Requirement of Homeschooler ID Numbers Averted

The New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) created a database to give identification numbers to all homeschoolers. Officials claimed it was required to comply with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. However, HSLDA worked with CAPE-NM and showed the PED that homeschoolers are specifically exempt from NCLB requirements.

Section 9506 of 20 U.S.C. 7886 says, in part, that “Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect a home school, whether or not a home school is treated as a home school or a private school under State law, nor shall any student schooled at home be required to participate in any assessment referenced in this Act.” HSLDA added this amendment to NCLB on its initial passage. Once the New Mexico Public Education Department learned about this, it discontinued its identification number database.