|
Legal and Legislative Information Network
NHEN Legislative forums
1. For wide-ranging, intelligent and provocative discussion of all topics relating to homeschooling legislation, past and future:
Join us at the NHEN Forum message boards: http://nhen.org/forum
2. For news and announcements on the specific topic of homeschooling legal/legislative issues:
Subscribe to the NHEN Legislative ClearingHouse egroup: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NHEN-LegClearinghouse.
State Regulations
NHEN provides information on State Homeschool Laws and Regulations. Homeschool regulation is a result of compulsory school attendance laws, and each state's regulations are unique to that state. The best source of information will probably come from experienced homeschoolers in your state, but don't just do something because others, including school officials, tell you that it is "required." Experience shows us that often school officials seek to require more than is legally necessary or permissible. When seeking information about your state, keep in mind NHEN's suggested List of Probing Questions. Being fully informed is the most effective way to protect and expand your homeschooling freedoms. And if your state does not have a fully informative website for homeschoolers, consider volunteering your services or starting one yourself! See "Ten Essential Items" below.
NHEN Documents Available to Homeschool Activists
NHEN has drafted an FAQ on Home Education Regulation from a national perspective, as well as a cover letter for the FAQ. As of May, 2002, the NHEN Board has sent out the FAQ, with an accompanying cover letter, three times. In May 2001, it was sent to the appropriate officials on overseas military installations at a time when these officials were gathering input from homeschoolers about proposals for increased regulations. In March 2002, it was presented as written testimony to the members of the Joint Education Committee of the Connecticut Legislature during a hearing on a bill that would significantly increase home education regulation in that state. In May 2002, it was sent to all members of the House Education Committee of the Pennsylvania General Assembly during their deliberations on a bill that would signficantly reduce current requirements for homeschoolers in Pennsylvania. As the copyright notice on the FAQ and the cover letter indicates, NHEN grants permission to copy the FAQ and the cover letter, provided the document is copied in its entirety, used for informational and non-commercial purposes, and includes the copyright notice and the permission notice on all copies. Requests for a specific cover letter may be directed to legislative-cover@nhen.org.
NHEN has also drafted a paper entitled Thoughts on Protecting Children in Homeschooling Families, as well as a cover letter, in response to questions posed by the North Carolina Task Force on Child Fatalities.
Influencing the legislative process
Protecting and expanding homeschooling freedoms entails learning how to influence the legislative process (whether working to prevent introduction of laws or working to ensure their passage). In order to protect and expand regulatory flexibility, NHEN is dedicated to promoting a national network made up of those who are monitoring legislative developments in their states.
Working with others on a joint project always presents challenges, and working with other homeschoolers on a legislative project is almost certain to evoke heated feelings. For most of us, homeschooling is such an integral part of our lives that any threat to homeschooling affects us more directly and more personally than virtually any other political issue. To find out what one homeschooler finds helpful in transforming these potentially explosive issues, read Ways of Transformation .
NHEN provides a unique forum for homeschoolers from across the country to share information and concerns about those issues that arise on the national level and affect all homeschoolers in the country. As a national organization, NHEN can also seek further information about national issues. For example, NHEN sent an inquiry to the National Education Association, seeking to understand the reasoning behind that organization's negative position on homeschooling and offering to provide more information on the diversity of homeschooling today. Read the NEA's response.
Ten Essential Items
NHEN Legislative encourages those providing state homeschool websites to include on their sites the information outlined in Ten Essential Items. Many sites already have much of this information. Our suggestion is that you add the "Ten Essential Items" list to your site and then link, as appropriate, to existing or new sections. Please email us when your state webpage adds a "Ten Essential Items" section.
Join NHEN
To join NHEN and become a part of this vital network, visit NHEN - Membership.
|
