March 6, 2006
Hanover County Apologizes for Unlawful Demands
In early December, Hanover County homeschoolers—including families homeschooling under the religious exemption option—received a letter from the Hanover County Public Schools Director of Instructional Support Services saying they must turn in standardized test scores at the end of the school year.
The letter also demanded that all families return a form to request testing.
Several member families called Home School Legal Defense Association for advice. HSLDA called the director and informed her that she could not demand that families return the form. We also reminded her that families under the religious exemption option do not need to provide test scores to the school district.
The director promptly apologized and explained that a new employee had accidentally sent the letter to all families in the county. She agreed that families do not need to send in the request form unless they want to have their children tested in the public school. She also acknowledged that religiously exempt families do not need to submit a year-end assessment.
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