Tag Archives: Race To The Top

Educational, Homeschooling, Legislation

Homeschoolers Are Not Safe From Public Education Reform Policy

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So, you homeschool your child(ren) because . . .

. . . you want to provide a better quality curriculum, you want to address certain learning needs, you want to provide a religious perspective, you want to keep them safe from violence, you want to instill certain values, you want to . . .

There are as many reasons to homeschool your child, as there are individuals in our country. Homeschooling is all about providing individual educational instruction and attention as deemed appropriate by parents. It’s great that we still have a choice. Many, before us, have fought long, hard battles to ensure we have the freedom of choice to homeschool or send our children to private schools, as an alternative to the public education system. And so, you breathe a sigh of relief, that you have been able to make a better choice for your child(ren). But are you and your children really safe from the dictates of the public education system? The answer is NO!

The facts are these: The Obama administration’s Race To The Top policies have successfully infiltrated the nation’s education reform platform. They are absolutely being promoted by Democrats and Republicans, alike. All but a few states (including Missouri) have adopted Common Core Curriculums State Standards, mandated by the federal government. That means the federal government is dictating across the board curriculum for all publicly educated students. Your local school districts have no control over curriculum anymore.

I know, you are thinking it doesn’t affect you. You homeschool, or send your kids to private schools, right? Wrong. It does affect you. The success of Common Core Curriculums depends on total buy in, in much the same way Obama care only succeeds if everyone is on government provided healthcare. They know it and that is why the are coming after homeschooled and private schooled children. It’s all in the assessments and data collection. That’s how they are gonna rope you in, among other things

In Missouri, we are now faced with the task of funding the unfunded mandate adopted by Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The Common Core State Standards require every public school to administer, electronically, standardized testing aligned, of course, to the Common Core Curriculum. Electronic administration of these tests allows for easy data collection, by government, of those results. Your public schooled child will no longer have academic privacy. And tax payers are footing the bill for it. See where I am going with this? It also doesn’t stop with the public education realm.

The architect for the Common Core State Standards is now the president of the College Board. That’s right! David Coleman now oversees the College Board, so if your child takes college entrance exams, such as the ACT, SAT, etc., regardless of where he/she was educated, your child will likely be taking standardized tests that have been geared toward Common Core Curriculums. So, if you didn’t teach Common Core Curriculums in your homeschool, what is the plausibility your child will achieve acceptable college entrance levels on the tests?

Here’s some background on how Common Core is reaching into the homeschool community. Homeschoolers should also be very wary of participating in publicly offered virtual schools.

There are many aspects to this issue, and homeschoolers should no longer feel safe from the long reach of government because they have kept their children out of the public school realm.

On January 31st, Dr. Brian Ray, of National Home Education Research Institute, will be in St. Louis to discuss the aspects of Common Core State Standards, Academic Angst and its target on the homeschooling community. No homeschool family should miss this discussion.

An Evening with Dr. Brian Ray
of the
National Home Education Research Institute

January 31st, 2013 • 7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
Family Vision Library
2020 Parkway Drive
Phone: 636-447-6900

An Evening With Dr. Brian Ray – 2013 January

Educational, Homeschooling, Legislation, parenting

Engaged Homeschoolers In Missouri Affect SB706

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It’s time for a legislative update. As of Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012 there are approximately 1278 pieces of legislation floating through the Missouri state capitol. Some are recycled from previous years and some are duplicates, but there are some very busy legislators with writers cramp in Jefferson City.

Let’s first address the most recent threat to homeschooling freedoms, SB 706.

Jane Cunningham’s office did respond to our requests for edits and your phone calls and emails regarding language in her Race To The Top bill, and how it may affect homeschooling freedom. While her office may not have been happy to have had to address questions, the process is set up to be transparent and accountable to the voters, and it appears that contact from concerned parents/voters/homeschoolers has been productive for homeschooling freedom.

Kit Crancer responds to HU's SB706 alert

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A preliminary copy of a revised SB706 shows the offending language has been removed from the edited bill. It is not yet posted on the General Assembly website, so the threat isn’t completely eliminated until the revised bill is approved, but this is a step in the right direction. There are still many other problems with this bill, but none that affect homeschoolers at this time. This bill is one to keep an eye on and we will do so. Since transparency is and should be crucial in the legislative process, we hope Senator Cunningham’s office will make available, publicly, the bill before it makes its way through the approval process. It is imperative for the taxpayers to have a chance to examine this legislative work before it is approved by lawmakers.

