Homeschool Testing Bill Defeated

The Mississippi Legislature has declined to approve a measure to require testing of students in home instruction programs. Senate Bill 2380, introduced by Senator Sampson Jackson (32nd Senate District ), would have authorized the state board of education to establish "student testing proficiency standards for promotion to grade levels for students in home instruction programs which are equivalent to requirements applicable to public school students." If this legislation had been enacted, parents would have no longer been able to determine grade placement of their children being homeschooled. Due to the effective lobbying efforts of the Mississippi Home Educators Association, this bill died in committee.