HB 368 Vote moved to January 13, 2010

HB368 Vote moved to January 13

The New Hampshire House of Representatives did not get to HB368 at the session January 6. The House will vote on HB368 when it meets again on Wednesday, January 13.
HB368 was discussed at the House Education Committee meeting on November 19, and even though several amendments were proposed, the Committee voted the bill ITL (inexpedient to legislate). Now the bill will be voted on by the entire House. At that time these statements will be presented:
Rep. Barbara E Shaw for the Majority of Education: After much debate, numerous subcommittees and committee discussion the committee has agreed that no changes in current law should be made at this time. Vote 14-6.
Rep. Judith E Day for the Minority of Education: Current law requires certain subjects to be taught in a home education program, but there is no specification for how often even core subjects are studied. 2) Current law does not require written notification of the intent to home educate, creating ambiguous situations about truancy. 3) Current law requires the parent to provide yearly results of either the results of one standardized test OR an evaluation of the child's portfolio, for which there are no standards. (Evaluations are brief; the evaluator need not meet with the child, parents pay the evaluator and can shop for positive evaluations, and parents who are certified or private school teachers can write their own evaluations) . There is no way to know whether students who choose the test option are keeping portfolios. Administrators do not have sufficient information to determine whether a home education program needs remediation or should continue. The minority amendment addresses each of these problems. Half of the committee does not believe greater accountability is excessively burdensome to parents who have chosen to take on this type of education and concurrent great responsibility. Half does believe each and every child is of precious value and deserving of education and meaningful oversight of that education.
To read the amendments to HB368, go to http://www.gencourt .state.nh. us/house/ caljourns/ calendars/ 2010/houcal201. ... You will have to scroll down to HB368.
We encourage homeschoolers to contact their representatives and state their opinion of HB368 with and without amendments. (Find your legislator at http://www.gencourt .state.nh. us/whosmyleg/) Homeschoolers can attend the House session on January 13. There is limited seating room in the gallery.