HB1133, introduced by Rep. Jay Barnes provides tax credits for educational expenses has been assigned to the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee for approval/review.

SB460, introduced by, Senator, Robyn Wright-Jones is all about compulsory school age and this one moving, slowly, but moving. It has been referred to the Senate Education Committee after its second read. This one requires any child to attend kindergarten when they reach the age of five or earlier if their birthday falls early enough in the school year.

SB483, Senator, Scott Rupp’s bill for scholarships for academically advance public high school students has been approved out of committee and will move on to the senate for debate/approval.

SB527, Senator, Rob Schaaf’s, let’s “consider” homeschoolers for scholarships, bill has been referred to the Senate Education Committee.

HB1206, Rep. Jay Barnes, homeschooling sports participation bill has been referred to the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.

Since my last posting, HSLDA has flagged a couple of bills.

HB1610, Rep Jamilah Nasheed has resurrected this bill from last year. In fact, this is the bill, in 2009, that raised compulsory school age for homeschoolers to 17, unless 16 or more high school credits were earned toward graduation. She is now trying to raise the age to 18. This does affect homeschoolers. This bill was introduced on February 1st and has been assigned to the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.

SB643, Senator Keaveny’s, compulsory school age bill requires children to attend kindergarten at the age of 5 years old in St. Louis City and Kansas City schools. This bill does have language that excludes homeschool students.

Understand that this is a big year for education reform in Jefferson City. While most bills do not specifically address homeschooling, yet, the reform will have far reaching affects in the long term and all parents need to follow what legislators are doing in this regard. Most of the legislation models the Obama administration’s Race To The Top agenda and will ultimately result in loss of local and parental control of your child(ren)’s education.

Educational, Homeschooling, Legislation

SB 706 May Affect Homeschooling Freedom/Autonomy

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Tomorrow afternoon, Jane Cunningham’s, SB706, an educational reform bill, will be heard in committee, and there may be something in the content of this 37 page bill that could affect your homeschooling freedoms

The bill is a conglomeration of Race To The Top elements which include the foundation to establish statewide charter schools, longitudinal data systems, and controlled curriculum (common core standards). It takes away local control of schools and promotes control under the federal Department of Education. In short, in an effort to address inadequacies in city schools, the state is establishing a reform that could affect future autonomy of homeschoolers who utilize virtual programs.

What does this mean to homeschoolers? This bill’s foundation promotes the ability for students in unaccredited urban districts to attend schools, in adjoining districts. The state intends to “equalize” financial discrepancy by awarding scholarships, to circumvent the Blaine amendment, which prohibits public money to go to religous schools, or tax credits to the districts that accept the transferring students.

Virtual schools, another component of Race To The Top will affect any homeschool families that enroll in virtual school programs. The present bill states,

A student may enroll in the virtual courses or programs offered by any virtual education provider or school district in Missouri that meets the standards of the department of elementary and secondary education and is accredited. The department may offer its own virtual courses or programs. Any student who enrolls in a virtual course or program under this section shall be considered a public school student and shall take the components of the statewide assessments under section 160.518 that relate to the virtual course or program in which they are enrolled.

So, no longer will homeschool students, who enroll in virtual education under these parameters, maintain autonomy by enrolling in these programs. Additionally, they will be required to submit to testing/assessments which will be aligned with the common core standards that the state has already adopted.

As a public school student, homeschoolers enrolled in virtual programs must comply with the release of information to the director of the department of economic development including, but not limited to your student’s participation as a scholarship recipient and testing results for state wide assessments.

There is no specific evaluation criteria listed in the bill as to how the DED use this information to qualify the use of tax credits issued for educational purposes? Why is this information going to the DED and not the State Board of Education or the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education? Will your children’s assessments and testing be used to track them into specific career tracks? How will it be funneled into national longitudinal data systems?

The funding mechanism of this bill is complex. The fact remains, once you dip your toes into the public pool, and public money, you will be obligated to comply with the mandates that go along with the benefit of accepting the public money.

While Cunningham’s bill addresses urban schools, and districts adjoining them, there are several additional bills in this legislative session that address the operation of charter schools. How long will it be before the effects of SB706 spread across the state?

Educational, Homeschooling, Legislation

Missouri Legislators Are Baaaaack! Do They Want Your Educational Freedom?

