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Home Educators Association of Virginia Legislative Update

To: Virginia Home Educators
From: Martin Brown, Lobbyist

Monday, January 16, 2006

ONEROUS HOMESCHOOL REGULATIONS INTRODUCED

The General Assembly convened last week, and on Wednesday, House Bill 537 was introduced by Delegate Harry Parrish (R-Manassas) at the request of
John Boronkay, acting superintendent of Public Schools for the city of Manassas.

HB 537 is a disappointing and dangerous bill for a variety of reasons:

1.HB 537 would require homeschool parents to notify the division superintendent anytime their curriculum is changed during the school year

2. The bill would give the division superintendent the new authority to terminate home instruction at any time if the “perceived” progress of the
student is not satisfactory to the division superintendent.

3. The bill would also require “(i) evidence that the child has attained a composite score in or above the fifth stanine [40th percentile] on a
battery of achievement tests….”

Delegate Parrish represents Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park, and has been a friend of homeschooling in the past, so we are
surprised that he is supportive of a bill that would make it more difficult to homeschool.

Since last Wednesday when this bill was published, HEAV has been in deliberate discussions each day with Delegate Parrish and his staff concerning
this bill. Virginia Homeschoolers and HSDLA have also been working to defeat this bill.

We have all asked him to withdraw HB 537, and hope it quietly will be  “killed.” We have not seen any progress in that direction at this time, but
discussions are ongoing. In the meantime, we are asking only the homeschoolers in Del. Parrish’s district to contact him with your thoughts on
this bill.

REASONS FOR OPPOSITION:
- Probation laws already exist. The code of Virginia provides a clear course of academic probation by the Division Superintendent in “Declaration
of policy; requirements for home instruction of children” § 22.1-254.1 Subsection C (ii). HB 537 would only serve to further expand regulations on
homeschool families, making it more cumbersome to homeschool.

- HB 537 reduces teacher ability to tailor instruction. Parents should have the freedom to change the curriculum they are using at any time, free
of government regulation or approval. Curriculum choices are based on the learning style of the child. A teacher-parent’s ability to provide
tailor-made, one-on-one instruction would be handicapped if modifying his child’s curriculum was cumbersome and restrictive.

- HB 537 could increase the cost of education at the local level, while likely hindering the educational success of homeschoolers. In order to
administrate this program, school districts that choose to increase oversight of homeschoolers will increase their administrative costs without
increasing their average daily attendance.

- HB 537 unnecessarily changes the required score for homeschoolers on standardized achievement tests from the 4th stanine to the 5th. In general,
stanines of 1 to 3 are considered below average, stanines of 4 to 6 are considered average, and stanines of 7 to 9 are considered above average.
Homeschoolers should have the freedom and authority by law to continue teaching their children even if they are “average” performers.

REQUESTED ACTION FOR THOSE IN DELEGATE PARRISH’S DISTRICT
If you live in Delegate Parrish’s district (50th), please let him know your thoughts on this bill.

District Office: 703-367-0505
Richmond Office: 804-698-1050
E-mail: DelHParrish@house.state.va.us

When you speak with Delegate Parrish or his office staff, please be polite, clear, and concise. Feel free to use the talking points listed above.

TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT IN THE 50TH DISTRICT
Since Delegate Parrish has been a friend, we don’t want to inundate his office with calls at this time. We are working behind the scenes in
conjunction with Virginia Homeschoolers and HSLDA, and hope that Delegate Parrish will withdraw this bill.

Stay tuned! We will keep you abreast of all new developments!

To read the full text of the proposed legislation, visit
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?061+ful+HB537