Happy Anniversary!

I am so blessed! Today is my 6th wedding anniversary. Six years married and eight years together has been an amazing ride so far. I have a great man that I call my best friend, husband and father to our 5 children. My babies never fail to make me proud to be their mom. I am so grateful that the Universe saw fit to trust me with the nurturing of such animated and intelligent spirits. Gratitude is my attitude when it comes to my family.

HB 368 - VICTORY!

Today at the State House in Concord, NH............Day declined to debate it, Speaker is currently lecturing the gallery NOT to cheer!

324 for ITL
34 negative

YIIIIPPPEEE!!!

New York Case - UPDATE

The following passage was included in the HSLDA's Weekly Update.

Richard and Margie Cressy, homeschool parents of four children ages 8–14, were recently arrested by the Montgomery County Sheriff for failing to report to local school district officials. The Cressys were actually arrested over a week after they had received confirmation from their local district that they were in compliance for the 2009–2010 school year.

HSLDA has been contacted by the family, and we have agreed to take their case. HSLDA Senior Counsel Jim Mason said, “It was completely unnecessary to arrest these parents, and we believe this is outrageous.” We will be working with our local New York counsel to aggressively defend these homeschool parents against the charges that have been leveled against them.

HB 368 - Vote TODAY!

New Hampshire--Take Action: Full House Vote on HB 368 TODAY!

The full New Hampshire House of Representatives is scheduled to vote
on the intrusive HB 368 today, January 13, 2010. I have already contacted my representatives and expressed my opinion to vote ITL on the bill because I am not able to attend the scheduled rally at the State House from 8:30-10:00 a.m.

In a couple of hours, the New Hampshire House of Representatives is
scheduled to take up an amendment to HB 368 which, if passed, would
make New Hampshire's homeschooling laws the most restrictive and
burdensome in the nation. I am praying for a miracle. I would love to continue to be grateful about living in New Hampshire and its family friendly homeschooling laws. I will be banded together in spirit with hundreds of my fellow homeschoolers as they take action to defend our freedom.

May our voices be heard..........

ED 315

Changes to the Homeschooling Rules

The homeschooling rules, ED 315, are updated when changes have been made in the law, RSA 193-A. The Department of Education has proposed updated rules which include many changes. Some homeschoolers have expressed the opinion that this version of the rules imposes requirements that go beyond those asked of us in the law.
The initial rules changes went through the Home Education Advisory Council (HEAC) and were simple changes made to keep the rules in line with the current law. After the rules went through the HEAC, they went to the Department of Education for further work.
You can read a side by side comparison of both versions of the rules here:
http://webpages. charter.net/ beaverlodgehs/ heac/heac_ rules_changes_ sb18/0...
We encourage homeschoolers to study the proposed changes and make their views known at the hearing Wednesday, January 13, 2010 11:00 a.m. at the New Hampshire Department of Education building (Londergan Hall), 101 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH. The deadline for written comment has been extended to January 27, 2010.

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.

HB 368 - Jan 6, 2010

As a member of HSLDA, I received the following email from attorney Mike Donnelly.



New Hampshire: Action HB 368 NOT Taken up Today

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends:

We commend the scores of homeschoolers who showed up at the Capitol
today with signs and flyers. At this time it appears that further
action will be required to defeat HB 368. However, the House was
unable to get through its full calendar today and therefore did NOT
take up HB 368. The bill remains on the amendments calendar and it is
anticipated that the bill will be taken up next week. HSLDA will
provide further information and recommended actions in the near
future.

We have discovered that it is easier to listen to the House debate
than to watch it via webcam. Bookmark the following link in order to
listen next time:
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/media/HouseLiveAudio.asx

Thank you for your commitment to defending the freedom to homeschool
in New Hampshire.

Standing with you,

Michael P. Donnelly, Esq.
Staff Attorney