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH-B6A04iK0]

They’re baaaaack in session and education is a top priority for the Missouri legislature this year. They brought with them, to the capitol, the philosophy that government needs to be in control of your money and your children’s education, too, as is demonstrated by a growing list of educational bills.

As the session begins, it’s time once again to scan the ever growing list of legislation and flag items of interest. So far, there are only a few pieces that homeschoolers, in Missouri, need to keep an eye on.

It is certain that education will be an important subject in this legislative session. Last year, over 135 bills related to educational issues, out of over 2000 were filed. None of them passed, and none advanced local control of schools or autonomy for parents to direct the education of their own children. In fact, most of the legislation filed, in Missouri, was tooled to advance the federal government’s version of educational reform, otherwise known as Race To The Top. 

I’ll post more later on the vast Race To The Top/Educated Citizenry 2020/Educational Reform snow job that is about to be done on Missouri taxpayers, but first let’s look at just a few homeschooling sensitive bills.

TAX CREDITS for education: HB1133 introduced by Representative Jay Barnes, who, by the way, has declined to endorse Homeschooling United’s Educational Freedom Pledge, will provide any taxpayer, beginning in 2013, deductions for educational expenses. Some expenses include:

  • Educational software that assists a dependent in improving knowledge in core curriculum areas of the school attended;
  • Fees for after-school enrichment programs;
  • School fees and tuition;
  • School supplies required for use during the regular school day;
  • Tutoring;

As long as we maintain our current tax structure, this would be a great thing for homeschool families. Many of us would love to have the tax break on educational expenses. And credits are different from vouchers in that they are not regulated with governmental strings attached. They merely require you meet the proof of educational expenditure. HSLDA is a supporter of tax credits under certain circumstances.

One thing to keep in mind, since Representative Barnes declined to support educational freedom, as outlined in our pledge, registration by homeschooling families may or may not be an issue if you receive these credits. Perhaps it would be a good idea if Mr. Barnes added specific language to his bill to protect families and prohibit registration with the state by anyone benefitting from his proposed tax credit plan. Give him a call or drop him a line and let him know you expect any legislation coming out of Jefferson City to maintain your parental rights and educational sovereignty. 

COMPULSORY SCHOOL AGE just keeps rearing its ugly head, session after session. Why? Because they know repeated attempts to pass legislation usually are successful. A couple of years ago, homeschoolers lost a great deal of autonomy when similar legislation was “slipped through” during the last minutes of the legislative session. Law makers in Jefferson City know all the tricks and eventually get what they want. They are vigilant.

SB460 is a version of last year’s bill that requires any child who turns five at any time in the calendar year will be enrolled in kindergarten. As it stands now, kindergarten is not mandatory, but if Senator Robin Wright-Jones has her way, it will be.

In addition to lowering the compulsory school age to 5, her bill also offers the opportunity for you to have your child screened by the school district, at an earlier age, (because 5 years old just isn’t early enough) to determine if your child can, or should, start school at 4 years of age or earlier. Now, let’s think about that. How many of you think a school district, that receives funds from the state for average daily attendance, (having warm bodies in seats in classrooms) isn’t going to conclude that your little geniuses are ready for school? Just sayin’.

This bill died last session, but since it has resurfaced in its original form from last year, I’m guessing the ultimate goal is to get your kids from cradle to grave and this is a step in the right direction. Call or write Senator Wright-Jones and tell her it’s a no-go on this bill. Might want to call  your own reps and senators, as well, and tell them you don’t appreciate taxpayer’s time and money being spent on writing and promoting this kind of legislation that further chokes educational freedom and parental rights to make educational choices for our children.

SCHOLARSHIPS  Ok, this one burns my britches for  a couple of reasons. The state of Missouri is now going to offer college scholarships to students who graduate, early, from high school. Don’t get excited. You are a homeschooler and do not qualify for this opportunity. Only public high school students may apply. Really?

Senator Scott Rupp introduced SB483 to give public high school students, who are academically advanced, an edge in college application. Fine. But what about homeschoolers? Many homeschoolers, who have proven to exceed their public school counterparts in academic achievement could really use a break. Especially since we are not only paying taxes to schools we don’t use, but also funding our own educations. The oversight is insulting.

