Senate Bill 291: An Act To Increase Homeschool Regulation (Montana)

[QuilterMom]

http://www.hslda.org/Legislation/Sta...91/default.asp



Senate Bill 291: An Act To Increase Homeschool Regulation


Author:
Senator D. Ryan


Summary:
This bill would make the following changes in Montana's homeschool law:



Change the definition of "homeschool" to exclude stepparents and legal guardians from being able to teach a child at home;


Require parents to register their children with the local school district instead of notifying the county superintendent of the child's enrollment in a homeschool;


Require that parents be (a) licensed to teach in Montana, (b) hold a bachelor's degree, or (c) have a high school diploma or GED and be monitored by a state-certified teacher for two years;


Require the monitor to evaluate and report the child's academic progress to the school district twice a year;


Require homeschool students in grades 4,8, and 11 to take the same "nationally standardized examination" required of public school students;


Require that students scoring below the 30th percentile on the test be evaluated for special education services; and


Prohibit the homeschooling of children determined to have a developmental disability, such as autism and Down's syndrome.

This is one of the worst homeschool bills we have encountered.


Status:
01/25/2005 Introduced and referred to Education and Cultural Resources
02/14/2005 Hearing Scheduled in Senate Select Committee on Education


HSLDA's Position:
This bill should be opposed.


Action Requested:
1. Please contact the members of the Senate Education Committee listed below and your own state senator with this message:


"Please vote against Senate Bill 291 which would impose oppressive and unnecessary restrictions on homeschooling families. This bill would require parents to be monitored in their home by a certified teacher, prohibit parents from homeschooling children with developmental disabilities such as Down's syndrome and autism, and add many other onerous regulations on homeschooling families. Vote for freedom by voting against Senate Bill 291."


A letter is the most effective means of influencing legislators. If you choose not to write, please call and e-mail the state senators. They need to hear from every homeschooling family in Montana.


Senate Education Committee

Don Ryan (D) - Chair
(406) 761-3261
SENATORDONRYAN@MSN.COM


Gregory Barkus (R)
(406) 755-8362
GBARKUS@DADCO.COM


Jerry Black (R)
(406) 434-5363
BLACKS@3RIVERS.NET


Jim Elliot (D)
(406) 8273671
JIM@JIMELLIOTT.ORG


Kim Gillan (D)
(406) 248-6063
GLONKY@AOL.COM


Bob Hawks (D)
(406) 587-1403
Online Message at: http://leg.state.mt.us/css/sessions/...webmessage.asp


Sam Kitzenberg (R)
(406) 228-8518
SAM@KITZENBERG.NET


Jesse Laslovich (D)
(406) 563-3141
JESSELAZ@YAHOO.COM


Jeff Mangan (D)
(406)452-6966
JMANGAN@MOUNTAINPEAKSINC.COM


Daniel McGee (R)
(406) 628-6534
Online Message at: http://leg.state.mt.us/css/sessions/...webmessage.asp


Robert Story (R)
(406) 633-2746
Online Message at: http://leg.state.mt.us/css/sessions/...webmessage.asp


You can call any of the Senators listed above at:
(406) 444-3064 (Montana Legislature)


You can write to any of the Senators listed above at:


Senator (Insert Name)
Montana Senate
P.O. Box 200500
Helena, MT 59620-0500


2. Please forward this E-lert to every homeschooling family you know who is not a member of HSLDA and urge them to contact the Committee members and their own state senator.


3. Please attend the hearing on this bill when it comes before the Senate Education Committee on February 14. Information about presenting testimony and the current status of proceedings can be found at http://www.badbills.com.


To find the name of your state senator, use HSLDA's Legislative Toolbox at http://capwiz.com/hslda/state/main/?...w=myofficials. If you do not have Internet access, call the Montana Legislature at (406) 444-3064.

[homesteadmamma]

OMG this is a horrible bill. If it was in Canada we would not be able to homeschool at all.