Constitution = 17 printed pages to run the entire country.

"Health Care" bill = 2,074 (unread) printed pages to ruin - eh hemmm - run 1/6 of our economy.   

What's wrong w/this picture?

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One more reason to vote "NO!!" on Ohio Issue #2: this gov't over-sight will be an Ohio CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT!! Not just an ordinance or run by a board of lawyers telling farmers what they can/can't do in Columbus...but an Amendment!

VOTE "NO"!!!!!!

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Act Now to Stop Costly Federal Early Education Spending Bill

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends,

Action is needed now to stop a harmful early education bill, H.R. 2343, the Education Begins at Home Act. Despite the bill’s seemingly homeschool-friendly title, the legislation is actually yet another “big government” encroachment into the sphere of education.

H.R. 2343 seeks to expand the Head Start Early Home Visitation program to supposedly “educate” parents of children from infants to 5-year-olds on parenting strategies. If passed, this bill would literally open the door for government employees to enter private homes to impose unelected officials’ educational agendas, which may prove offensive and contrary to many families’ moral and religious beliefs. Although at this point enrollment in the home visitation program is voluntary, government programs almost always grow beyond their original scope when bills are amended.

This intrusive and unnecessary legislation comes at a whopping starting cost of more than $190 million—a burden that will be incurred by already struggling American taxpayers.

Action Requested

Please call your U.S. representative today and urge him or her to oppose H.R. 2343, the Education Begins at Home Act. It is not necessary to identify yourself as a homeschooler. You can say something as simple as the following:

“I am a constituent and I strongly oppose H.R. 2343. The government should not be involved in funding questionable early education programs, especially at a time of financial uncertainty when our hard-earned tax dollars could be better spent elsewhere.”

You can reach your U.S. representative by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121, or by using our Legislative Toolbox.

This bill has been placed on the House calendar and could come up for a vote anytime this week, or even during the weekend as Congress rushes to finish legislative priorities before they adjourn.

Background

Sincerely,

J. Michael Smith
HSLDA President

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Ohio homeschool law is up for review!!  PLEASE read the notice below and PLEASE go to the website given!!!  This is SO IMPORTANT!!!  We face the possibility of losing the law we have enjoyed since 1989!!!   KW<><

July 17, 2008

Ohio--Urgent--Your Help is Needed to Stop
Revisions of the Homeschool Regulations!

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends,

If Ohio homeschoolers do not act, they may face stricter homeschool
regulations.  

For the first time in nearly 20 years, the Ohio Department of
Education (ODE) has initiated a formal review process of the home
education rules in the Ohio Administrative Code Section 3301-34.  It
is imperative that every Ohio resident who is concerned about
homeschooling freedom register his or her opinion regarding proposed
changes.  The comment period is now open and will last only until
August 8.

Ohio law dictates that the ODE review regulations every 5 years to
determine what changes, if any, should be made.  O.A.C. 3301-34 was
enacted in 1989, and until now, the ODE has not found any revisions to
be necessary during the 5-year review.  Even though the regulations
have worked very well for the past 19 years, the ODE has decided that
this time, changes are warranted.

The most important message Ohio residents can convey to the ODE is
that the regulations do not need to change.  If enough people support
the current regulations, we may be able to stop the revision process
before it begins.

ACTION NEEDED

1. Go to http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=5316 and register your
comments about the ODE's intent to change O.A.C. 3301-34.  The
deadline to comment is August 8.

2. Forward this message to others.  Anyone who is a "stakeholder" may
register comments.  This means that if you homeschool in Ohio, have
previously homeschooled in Ohio, are considering homeschooling in
Ohio, or have a family member or friend who is homeschooling in Ohio,
you may comment to the ODE.  

3. It is important to comment in your own words--please do not simply
copy and paste someone else's message.  If your message is not
original, it is possible that it will not be counted as an individual
response.

Ohio homeschool leaders are also closely monitoring this situation.  
For more information on the review process, please visit
http://ohiohsalert.org/ .

Sincerely,

Michael P. Donnelly, Esq.
HSLDA Staff Attorney

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From the HSLDA E-lert Service...

=========================

June 20, 2008

Ohio--Home Education Rules Up for

Review by Ohio Department of Education

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends,

HSLDA recently learned that the Ohio Department of Education (ODE)

intends to review the home education rules in the Ohio Administrative

Code Section 3301-34.  It appears that these rules are up for the

regular five-year legislative review process.

The ODE plans to send an email notice to stakeholders and post a

notice on the home education webpage.  The ODE is indicating that it

will post an invitation to comment by the second week in July,

requesting that comments, feedback, and suggestions be submitted by

the end of July.

HSLDA's position is that there is no need for any changes at this

time.  We are asking Ohio homeschoolers to be prepared to send

comments to the ODE expressing their opinions regarding the rules and

the need for changes.