Additionally, the state is broke. Yes, that’s right. Incase you haven’t heard, the budget is an estimated 700-900 million dollars short this year because the legislature has been balancing state accounts with stimulus money for the last few years. 700-900 million are the figures the lawmakers are floating to the public, but there is speculation the deficit will be closer to two billion because the state funds teachers pensions and the piper has come to be paid. And so, someone feels there is need to fund student scholarships, with state money, when balancing the budget is going to be such a struggle, this year.

If you have never before considered, seriously, requiring government to get out of the education business, entirely, perhaps it’s time to entertain the idea.

FINANCIAL AID FOR HOMESCHOOLERS? Really. This bill gets the “Throw Me A Bone of the Year Award.”  But perhaps I speak to quickly, because the session has just started, and there will certainly be many more bills filed which could qualify, however, if we are giving money to public school graduates for scholarships, why do we need to reiterate that homeschooled students should be “considered” equally for financial aid, unless Senator Schaaf is countering with SB527, Senator Rupp’s SB438 public school scholarship program, to enable homeschooled students to qualify?

SPORTS PARTICIPATION BY HOMESCHOOLERS Representative Barnes takes a stab at smoothing out the homeschool student’s ability to participate in organized sports with HB 1206. Pretty bold language in the bill. One to watch as the courts may see an onslaught of families filing restraining orders to prohibit their exclusion from public school sports teams. Popping popcorn in anticipation of the festivities.

As bills get added to the long list of legislation, Homeschooling United will keep you updated as to their progress. I will also update our lists of Educational Freedom Pledge friendly and unfriendly representatives and candidates with in the next couple of weeks. Good information to have as elections approach.

Here’s a link to the Senate Education Committee members, and this will link you to the House Education Committee members.

Educational, Homeschooling, Legislation

Federal Government Moves Closer To Regulating Homeschooling Across The Country

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You read it here first. Homeschooling United has reported, extensively, on Race To The Top (RT3) and the government’s efforts to regulate and mandate your educational freedoms right out from under you. Now, World Net Daily (WND) reports how the federal government may have designs on controlling homeschooling educational freedom. Home School Legal Defense (HSLDA) issued a statement earlier this week encouraging you to contact your elected representatives because there is legislation in the hopper that may bring homeschooling under the same required regulation as its institutional school counterparts.

The concern is about Democrat-driven plans in the U.S. Senate to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, a massive federal program last reauthorized in 2001 as the No Child Left Behind Act.

The WND article also outlines clearly the feared outcomes of such legislation: the fear of loss of local, state and parental control, and pressure to succumb to nationally aligned curriculum and testing standards.

If you live in Missouri, you need to know the Common Core has been adopted by Missouri DESE. While legislation hasn’t pursued regulation for homeschooling, yet, the legislature does, year after year, continually introduce bills to increase the amount of compulsory school age required for children, across the board, which would also include homeschooling. Last session saw over 2000 pieces of legislation written and at least 130 bills related to education. None of the legislation in the last session was aimed at advancing local control of schools/education. Much of it was written to advance Educated Citizenry 2020, Missouri’s version of Race To The Top. While no education legislation was passed in 2011, the upcoming session is sure to see a hard push to accomplish agendas that failed in the legislature last spring.

 

Homeschooling, Legislation

The People Are Not Safe From Last Minute Legislation Until The Fat Lady Sings

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The following education bills, in the Missouri House and Senate, are outlined and updated here as to their status as the 2010/2011 session has progressed. Some bills that advance Race To The Top/Educated Citizenry 2020 are included here as well as any that are related to the threat of undermining homeschooling freedom as we, at Homeschooling United, believe that RTTT/EC 2020 does threaten homeschooling. Please also understand that even though bills may not, as of this posting, look as if they may advance through, to the Governor’s desk, nothing is ever dead until the session closes. Very often bills are, at the last minutes of the session, lumped together in omnibus bills, grouped or added as amendments on unrelated legislation and passed under the radar. It is very important to keep a watchful eye on all legislation until the session closes.

HB179: Nasheed, Jamilah – CoSponsor: Curls, Shalonn Raises the compulsory school attendance age to 18 in all school districts unless the student has successfully completed 16 credits towards high school graduation. Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education (H) Bill currently not on a House calendar

HB393: Jones, Timothy: – CoSponsor: Dieckhaus, Scott Establishes the Parent Empowerment and Choice Act or the Parent Trigger Act which allows parents under certain circumstances to invoke interventions for a struggling school Public Hearing Completed. (H) Bill not currently on House calendar.

