout and poor scholastic performance later. > A report published February 6, 2007 by the Goldwater Institute examines Stanford 9 test scores and finds Arizona kindergarten programs initially improve learning but have no measurable impact on reading, math, or language arts test scores by fifth grade. The data show that students in schools with all-day kindergarten programs have statistically significant higher 3rd-grade test scores, but there is no impact on 5th-grade scores. This finding is consistent with previous research. Forcing children into school early delivers short-term benefits at best. > Another significant impact of expanding the mandatory schooling is the 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/docs/nche/Issues/E/Early_Education.asp Thank you for standing with us in this fight for freedom. Sincerely, Christopher J. Klicka HSLDA Senior Counsel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Have you ever yelled into the wind, only to hear the sound of your voice blown back at you? It's hard to be heard in the midst of a storm. Trying to influence federal legislation is much like yelling to be heard while standing in a fierce wind. Yet when 80,000 voices join together, they become a powerful force that cannot be drowned out. Join HSLDA to be heard above the tempests that threaten homeschool freedoms. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1939 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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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. ====================================================================== | |
