Date: From: Subject:

3/24/2008 12:10:45 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Tennessee: Testing Bill Dies!

====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== March 24, 2008 Tennessee: Testing Bill Dies! Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: We have excellent news to report! House Bill 2795, the non-public school testing bill affecting homeschoolers, died last Wednesday in the Special Initiatives Subcommittee of the House Education Committee. House Bill 2795 would have subjected non-public school students, including homeschool students, to additional state testing. It would have required them to take subject matter tests based upon state-approved textbooks. It would also have required them to pass the Tennessee comprehensive assessment program tests before receiving a high school diploma. These new testing requirements would have applied to students being taught at home through extension or satellite programs of church-related schools. Families of homeschool and non-public school students placed an overwhelming number of phone calls and sent emails to key legislators on the Special Initiatives Subcommittee and the bill's sponsor, Representative G. A. Hardaway, voicing their opposition to the bill. Despite a last-minute effort by Representative Hardaway to amend the bill to require gathering of information from non-public schools by the Tennessee Department of Education, the subcommittee voted against permitting the proposed amendment and then voted to kill the bill. Thanks to your vigilance and outspoken opposition to this bill, the freedom of parents to educate their own children is no longer threatened by this legislation. It was a distinct pleasure for me to testify in Nashville against this measure and in support of parental freedom in Tennessee. Special thanks to leaders in the Tennessee Home Education Association for their untiring efforts on behalf of the homeschool and non-public school community to defeat this dangerous legislation. Sincerely, Dewitt T. Black, III HSLDA Senior Counsel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> What's the shortest distance between two homeschoolers? HSLDA's elert service! When threats to homeschool freedoms arise, you want to be able to respond. We make it possible. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1101 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== 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: ##ToAddress## - 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. ======================================================================