Michigan State Board of Education Targets Home Schoolers
Once again an assault on home school freedom is being discussed and proposed by the State Board of Education. Fortunately God has provided a defender on our behalf. Please visit the following link (http://www.gophouse.com/readarticle.asp?id=6692&District=93) showing Representative Opsommer’s response to the State Board of Education. Below these four options for responding are two more articles indicating the intentions and attitudes of the State Board of Education. Please consider:
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Giving God thanks for Rep. Opsommer and continue to pray for our freedom, as it is regularly under assault.
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Sending Rep. Opsommer a thank you email, call or letter.
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Contacting the State Board of Ed and remind them they are not in charge of all education only public, government funded education. Private and parent led education is not under their jurisdiction and therefore does not need to be under their scrutiny.
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Joining INCH, your state Home Education Watchdog and Conference Provider. Your support allows us to continue monitoring legislation that effects your home discipling freedom and provide an annual conference for equipping, encouraging and educating Michigan home schooling parents.
From Gongwer News Service (11/9/10)
Board Could Seek Home School RegistrationMembers of the Board of Education did not question the rights of parents to educate their children at home, but said the state's current system of tracking those students provides no information on whether they are meeting state standards.
That current system is a voluntary registration system that has very few of the potentially thousands of home schooled children in the state.
Home schooling has traditionally been a touchy subject in Michigan, bringing up the specter of infringement on religious rights when registration and standards are discussed. But there was apparent unanimous consent on the board that the current system is potentially leaving some children behind.
"We have young people that, rightly or wrongly, and parents who believe, rightly or wrongly, their students get as good an education as anyone in the state," said board member Nancy Danhof (R-East Lansing). "But we don't have any data to know."
"I know it is said in the home schooling world they don't want to sign up anywhere because it takes away from their freedom. It doesn't," said board Secretary Carolyn Curtin (R-Evart). "Just so we truly know how many kids are out there."
Ms. Curtin noted that state law requires that home schooled students be in an educational setting for the minimum hours required of traditional schools, but there is no way to know if they are complying.
Joseph Martineau, director of the Office of Educational Assessment and Accountability, said some 630 home schooled students took the most recent Michigan Educational Assessment Program and Michigan Merit Exam tests.
But board member Elizabeth Bauer (D-Birmingham) noted that the 2000 Census listed some 250,000 school-aged children in the state who are not enrolled in any school.
And she said local districts have an interest in knowing how many home schooled students are in their communities because in many cases those children re-enter public schools at the high school level.
"They come to high school because they want the social situation," she said. "They often come unprepared."
On the flip side, Matinga Ragatz, current Michigan Teacher of the Year who home schools her son for health reasons, said many of the home school students she has come to her class are actually beyond the students who have come up through the system.
Board member Cassandra Ulbrich (D-Rochester Hills) said current law could serve as a deterrent to families registering. Those who do register are required to use teachers who meet minimum academic standards. "We certainly don't want to drive people further into oblivion to hide from the state," she said. "But I'm also concerned about those children who locked away ...under the guise of home schooling, but the reality is they're just not getting attention."
Ms. Ragatz, echoing sentiments of others, said the situation could be flipped and local districts could offer assistance and services to those who register.
"I would hope that if I registered I would get some freebies like parent education classes or my child could participate in band," she said.
Ms. Danhof was also concerned that, because many home schooled children are not registered and do not take the state tests, there is no paper trail to ensure they have access to higher education.
"By the very fact that they're home schooled, are they given the same access to post-secondary schooling than those who go through public school by the very fact that they have no record other than 'trust me, they're ready?'" she said. "I want to make certain to the best of our ability that we afford those people access."
Board members said they would work on policy recommendations in the coming months and would invite home school groups to assist with that development.
From MIRS News (11/9/10)
Board To Look At Home Schooling
With the state having no data on the number of children being home schooled in Michigan and no means of gathering the data, some State Board of Education members today expressed concern that the state doesn't know who the children are, where they are or whether they will be equipped to enter the higher grades of public schools.
"This has been heavy on my heart since I have been on the Board, especially with No Child Left Behind," retiring Board member Carolyn CURTIN said. "We are one of 10 states that have no requirements."
Some of the discussions centered on having home schooled children register with the state.
"Home schoolers want to come to high school because they want the social situation but that is a problem because they are not prepared," board member Elizabeth BAUER said.
However, she was quick to point out that "politically it is unlikely there will be any support for registration."
"It seems to me that registration is something we should push for," said Board President Kathleen STRAUS. "We have no idea that some of the requirements the law are being met. We can't fulfill our responsibilities when we don't know what they are doing."
"If you do register, certain state requirements have to be met," said Board Member Casandra ULBRICH. "We don't want to drive people further into oblivion because they don't want to be interfered with by the state."
School Superintendent Mike FLANAGAN said there are also religious and truancy issues.
"We should at least know who they are and where they are and whether they are ready or doing better than those in public schools," said Board Vice-President John AUSTIN.
"Do we feel strongly enough to have the Legislature address this issue?" Danhof questioned. "There are some students and parents who believe rightly or wrongly that they are getting a better education. If we are in charge of education we ought to be involved in all education."
Board member Maryanne McGUIRE suggested the Board has an obligation to be sure home schooled students are being taken care of. "In many cases it comes down to safety issues."
Danhof was quick to clarify. "Lest we give the wrong impression, we're not suggesting that home school children are under educated. "It's not knowing, kinda leaving it to chance. I'm fearful that because no one knows, they are not getting the education and knowing what the world is like."
"We will take it upon ourselves to follow up," Straus said.