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| Date: From: Subject: | 3/9/2010 2:06:43 PM Home School Legal Defense Association New Hampshire -Calls Needed Immediately to Defend Against Intrusive Regulations! |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== March 9, 2010 New Hampshire--Calls Needed Immediately to Defend Against Intrusive Regulations! The Department of Education has submitted final proposed regulations to the State Board of Education (BOE) that contain most of the onerous and intrusive provisions that the Commissioner of Education previously agreed would not be included. Contrary to a previous agreement to support the the Home Education Advisory Council's proposed regulations, the Department has gone back on its word and added unnecessary and intrusive language that goes against what is required by New Hampshire's home education law. If passed, these regulations would create confusion and impose new and unreasonable requirements for New Hampshire homeschoolers. We need you to make calls to the Commissioner of Education and State Board and to attend the Board's rules hearing to send a clear message that homeschoolers do not want these proposed regulations. The State Board is scheduled to vote on the final proposed changes to the home education rules at its meeting tomorrow, March 10. The Department of Education released a draft of its final proposal yesterday, and HSLDA is deeply concerned about the proposed language. If passed, the changes would significantly increase government regulation of homeschoolers. The following changes are of grave concern: 1. The teacher evaluator, not the parent, must sign and submit written evaluations; 2. Parents must submit a statement describing their method of annual assessment; 3. Children must demonstrate progress in all "selected" areas of instruction; 4. The participating agent must review the teacher evaluation to determine whether he or she agrees that progress has been made; and 5. Teacher evaluators must include the facts they relied upon in determining whether a child made progress The final proposed draft asks the BOE to consider completely new requirements not permitted by law such as prohibiting parents who are certified teachers from performing their children's portfolio evaluation and requiring parents to explain why they are not covering certain subjects every year. To view a draft of the final proposal click here: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=7834 ACTION REQUESTED 1.) Please contact Commissioner of Education Virginia Barry as soon as possible. Give her the following message in your own words. "I am disappointed that the Department has not kept its promise to submit the HEAC's proposed rules to the State Board as agreed. Please withdraw the current final proposal that contains new and unnecessary regulations. Please work with members of the HEAC to create a set of rules that are in line with the home school law without imposing new and completely unnecessary and burdensome requirements on our freedom to home school." Virginia Barry, Ph.D. - Commissioner of Education (603) 271-3144 virginia.barry@ed.state.nh.us 2.) Contact your district's member of the State Board of Education and at least one of the members representing the public at large. Give them the following message in your own words: "I am gravely concerned about the home education rules proposed by the Department of Education. These rules do not reflect what the HEAC has proposed. The Department has broken its agreement with the HEAC by submitting this unacceptable set of rules. Please either accept the HEAC's version of proposed rules without any changes or postpone action on the final proposed rules as submitted by the Department until members of HEAC and the Commissioner of Education can work to develop a final set that is in line with the law. The Department's proposed rules create new, unnecessary, and intrusive regulations that are unacceptable to New Hampshire Homeschoolers. Please reject the Department's rules and ask them to work with New Hampshire homeschoolers to create a set of rules that accurately reflect the law." There are five board members who represent each executive council district and two members who represent the public at large. To find out which district you live in visit: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=7835 Contact information is below: John E. Lyons, Jr., Chairman (At Large) Office: (603) 431-5144 Home: (603) 430-9570 jlyons@lyonslaw.net Fredrick J. Bramante, Jr. (At Large) Home: (603) 868-5683 Office: (603) 623-7900 fredbramante@daddys.com Helen G. Honorow (District 5) Office: (603) 883-0474 Home: (603) 598-8433 hhonorow@barrylawoffice.com Daphne A. Kenyon, Ph.D. (District 3) Home: (603) 886-7207 dkenyon433@aol.com Stephen R. L'Heureux (District 4) Home: (603) 668-2708 Office: (603) 669-2256 s.lheureux@comcast.net Tom Raffio (District 2) Home: (603) 715-2750 Office: (603) 223-1300 tomraffio@nedelta.com William D. Walker (District 1) wwjazz2@aol.com 3.) Attend the following events this Wednesday, March 10: > On Pleasant Street, at the Department of Education, the Board of Education will meet at 9:00 a.m. (doors open at 8:00), where there will be a brief period for public comment shortly after 9:00. The Board will consider the Final Proposal for revised home education rules sometime after 12:30. Your presence for this brief period will send a strong message even if you aren't able to provide testimony. > Before and after the State Board public comment period you can attend a rally in support of HB 1580 which will take place at the State House from 8:30 a.m-10:00 a.m. Come greet legislators and help further freedom for New Hampshire homeschoolers. Thank you for your continued efforts to defend freedom in New Hampshire! Standing with you, Michael P. Donnelly, Esq. HSLDA Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Who's knocking on your door? When a social service worker arrives at your door, tension can run high. Wouldn't it be nice to get your lawyer on the phone, providing you with immediate step-by-step guidance? More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1099 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== 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. ====================================================================== | |
