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I realize this thread has been going for some time. Someone just passed this on to me and asked me to respond. I was at a support group leadership conference on Saturday Jan 26, and this is what we heard directly from Jim Weiers, speaker of the House: Here is how the wording of the bill was originally sent in: Home Schoolers will not be exempted from being tested (which means at some point we will be REQUIRED to test) section 15-745 paragraph A. Section 15-802 paragraph F (new wording) says: THE PARENT, GUARDIAN OR OTHER PERSON WHO HAS CUSTODY OF A CHILD WHO IS INSTRUCTED AT HOME IS SUBJECT TO THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS PRESCRIBED IN THIS TITLE. We were told there are 57 different reporting requirements in this title, at this point applied to private and public schools, but we could possibly be subject to any and all of them. Rep. Weiers said this is VERY BAD legislation. For one thing, the motive is NOT clarification of the law. If any of you recall the frontpage article in the Republic last summer "State ignores home schoolers"--July 1, the tone was one of uncovering a grave mistake. I believe that article was planned to set the stage for this legislative session, for the "correcting of that mistake". Most legislation to correct major issues is done in small pieces, a bit at a time to catch us off guard and dull the senses. If this is passed, the door is opened for things to build on this. Secondly, if testing is required, it is likely at some point that a curriculum will be required, also. Rep. Weiers, and other speakers, also cautioned us not to lose the ground that we have fought for. When I started home schooling, we were required to do the iOWA test every year, plus take the Teacher Certifcation test before starting. The law allowed for students not making "academic progress" to be denied home schooling, (although students in the public school were never told they had to leave that arena for not making academic progress) and we had six months to pass the teacher test, or we were deemed "unqualified" to teach. Meanwhile, teachers had 2 years to pass the same test, and could TEACH in the public schools during that time even if they failed. It was not uncommon for teachers to take it 2-3 times before passing. Additionally, at that time, our county clerical person was making up her own rules about what constituted "academic progress". It was really not a positive environment. In 1991, some even worse legislation was being pushed through by some of the former teachers in the legislature. We held a rally at the capitol, and garnered Gov. Symington's support, and the legislation was defeated, and some of the restrictions were lifted. More were lifted within a couple of years. Due to term limits, there is a short leglslatative memory. The freshmen senators and reps (1/3 of the house was replaced) don't understand some of the history behind decisions in the current books, and can easily be persuaded to change them given the right arguments. I caution you to not think lightly of the freedoms that we have gained. There are plenty of regulations that can be imposed on home schoolers who choose to go back into the school system. Don't willingly accept more on the rest of us. Holly Craw

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