HB463: McNary, Cole – CoSponsor: Funderburk, Doug Changes the laws regarding virtual schools Public Hearing Completed (H). Bill not currently on House calendar

HB473: Jones, Tishaura – CoSponsor: Cookson, Steve Changes the laws regarding charter schools and establishes the Missouri Charter Public School Commission Perfected with Amendments (H). Bill not currently on House Calendar

HB476: Funderburk, Doug – CoSponsor: Parkinson, Mark Establishes the Students First Interscholastic Athletics Act which requires every high school age student to have the opportunity to participate in interscholastic athletics. Public Hearing Completed (H). Bill not currently on the House calendar

HB639: McNary, Cole – CoSponsor: Dieckhaus, Scott Requires each school district to establish a comprehensive program for student academic progression.  Public Hearing Completed (H). Bill not currently on House calendar.

HB 738: Nasheed Requires that students develop a personal plan of study by the eighth grade year; Reported Do Pass (Senate)

HB752: Torpey, Noel – CoSponsor: Lampe, Sara Changes the laws regarding the compulsory school attendance of certain students Elementary and Secondary Education (H). Elementary and Secondary Education Date: 4/20/2011 Time: 8:00AM Location: House Hearing Room 6

HB835: Lampe, Sara – CoSponsor: Newman, Stacey Requires a child in the St. Louis City School District, except for a child who is intending to be home schooled, to be enrolled in a public, private, parochial, or parish school by five years of age Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education (H). Bill not currently on house calendar

HJR10: Barnes, Jay – CoSponsor: Dieckhaus, Scott Proposes a constitutional amendment repealing the prohibition against state funds being used to support any religion or religious school and specifies that parents have the right to choose any school Public Hearing Completed (H). Bill not currently on House calendar

HB939: Dieckhaus, Scott– CoSponsor: Jones, Timothy Creates procedures for open enrollment of public school students across school district boundary lines Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education (H). Bill not currently on House calendar

HJR38: Barnes, Jay Proposes a constitutional amendment allowing the General Assembly to provide financial assistance to students to pay for elementary and secondary education at any accredited school they select Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education (H). Bill not currently on House calendar

SB 20: Wright-Jones Modifies the compulsory attendance age for the St. Louis City School District so that students must attend school from five years of age to eighteen years of age Bill not currently on Senate calendar

SB 21: Wright-Jones Requires kindergarten attendance at the start of the school year for children who turn age five at any time during the calendar year. Bill not currently on Senate calendar

SB 124: Keaveny Requires children in the St. Louis City School District to attend school at age five

There have been many, many bills added to the list of educational legislation since we last updated you on bill status. The session ends in mid May and all bills are up for grabs even though elected representation may claim the demise of any particular legislation. It’s a good idea to continue to monitor any and all legislation you are particularly concerned with, until the session is over, because it isn’t over until it’s over and the fat lady sings.


Legislation

Can Sports Participation Be The Slippery Slope To Registration?

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The debate has long ensued regarding homeschoolers and their participation in public education sports programs. This session, in Missouri, homeschoolers are watching HB476 , introduced by Representatives Funderburk and Parkinson of St. Charles County. The act provides every high school age student to have the opportunity to participate in inter-scholastic athletics. Homeschoolers have always been squeamish about signing on to publicly sponsored programs for fear of being pulled into the system and required to register with their state. They should be as equally cautious about this bill because in order to be qualified to participate in inter-scholastic sports, under this legislation, students shall …

(8) Be maintaining a satisfactory grade point average sufficient to meet the school district’s academic policy to participate in athletics or making satisfactory progress in his or her education program that is considered equivalent to the school district’s academic policy to participate in athletics.

No measures are interjected into the bill to outline how a homeschooled student would be required to supply that information. While this bill is thinking ahead in that it has encompassed every kind of learning situation, including virtual schools, which are a big part of the Race To The Top initiative, otherwise know as Educated Citizenry 2020 in Missouri, it does not have specific language to maintain educational autonomy for homeschoolers.

If the student’s school of attendance does not offer interscholastic athletics, the student shall have the opportunity to participate in interscholastic athletics through his or her public school district of residence.

While HB476 tries to offer all high school students an opportunity to participate in inter-sholastics sports, it does not offer any language to allow competition between primarily homeschool teams and teams formed in private or public schools.

