Archive for February, 2009

Home schooling, budget issues top Lew-Port agenda

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

“by Janet Schultz
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, February 21, 2009

The Lewiston-Porter Board of Education met Tuesday and heard about policies regarding home instruction and a plan to save $1.1 million in special education costs.

Because this was the first reading of the home schooling policies, no action was taken. The presentation, led by School Superintendent Christopher Roser and special education teacher Barbara Godshall, was the result of updating of state and local policies and procedures. While most policies are set by the state, the school does have some latitude in deciding on what services can be used by home-instructed students.

The board still has to act regarding home-instructed children’s use of school facilities, such as the pool, gym and library; borrowing of such items as computer hardware/software, library books and science equipment; and if home-instructed children will be allowed to take part in certain non-credited extracurricular activities….”

For the complete story please visit: http://www.wnypapers.com/news/2009/02/s21_homeschool.html

Posted in Board of Education, Extra Curricular Activities, New York, athletics | No Comments »

Celebrating All Cultures All Year Long

Sunday, February 22nd, 2009
“By Tequitia Andrews
Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009
It’s Black History Month, and it’s times like these that I’m grateful that I home school my children.

I can remember that when I was a student in public schools, Black History Month focused on blurbs of the same individuals year after year. Usually those persons included Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and other celebrated figures of the civil rights movement. Add a few actors, athletes and musicians of the time and that was the sum of my black history curriculum.

Home schooling has given me the opportunity to first not designate only one month to learn about black history. We can learn about black history all year long. Actually, I don’t make it a point to make our curriculum Afrocentric, but multicultural. We learn about all cultures throughout our school year. I think that is especially important because we interact with so many different cultures and ethnic groups. I want my children to respect their own heritage and that of others. …”

To read this article visit: http://www.mormontimes.com/mormon_voices/tequitia_andrews/?id=6386

Posted in African American, Curriculum, homeschooling | No Comments »

HOME-SCHOOLING: It’s the teacher, not the school

Sunday, February 22nd, 2009

“Michael Smith
Sunday, February 22, 2009

“If you want your child to get the best education possible, it’s actually more important to get him assigned to a great teacher than to a great school.” This quote is from Bill Gates’ January 2009 annual letter from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a group that has spent billions of dollars trying to improve education. Mr. Gates also notes that overall, only 71 percent of children graduate from high school within four years. His conclusion is that America’s schools are doing a poor job.

He went on to say that most of the schools helped by his foundation fell short of their goals in trying to increase college-ready graduation rates. A few schools, however, achieved amazing results. Typically, they were charter schools in low-income areas where the administrators were able to pick their own teachers and curriculum. Most states do not require charter school teachers to be certified. ….

It is gratifying to see the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provide independent confirmation that it’s the teacher that’s most important, not the school. Home-schooling is largely successful because the teachers — the parents — are highly motivated because they love their student. This translates into not only an outstanding education, but in many cases, a true love for learning. ”

For the complete text visit: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/22/home-schooling-its-the-teacher-not-the-school/

Posted in USA | No Comments »

Homeschooling: A Growing National Trend

Sunday, February 22nd, 2009

“By Laurie Hindman
Berthoud Recorder

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) homeschooling is growing in popularity, with approximately 1.5 million U.S. children learning at home in 2007, an increase of 74 percent from when the Department of Education first began tracking the trend in 1977.

A 2007 survey conducted by NCES found the top reasons why parents elect home education are concerns about the school environment (including safety, drugs and peer pressure), a desire to provide religious or moral instruction, a dissatisfaction with instruction at public schools and an interest in non-traditional approach to education. …”

For the complete article visit:  http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/News/2009/feb/19/news-school/homeschooling-growing-nat

Posted in Colorado, Curriculum, National News | No Comments »

Homeschooled kids deserve the same chances

Thursday, February 19th, 2009

“We believe that the idea of allowing homeschooled students to participate in extracurricular activities such as athletics and band has merit and deserves consideration.

A House bill filed by state Rep. Brad Montell, R-Shelbyville, would allow homeschooled students to participate in public school sports, music events and other extracurricular activities.

House Bill 179 is referred to as the Tim Tebow Bill for the University of Florida quarterback, who was homeschooled but was allowed to participate in public high school athletics.

The bill states homeschooled students wouldn’t be “discriminated against” from participating in interscholastic extracurricular activities after guidelines are determined for student enrollment and a waiting period is specified for when a student transfers from a public school to a home school.

Twenty-four other states have already passed laws to allow equal extracurricular access, yet many of their eligibility requirements differ….”

To read this article please visit: http://bgdailynews.com/articles/2009/02/17/opinion/our_opinion/opinion1.txt

Posted in Extra Curricular Activities, Kentucky, athletics, legislative | No Comments »

Home educators: Laws discriminate

Thursday, February 19th, 2009

“By Suzanne Laurent
CONCORD — Close to 1,000 home educators and their children, many from the Derry/Londonderry area, packed the State House on Wednesday, Feb. 11, to oppose changes to home schooling laws.

Two house bills were sponsored by Rep. Judith Day, D-North Hampton, who said she filed the bills to make sure all home educators are aware of state laws and to make sure the state meets its obligation to educate all children.

The current New Hampshire home schooling law already requires annual evaluations of all home-schooled students and gives parents three options: standardized testing, a portfolio evaluation of the child’s work by a certified teacher or a mutually agreed upon valid tool that the home educator and the supervisory agency agreed upon. This agency is the superintendent or can be a private school administrator.

Proposed House Bill 367 requires two forms of evaluation — testing and portfolio evaluation — every year for every home-schooled student.

“House Bill 367 singles out home-schoolers by requiring evaluation measurements that exceed those required for other New Hampshire students,” said Londonderry resident Jane Grady….”

For the complete text please visit: http://www.derrynews.com/local/local_story_049162552.html

Posted in New Hampshire, legislative | No Comments »

Bulletin #64 No Constitutional Amendment

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

“Did you know?  Certain organizations are promoting passage of a Constitutional Amendment purporting to protect the rights of parents.  NHELD opposes such a Constitutional Amendment for a variety of reasons.

 

Here is what the draft states:

DRAFT PARENTAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION

 

SECTION 1

The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children is a fundamental right.

 

SECTION 2

Neither the United States nor any state shall infringe upon this right without demonstrating that its governmental interest as applied to the person is of the highest order and not otherwise served.

 

SECTION 3

No treaty nor any source of international law may be employed to supersede, modify, interpret, or apply to the rights guaranteed by this article.

 

People are asking, “Do we need this Constitutional Amendment to protect the right of parents?” 

The answer is No.

 

Why not? …”

For the complete text please visit: http://www.nheld.com/BTN64.htm

Posted in NHELD, National News, homeschooling, legislative | No Comments »