| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 5/20/2010 2:51:16 PM Home School Legal Defense Association New York--Update on Rochester City School District |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== New York--Update on Rochester City School District Dear HSLDA Members and Friends, Many of you have been aware of the fact that the Rochester City School District (RCSD) attempted to prevent parents from administering the annual assessments to their own children earlier this year. The District's position was that, if you were a parent, you could not administer a standardized achievement test or conduct the alternative written narrative evaluation to your own children unless you had some special qualifications. In fact, the district had attempted to insist that only a New York certified teacher could administer the alternative written narrative evaluations. Earlier this month, several homeschool leaders meet with the RCSD to discuss this issue. At the meeting were two local Loving Education At Home (LEAH) chapters, Charity LEAH and PCC LEAH, along with the LEAH regional representatives. Two board members of Rochester Area Homeschoolers Association (RAHA) were also in attendance, as was HSLDA Staff Attorney Tj Schmidt. We met with Jeanette Silvers, Ed.D, chief of accountability, and Elaine McNamara, clerkII/home schooling, from the RCSD. All of the homeschool groups were unified in objecting to the District's rejection of parents administering the annual assessments. We provided information to Dr. Silvers that New York law does not prevent parents from conducting these annual assessments. There is even the personalized assessment summary system (PASS) test that is designed to be administered by parents. This test has been specifically approved by the New York State Education Department. Unfortunately, New York regulation does give the superintendent some ability to object to the person selected by the parent to conduct the annual evaluation. However, our position at the meeting was that a parent in compliance with the New York law should not be prohibited from conducting the annual evaluation unless the District has specific concerns that a particular person was unqualified to do so. HSLDA reminded the District that any parent who was denied their selection of the individual to administer the evaluation could appeal to the school board. At the end of the meeting, Dr. Silvers promised to reconsider their position after reviewing the information we presented and talking with the District's attorney. In the two weeks that have followed this meeting, multiple parents who were previously rejected have been permitted to administer a standardized achievement test. HSLDA also has written a letter on behalf of a member family when the mother was prohibited from conducting the alternative written narrative evaluation simply because she was a parent. At this time, we expect the Rochester City School District will follow the homeschool group's recommendation and allow parents in compliance with the regulations to conduct the annual evaluations. If you were denied this option earlier this school year, you could make a second request to administer the evaluation yourself. If you continue to receive difficulties, please contact HSLDA for assistance. Thank you for your stand for home education freedom in New York. Sincerely, Thomas J. (Tj) Schmidt HSLDA Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Will your friends stand by you in trouble? They will if you're an HSLDA member and your homeschool is threatened. HSLDA is ready to stand by your side along with 80,000 other homeschool families. 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