Legislation

Missouri Law Makers Introduce Even More Legislation To Restrict Educational Freedom

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Missouri legislators are certainly earning their pay this year. While they aren’t going for the big power grab with one single piece of legislation, they certainly have peppered the session with lots of small attempts to chip away at your educational freedom. Here are a couple of other bills you should watch and be aware of.

HB 179 This bill raises compulsory school age for everybody, to 18 years of age. If your homeschooled child can show they have completed course work to satisfy 16 credit hours, they are exempt. It also takes away, previously allowed by law, the ability of metropolitan school districts to lower the age to sixteen by resolution of their school boards. This is another veiled bill to advance Educated Citizenry 2020. EC2020 seeks to mandate educational control of all students from pre-K to age 20. Hence, multiple bills in the legislature, this session, to change compulsory school age on both ends.

This bill has been referred to committee.

… strengthening the P-20 pipeline will encourage communication between all levels of the education community and the business sector to ensure that Missouri’s schools and institutions are meeting the demands of the workforce both in quality and area of preparation. …

Provide parents and early childhood educators with the information they need to see that all children enter kindergarten on par with their peers and ready to learn. Formalize DESE’s existing school readiness standards by requiring that standards be distributed to parents, early childhood educators, and school districts. School readiness assessment data and information on prekindergarten experiences for all kindergartners shall be included in core data reporting requirements.

Advance efforts to support voluntary, universal prekindergarten. Explore potential funding sources for prekindergarten education including federal funding. The Committee would like to note that there was not unanimous support for the prekindergarten recommendations.

 

HB 463 This bill focuses on Virtual Schools. Educated Citizenry is very focused on advancing Charter Schools and Virtual Schools.

The Committee also formulated ideas for improving provisionally accredited and unaccredited schools, including the need to continue to investigate alternative school models such as virtual schools and charter schools.

HB 463 mainly addresses funding for virtual schools. It is very important for homeschoolers to understand that virtual schools probably pose the most serious threat to homeschooling freedoms than any other issue in education reform. If you decide to participate in virtual schools, on a full or part time basis, you would certainly be required to register with the state as a participant, and funding, of course would be an issue. With that would absolutely come the mandates and restrictions of government control. It is something all homeschoolers should be aware of and keep in mind as they make decisions in the future whether or not they want to participate in virtual school program. This bill has also been referred to committee.

Homeschooling families in Missouri and across the country should be very aware of the legislative developments in Illinois. Illinois is the testing ground for government takeover of educational freedom. Please continue to watch closely the developments of SB 136. While Arne Duncan was the Chicago Education Secretary, before he joined the Obama administration’s Department of Education, he made it very clear that putting homeschooling under the mandates and control of the government was his goal.

 

Legislation

Tying Up All The Loose Ends And Connecting The Dots: RT3/Educated Citizenry 2020

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Representative Scott Dieckhaus responded to a previous post on this blog with some accusations as to the validity of the information presented here regarding Race To The Top and Educated Citizenry 2020.

To tie Educated Citizenry 2020, Race to the Top, and the Common Core Standards together as one movement is erroneous.  To assume that they are being hatched from the same group of people is laughable. To jump to the conclusion on a previous post that just because someone (myself) listens to Arne Duncan speak somehow indicates that the person supports everything that Arne Duncan does is irresponsible.  I do hope that facts and responsibility find their way onto this blog soon – otherwise I am sure that the main stream, left-wing media could use a few more reporters similar to these.

–Scott Dieckhaus

Homeschooling United stands by the information we provide to you and appreciates your attention to monitoring legislation and legislators to ensure educational freedoms and parental rights.

As there is some disagreement between Representative Dieckhaus and Homeschooling United, as it relates to the erroneous tying together of RTTT/Common Core Standards/Educated Citizenry 2020, I would like to present some facts that will put this issue to rest. I would also mention that it is very important for all citizens to understand how this is not just an issue related to the public education sector. Educated Citizenry 2020/RT3 (Race To The Top)/Common Core Standards will affect all forms of  education, and that does include the homeschooling community.

