Volume 44, Issue 4. Today is
Law gives little direction for state home-schoolers
In a state where a standardized test is used to determine high school graduation eligibility, it comes as a surprise that home-schooled children have no restrictions.
The Arizona Home School Statute requires that an affidavit be filed within 30 days of beginning home schooling.
The affidavit must include the name of the child and parents, dates of birth, phone numbers, and the address of those who have custody of the child. A birth certificate or “other reliable proof of the child’s identity and age” must be submitted as well.
Qualifications and standards set for parent-teachers on the statute are non-existent. The test requirement for parents was repealed in 1991. The standardized test and optional evaluation requirement for students was repealed in 1995.
“Government regulations are making little difference in the education of children; they are simply not helping,” said Ian Slatter, media contact for the Home School Legal Defense Association.
Slatter also said that children from a religious background are “not receiving the scriptural support, and biblical views that their parents would like them to have incorporated into their education from public schools.”
The Arizona Home School Statute provides religion oriented families with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The act requires that the state use “the least restrictive means of fulfilling its interest that children be educated.” The act was passed with the help of HSLDA, Slatter said.
Regulations and standardized tests are thrown to the wayside in an effort to protect rights of individuals who feel the school system has failed them.
According to the HSLDA, there is little difference between the performance of Arizona students, and their counterparts in heavily regulated New England states.
In these states students and parents are subject to tests, and the right to home-school can be revoked if failed.
Slatter argues that when home schooled, the world is the classroom.
“The idea of home-schooling is to educate not only in the academic setting,” Slatter said, “but to bring children in contact with the community, and foster life-long self directed learning.”
The HSLDA believes that public schools are only a half-way house to the real world. Social interaction should not be limited to a number of peers with one adult dividing attention throughout the group.
Matt Gehrman, principal of Dobson High said, “Often parents that home-school are passionate about their beliefs, and begin educating their children from day one, the students are often very bright, but more accustomed to adult interaction and their peers notice the difference, it brings attention when they transfer in.”
Most students that transfer into public school do so for the extracurricular activities.
Gehrman said that parents can contract a physical education teacher to do lessons at home, and if there is room in the band or other activities a home-schooler would not be restricted.
“The problem lies in determining their eligibility for activities,” Gehrman said.
Life-long public school students have records of exams, grade point averages, and disciplinary violations. Participation in school athletics is conditional. Students must adhere to a set standard, or they are not allowed to play.
Home-schoolers lack of academic credentials may also prevent them from entering a more competitive university right after completing their coursework, which often comes from a network of like minded individuals.
“Many will begin at a two year college at 16 or 17, and with their self directed learning find tremendous success during their college years,” Slatter said.