Tag Archives: SB706

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?