Making
New York Safer and Easier for Home Schooling
More
Freedom from State and District Interference
Support
Bill S2060 / A4598
In Spring 2001, State Senator Randy Kuhl introduced Senate Bill 4767 to significantly reduce the maze of regulations currently governing homeschoolers in New York. After careful analysis, the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) has come out strongly in support of this bill. They concluded that its passage will substantially increase homeschooling freedom and significantly ease the burdens currently placed upon homeschooling families in New York. After careful study of its own, the NYS LEAH Board endorsed this bill and commended it to the LEAH membership for their support. In 2003, this bill is now know as S2060 / A4598
Current Regulations Burdensome
Currently, parents in New York have to navigate through a maze of regulations in order to homeschool their children. Vastly simplified: first a letter of intent to the school superintendent is required, followed by a detailed Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP) for each child. Then each quarter, a detailed report on the progress of each child is to be filed with the superintendent. Towards the end of the year, assessments are to be done. The current regulations give the superintendent approval power and control over how the assessment process is conducted, whether by testing or by a written narrative. If testing is used (required at least bi-annually for grades 4-8 and annually for grades 9-12), a score above 33rd percentile (well above the average range) on an approved test is required to stay off of home schooling probation.
Regulations Have No Effect On Homeschool Performance
This maze of regulations, combined with the abuse and harassment from hostile or ignorant superintendents which ensues, makes New York the most difficult state in which to home school your child, according to HSLDA. The level of difficulty does vary, depending on if your superintendent is home-school friendly, ignorant, or hostile. A number of districts do have hostile superintendents. When these regulations were crafted in 1988, it was thought that lots of requirements and oversight would ensure high academic performance. However, extensive research across the 50 states by Dr. Brian Ray of the National Home Education Research Institute demonstrates that home school academic achievement is independent of the level of state regulation. That is, homeschoolers do just as well in a highly regulated state as in low or no regulation states. Therefore, we can say that the current regulations in New York place a significant burden on parents without accomplishing anything in return.
S2060 / A4598 Reduces Regulations and Increases Parental Freedom
Senator Kuhl’s bill, S2060 / A4598, would simplify the requirements by reducing them to:
· A letter of intent;
· Assessment chosen from wide range of tests, or a written narrative for all grade levels without input or approval from the superintendent
· Required achievement levels on the testing option are set to coincide with the commonly accepted average range (23rd percentile).
Gone are the IHIP and the burdensome quarterly reports. This eliminates a substantial paperwork burden on the parents and frees them to spend more teaching time with their kids. More importantly, this bill substantially increases parental freedom by eliminating required interactions with the superintendent. Each required IHIP, each quarterly report is an opportunity for the superintendent to harass the parent, and interfere with their right to raise and educate their children. Furthermore it increases freedom by taking away from superintendents the right to arbitrarily control or interfere with the assessment process. It even gives parents the freedom to customize the assessment method to match the particular needs and style of the child. If a test is not appropriate, a written narrative, not subject to the whims of the superintendent, is a permitted assessment option.
Pray and Call Your Legislators, Again and Again
How can we, the homeschool community, make Bill S2060 into a reality for New York? The bill is good. The facts are on our side. But unfortunately, unless the bill gets noticed amongst the over 17000 bills introduced, it will die in its tracks. And the answer is not simply by work and more work; rather it is by prayer, work, more prayer and more work. Prayer is a necessity, because as we know from Psalm 127:1 that "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain." Currently Senate Bill S2060 is sponsored by Senator Randy Kuhl, member of the Senate Education Committee. Its companion bill A4598 is sponsored by Assemblyman Weisenberg, member of the Assembly Education Committee.
Pray that the Lord would cause all of our Senators and Assemblymen to look favorably upon us and this Bill. And then get to work: contact both your State Senator and your State Assemblyman, asking them to support S2060 / A4598. Contact them again and again at both their Albany and home district offices. Ask them if the bill is making progress, and tell them that you are watching it and very much support the increased freedom that it gives parents. In particular, homeschoolers will have to "dog" the bill through several committee votes in both the Senate and the Assembly, for a floor vote in each house, and then for the Governor to sign it. As such, NYS LEAH will be most likely sending out strategic alerts for telephone campaigns at specific times.
Plan Now to Participate in Homeschool Rally Day
In addition to calls and visits, make plans now to participate in Homeschool Rally Day on Tuesday, April 29th in Albany, sponsored by the Loving Education At Home. There will be a mass rally at 1:00 pm by the Capital Building, followed by a time during which you can visit your legislators. Before you go, make appointments with your Senator and Assemblyman. As you urge them to support S2060 / A4598, be prepared to tell them your story of homeschooling. You will also have the opportunity to tour and visit the capitol complex. Besides being a great exercise in good citizenship, it makes a great homeschool field trip for your family.
Praying and working together, we can effectively have our voice heard in Albany, and improve the homeschooling environment for all New Yorkers.