Date:
From:
Subject:
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4/4/01 9:11:12 AM
Christopher J. Klicka, Esq., Senior Counsel of HSLDA
Colorado--Update: Restrictive Legislation Averted
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From the HSLDA@Capitol Hill E-lert Service...
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April 4, 2001
Restrictive Legislation Averted
Dear Colorado HSLDA Members and Friends,
Earlier this year, home schoolers working together behind the scenes
averted potential onerous regulation in the Colorado legislature. The
proposed law would have required home school students to take on a
regular basis the state's assessment test, which is designed for and
required for public school students.
Treon Goossen of Concerned Parents of Colorado was the first to hear
about this proposal. She learned that the Colorado Association of
School Boards (CASB) officially resolved that the legislature should
enact a bill to require, among other things, that all home schoolers
take the state assessment test. Mrs. Goossen then contacted Home
School Legal Defense Association and together we initiated dialogue
with CASB.
We discovered that CASB's actions were motivated by concerns about
the changes enacted last year under Senate Bill 186. First, CASB
objected to the new requirement that public schools must, regardless
of content, accept the transcripts provided by home school students
returning to public school---viewing this as an encroachment on the
public school's local control. Second, they reacted to the new
provision that allows home schoolers to file their notice of intent
with any school district in the state, wanting instead to restore the
previous requirement that families file with their local school
district.
We explained to CASB that neither Christian Home Educators of
Colorado, Concerned Parents of Colorado, nor HSLDA had requested S.B.
186 last year and expressed our desire to work out the differences.
After several meetings and lengthy phone calls, we persuaded CASB to
abandon their resolution demanding state assessment and other
significant additional requirements for home schoolers.
CASB agreed to support language in a new bill this year, S.B. 98,
that would restore local control of the transcript process and allow
home school families to file their notice with either their local
school district or any contiguous district, rather than any school
district in the state. This change would help alleviate any concerns
a school official might have that a family is trying to avoid
accountability by filing their notice in a district several hundred
miles away. At the same time, it would still give home school
families the option of filing their notice in another school district
if their own school district is either harassing them or abusing the
law.
On February 8, 2001, the Colorado Senate Education Committee
incorporated this language into S.B. 98. We are monitoring this bill
closely to ensure that CASB keeps its agreement. At this time, we do
not anticipate any further attempts to require home schoolers to take
the state assessment test.
HSLDA is also monitoring several other bills that involve amendments
to the child welfare code. We will notify you immediately if there
are any changes that require action.
Thank you for standing with us for freedom.
Sincerely,
Christopher J. Klicka
Senior Counsel
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Home School Legal Defense Association
P.O. Box 3000
Purcellville, Virginia 20134
540-338-5600
www.hslda.org
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 Other Resources
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More information on Colorado's Senate Bill 98
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