As we have learned this year in a number of states where there have

been legislative battles over homeschool regulations, homeschoolers

can be very successful when they work together to influence

policymakers.  We appreciate your membership and your work to preserve

homeschool freedoms.  We will continue to monitor this process and

keep you informed.

We hope you have a pleasant summer, and as you prepare to submit your

notification paperwork to your superintendents, we stand ready to

assist our members with any issues that may arise.

Thank you for your support and all you do to preserve homeschooling

freedom in the Buckeye State.

Sincerely,

Michael P. Donnelly, Esq.

HSLDA Staff Attorney

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By Michael P. Donnelly

Ohio's HSLDA lawyer

Homeschooling in the Buckeye State is regulated by Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 3301-34, which went into effect in 1989.  [PLEASE NOTE:  NOTHING in Ohio's homeschool code/law has changed since 1989...no matter what any superintendent or district representative may try to tell you!! ~KW]  This regulation provides Ohio residents with a notification approach in which the school district does NOT approve a homeschool plan but is rather informed of it.  [Emphasis mine ~KW] 

Prior to this regualtion, some Ohio citizens educated their children at home under the provisions of OAC 3301-35-08.  These famlies formed non-chartered, non-tax supported schools by filing a minimal "Report to Parents" form with the Ohio Department of Eduication (ODE).  Even after the passage of the homeschool regulation (in 1989), many families continued to educate their children under the 08 regulation.  This regulation offers the opportunity for parents who qualify under the regulation to have less contact with local school distircts and fewer reporting and assessment requirements.

Until recently, the 08 option was not challenged by the ODE.  Last year, Home School Legal Defense Association, working with Ohio homeschoolers, reformed an intrusive attempt by the ODE to require additional information from individuals filing Report to Parents forms under OAC 3301-35-08.  HSLDA negotiated the additional information down to 3 items that the ODE said were required under the "child find" provisions of federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) regulations.

The ODE appears to be attempting to prevent the use of the 08 school approach by single families or those who operate them with numbers of students in a single-family home.  We think the ODE is taking this action in large part because it disagress with what it considers the use of the 08 school maneuver by students whom the department believes are more properly categorized as homeschooled to qualify for funding through the Post Secondary Enrollment Options Program (PSEOP).

HSLDA has revised it online Ohio legal analysis and has created a memo that discusses this situation in more detail.  Both can be found at www.hslda.org/OH.

[ALSO NOTE:  This DOES NOT EFFECT the vast majority of homeschool families who simply file a Notification Form with their local superintendents. ~KW]

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

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Just got this from HSLDA!  Let's pray this through!!  KW<><

Senate Bill 51: Tax Credit for Homeschoolers

Author:
Senators Tim Schaffer (R), Steve Austria (R), J. Kirk Schuring (R), and John Boccieri (D)

Summary:
Senate Bill 51 allows teachers, including home educators, to receive a tax credit of up to $100 for instructional materials used in the teacher’s classroom.

Status:

2/20/2007		(Senate) Introduced
2/27/2007		(Senate) Referred to Ways and Means and Economic Development Committee

HSLDA's Position:
Support.

Action Requested:
None at this time.

Background:
Homeschoolers currently pay for the public education system while they privately educate their own children. This “double taxation” is unfair. While almost all homeschoolers would like to be free of the tax burden of public schools they do not use themselves, a significant number of homeschool leaders are concerned about any effort to get benefits from the government. Most homeschool leaders agree that vouchers (direct payments from the government to private or homeschools) are unacceptable because of the controls and loss of freedom that comes with the money.

As an alternative, HSLDA recommends another vehicle: educational tax credits. Parents and individuals who provide for a child’s education should be allowed to keep some of their tax money that would otherwise have been used to fund public education. This goal could be accomplished through a tax credit.

Educational tax credit legislation can typically be divided into two categories: tax credits for individuals or corporations who contribute to a non-profit scholarship fund and tax credits reimbursing parents for educational expenses incurred for their children. Arizona passed an educational tax credit law which falls into the first category while Minnesota and Illinois passed a tax credit falling into the second category.

Education tax credits offer several benefits:

• Educational tax credits will give parents true choice in education. This tax credit will help reduce the “double tax burden” on parents who choose private or home education.
• Education tax credits will benefit public schools. By encouraging students to attend private schools or homeschools, the tuition tax credit will reduce overcrowded public school class sizes and the student-to-teacher ratio, making more teachers available to public school students.
• Education tax credits will benefit low-income families. Most educational tax credit proposals provide a credit for businesses and private individuals who contribute to a nonprofit scholarship fund, which are usually dedicated to helping low-income families. This type of credit provides an incentive to help give low-income families true choice in their children’s education.

For more information on educational tax credits, see our memorandum, “Why Are Educational Tax Credits Important?”

Other Resources

Bill Text

Bill History

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