The recent statewide meetings seeking input from home educators on 2009 legislative action was very beneficial and stimulating.

 With all but the Dickinson meeting completed at the time of publication the overall result for board members and legislative team members seems to be a deeper understanding of what parent educators want, how the current law has placed onerous burdens on some families and how homeschoolers view the opportunity for a relaxing of the current statutes.

About 120 people participated in the meetings held at Devils Lake, Grand Forks, Jamestown, Fargo, Minot, Williston and Bismarck (Dickinson meeting not yet held at time of publication). Conversation was often lively, sometimes quite heated, but always respectful and authentic.

Topics included, but not limited to:

·          Complete deregulation attempt versus continued incremental changes; pro and con on both sides.

·          Allowing grandparents to home school.

·          Providing a list of talking points for legislators to use during the session in defense of statutory changes.

·          The meaning and importance of unity among home educators during the session.

·          Concerns over the current website.

·          The onerous financial burden the current testing puts on large families.

·          The confused wording of current law regarding testing; test administrator requirements beyond what the testing company requires; type of test mandated; continue current testing schedule but remove mandate for filing with district.

·          Current confusion on a monitor’s duties; clarify it or leave it vague?

·          Best way to elicit change is to get to know one’s own legislator and develop good rapport with them and the community.

·          Removing parental qualifications as a  first step.

·          How to defend against ‘bad apples’ who profess to be homeschooling.

·          Educational tax credits-good or bad?

·          Development of phone trees in local support groups.

·          Redefining home education in the law.

·          Discrimination against home schoolers in certain scholarships.

·          If parental qualifications removed except for diploma or GED, would a home school diploma be recognized?

·          Including a statutory definition of ‘supervising’.

·          Need for NDHSA to keep home educators updated on legislative happenings.

·          The importance of building bridges rather than being combative.

The NDHSA board of directors and the Legislative Team are very grateful to those who took the time to attend these vital meetings. The results will be carefully reviewed by the board of directors as we prepare for the 2009 legislative session.

If you were unable to attend but would still like to provide input, send your comments to any of the Legislative Team: CamLeedahl@aol.com; Gail Biby at billbiby@msn.com; Theresa Deckert at jntdeck@gondtc.com or Jim Bartlett at office@ndhsa