In January of 2010 Missouri applied for RT3 Initial Funding. The application was removed from the internet, but I can provide you with screen shots from the PDF file that was saved before it was removed. The applications show, very clearly, that Missouri was seriously pursuing RT3, its funding, and all of the requirements and mandates that went with it. In my opinion, Missourians have been calling for real educational reform for quite some time, before RT3 came on to the scene, but why does the legislature and DESE feel we need to be “nudged” (or led by the nose) to adopt a plan that may create more problems than it solves? And is there a plan to include parents in the decision-making process? RT3 and Educated Citizenry 2020, at this point, provide less local control and parental input than previously held philosophies that were previously the cornerstones of educational success.

Our vision for reform embraces the notion advanced in the book, Nudge, where Thaler and Sunstein outline the need for “choice architects” to subtly steer choices toward positive results while leaving people, districts and schools “free to choose.” We know that if Missouri’s public schools are to be the best choice for our citizens, they must produce the best results. This Race to the Top competition has provided the “nudge” Missouri needed to pick up the pace.

The foundations for RT3 and Educated Citizenry 2020 are Common Core Standards and Charter Schools.

RT3 states that common curriculums will be developed and across the states, by a consortium of states. DESE has made it clear, and promised in their RT3 application they would proceed with the adoption of these standards and has already done so, regardless of receiving approved federal RT3 funding or approval/funding from the Missouri legislature. Also see page 5 of Educated Citizenry 2020 which states that Missouri has already adopted Common Core Standards.

Implementation of the reform plan described in this proposal will not stop if the State does not win Race to the Top funding.

Terminology such as P20 Pipeline and P20 System are referring to coordinating common core curriculums through Pre-K through college.

RT3:

Participating agencies will agree upon a core of data elements to contribute to the common P-20 system. These will comprise a significant resource for decision making. Analyses of the factors that contribute to success from pre-school through postsecondary education and into the workforce will be included. Common definitions and standards will not only support the comparability of the data within the P-20 system, but also the quality and integrity of the data within the individual data systems of the participating agencies.

Across the P-20 community, a major challenge has been to provide access to the longitudinal data being consolidated for decision making. Individual agencies have websites and unique reporting tools, but users need a single site to access the information that the P- 20 Council and the individual agencies have provided. The Show-Me Portal will fill this role. It will be designed and built to enable all users to access relevant and permitted data.

EC2020:

Individual members offered ideas affecting early childhood through higher education, including the need to strengthen the P-20 pipeline and cooperation among stakeholders.

EC2020 promotes Charter Schools by recommending on page 6:

Provide access to high-quality charter schools to all Missouri students. Allow any public school district to sponsor a charter school within the district.

RT3:

Demonstrating and sustaining education reform, by promoting collaborations between business leaders, educators, and other stakeholders to raise student achievement and close achievement gaps, and by expanding support for high-performing public charter schools, reinvigorating math and science education, and promoting other conditions favorable to innovation and reform.

The Missouri legislature has yet to pen a bill fully addressing this, but I fully expect it to be buried in an omnibus bill at the end of the session where it will be harder to follow and garner much less attention. SB 14 was introduced, by Senator Pearce, to address open enrollment issues, however.

Addressing merit pay and teacher tenure are common threads through RT3 and Educated Citizenry 2020. On page 6 of EC2020 it states:

Develop a statewide system for evaluating teacher effectiveness to be used in performance-based compensation. Charge the Joint Committee on Education with leading a taskforce to discuss, review, and develop a statewide system for identifying and rewarding effective teaching. The taskforce will review models used in cities and states throughout the country and frame their work around current research and best practices. Considerations shall include revision of tenure laws that will empower school districts to support the retention of effective teachers and the removal of ineffective teachers. The taskforce may use the Teachers Choice Compensation Plan for St. Louis Public Schools (§168.745-168.750, RSMo.) as a foundation for their discussions. The taskforce will present a comprehensive, cohesive model with specific proposals for legislative action to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2011.

RT3 states:

Attracting and keeping great teachers and leaders in America’s classrooms, by expanding effective support to teachers and principals; reforming and improving teacher preparation; revising teacher evaluation, compensation, and retention policies to encourage and reward effectiveness; and working to ensure that our most talented teachers are placed in the schools and subjects where they are needed the most.

The legislature must have thought this issue was worth pursuing because SB13 has been introduced to address this very issue. Senate Education Chairman David Pearce filed this bill and it has advance through its second reading as of this posting.

Technology is the answer in underperforming schools in both RT3 and EC2020.

RT3:

Supporting data systems that inform decisions and improve instruction, by fully implementing a statewide longitudinal data system, assessing and using data to drive instruction, and making data more accessible to key stakeholders.

