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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/27/2013 11:40:33 AM Scott Woodruff--HSLDA Maine--Update: College Classes, Special Ed, NAPS-RAPPS Subjects Change |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== Maine--Update: College Classes, Special Education, NAPS-RAPPS Subjects Change and Access Change Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: HSLDA and Homeschoolers of Maine (HOME) collaborated to present a bill to the legislature, LD 61, which would restore the rights of homeschool families to access to special education services and low-cost college classes. LOW COST COLLEGE CLASSES The portion of the bill restoring access to low-cost college classes was approved unanimously in legislative committee on February 20 and will move toward votes on the floors of both houses. Your calls were very helpful! SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES Unfortunately, the committee would not accept the part of the bill related to special education services, so that part was removed. But there is a readily available alternate route for access to special education services. A family who has been in a "home instruction program" can switch to a non-approved private school. Private school students have access to special education services. Many such schools are set up so that the private school instruction is delivered by the parents in their respective homes. All the best things about homeschooling continue. So if you are a homeschooler who needs access to special education services, consider enrolling in a non-approved private school that is friendly toward parent-delivered instruction. And of course those families are eligible for membership in HSLDA. SWITCH FROM "NAPS" TO "RAPPS" It's also time for a switch in "lingo." We have used the phrase "non-approved private school" for decades. However, the Department of Education recently tweaked the "guidelines," and now calls them "recognized for attendance purposes" private schools. This is not inconsistent with applicable law, so HSLDA will start using the new lingo and will refer to these schools as "RAPPS", Recognized for Attendance Purposes Private Schools. NEW SUBJECTS FOR RAPPS In "tweaking" the guidelines, the Department also added two new subjects to the list of required subjects for RAPPS: health education and fine arts. This is not inconsistent with current law. If you are the administrator of a RAPPS, your next annual letter should confirm that your school will provide instruction in those subjects, as well as the others. IMPROVING ACCESS FOR RAPPS STUDENTS HSLDA and HOME have been tracking another important bill, LD 92. As originally filed, it would have taken away the ability of RAPPS students to request to participate in public school cocurricular, extracurricular and interscholastic activities. HSLDA and HOME asked the sponsor to amend the bill to fix that problem, which she gladly did. Under current law (Maine Statute 20-A sec.5021-A), a RAPPS student can obtain access only if the public school principal approves--and he can disapprove for any reason. Under LD 92 as amended, the principal must allow the RAPPS student to participate if there is room in the program and the other applicable requirements are met. On the other hand, access is only available under LD 92 if the student's own RAPPS does not offer the particular program in which the student is interested. But most of the RAPPS that are friendly to parent-delivered instruction are quite small and offer few extracurricular, etc. programs. We believe the net effect of LD 92 will be to boost RAPPS students' access in the great majority of situations. Our position is neutral on the bill, but we believe it would be an overall improvement. LD 92 was voted "ought to pass" by the committee on February 25. Thank you for standing with us for freedom! Sincerely, Scott A. Woodruff, Esq., Senior Counsel, Home School Legal Defense Association P.S. We greatly value you and your support--it is a privilege to serve you! If you or someone you know is not a member of HSLDA, will you consider taking a moment today to join or recommend us? Your support for our work enables us to defend individual families and protect homeschooling freedom for all. Join now: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=17377 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> "I saved my entire membership fee with one discount" "When I called Liberty to find out what kind of discount we could get, they told us we would 10% off our car insurance and 5% off our homeowner's insurance. What we will save is more than double what it costs to join HSLDA. With one child getting his driver's license this year, the savings will be a real blessing!" 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Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