Using innovation and effective approaches to turn-around struggling schools, by asking states to prioritize and transform persistently low-performing schools.

EC2020, on page i of the executive summary:

Technology in the delivery of education at all levels.

School Readiness, also in both documents.

EC2020: P. 6 and 7

Provide parents and early childhood educators with the information they need to see that all children enter kindergarten on par with their peers and ready to learn. Formalize DESE’s existing school readiness standards by requiring that standards be distributed to parents, early childhood educators, and school districts. School readiness assessment data and information on prekindergarten experiences for all kindergartners shall be included in core data reporting requirements.

Advance efforts to support voluntary, universal prekindergarten. Explore potential funding sources for prekindergarten education including federal funding. The Committee would like to note that there was not unanimous support for the prekindergarten recommendations.

RT3:

2. Provide quality, universal early childhood educational opportunities to all three and four-year olds;


SB 20 and SB 21 were introduced in Missouri’s legislature, at the beginning of the session, by Robin Wright-Jones. Each bill addresses early childhood education and mandates lowering of the compulsory school age and kindergarten enrollment.

Be it noted that not all the proposed education reform is bad, but there are many concerns that we all should be looking at as Missourians and parents. We need to make sure the solution aren’t worse than the problems.

This week has seen some highly reactive responses from Jefferson City as it relates to information circulating on blogs and testimony given at committee hearings concerning education reform proposed by the 96th general assembly. If the leadership isn’t confident in the vehicle they are driving, to bring quality education to the children of Missouri, perhaps they should rethink the proposed plans or just not put their signatures on the documents.

So, if  Representative Dieckhaus would still like to dispute any erroneous to ties to the afore-mentioned items, we will be happy to provide more comparisons. As for any future career with the “main-stream, left-wing media”, I think I’ll pass, but if Brietbart or FOX is reading this post, I am happy to consider any offers.

Homeschooling, Legislation

More Legislators Sign On To Support Educational Freedom

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Today, two more Missouri State Representatives signed on to fight for your rights to make educational choices for your children. Chuck Gatschenberger; District 13 and Doug Funderburk; District 12 wholeheartedly signed the Educational Freedom Pledge and expressed their fervent support for homeschooling in general. Representative Scott Dieckhaus, District 109, declined to sign, stating his voting record reflected his views and support for homeschooling and educational choice.

Pledges were left at the offices of the following legislators:

Jason Barnes, District 114
Paul Curtman, District 105
Mark Parkinson, District 16
Rick Stream, District 94
Mike Thompson, District 4
Steven Tilley, District 106
Anne Zerr, District 18

We hope to hear from them soon with their support of the pledge. Check back to see if their names have been added to the field of supporters of educational freedom.

In my conversations with all of the representatives, I also expressed how important it is to the homeschooling community for them to monitor SB 20 and SB 21, the most recent attempts to impose more legislative mandates on compulsory school age. These two pieces of legislation are closely tied to the educational reform of Educated Citizenry 2020 and Race To The Top/Common Core Standards. It is important for all legislators to know that homeschoolers do not want to be engulfed in and absorbed by the sweeping and restrictive mandates planned for public educational reform and the promotion of Charter Schools in this legislative session. As in 2009, when SB 291 changed compulsory school age and imposed more restrictions on high school graduation requirements, this legislation could potentially encroach on homeschooling freedoms by mandating early compulsory kindergarten attendance to all students, due to the fact there is no language in these bills excluding private or homeschoolers. It is very important to be in front of the issue and not wait until the end of the legislative session to express your views to your representatives. In 2009, SB 291 was passed in the last week of the session and most homeschoolers were totally unaware of the issue until that time. Unfortunately there was no time for them to express their concerns or outline how it would restrict homeschooling freedoms to their representatives.

Please contact Representatives Gatschenberger and Funderburk and thank them for their enthusiastic support and all of the others, listed here, to encourage their backing of educational freedom.

Additionally, Representative Barnes introduced HJR 10 which repeals the Blaine Amendment,  introduces a voucher system and the ability for students to attend schools outside their geographic area. The resolution was  co-sponsored by Scott Dieckhaus and is, again, connected to advancing Educated Citizenry 2020 – Race To The Top/Common Core Standards. This will no doubt spark a debate about vouchers and tax credits for all education in Missouri. We will examine this issue and report on it as it develops.