Tennessee: Calls Needed to Stop Testing Bill
Dear HSLDA Members and Friends:
We need your help now! Tennessee homeschoolers are facing the most
serious threat to their freedom since the homeschool law was enacted
23 years ago.
House Bill 2795 would subject non-public school students, including
homeschool students, to additional state testing. It would require
them to take subject matter tests based upon state-approved textbooks.
It would also require them to pass the Tennessee comprehensive
assessment program tests before receiving a high school diploma. These
new testing requirements would also apply to students being taught at
home through extension or satellite programs of church-related
schools. Your calls to state representatives are needed to stop this
dangerous legislation!
If House Bill 2795 passes, it will essentially mean the end of
homeschooling in Tennessee. Parents deciding to teach their children
at home would have to conform their curriculum to the material taught
in public school in order for their children to be able to pass the
state tests. The Tennessee Department of Education, not parents, would
determine whether a student taught at home was eligible to receive a
high school diploma.
Sponsored by Representative G.A. Hardaway (92nd District), this
horrendous bill is now in the House Education Committee. It is
scheduled to be heard by the Special Initiatives Subcommittee of the
House Education Committee this coming Wednesday, February 27.
Representative Hardaway and members of the House Education Committee
need to hear from you today!
Action Requested:
(1) Please call or write (both would be better) Representative G.A.
Hardaway and at least one member of the House Education Committee with
this message:
"Please oppose House Bill 2795, which would impose public school
testing on non-public school students. This bill would effectively
destroy non-public education in Tennessee by requiring private
schools, church-related schools, and homeschools to adopt the public
school curriculum for their instruction programs."
The contact information for Representative Hardaway and members of the
House Education Committee is set forth below. Members of the Special
Initiatives Subcommittee which will hear the bill on Wednesday are
indicated by an asterisk.
If your last name begins with A-I, please call the following members:
*Chair Les Winningham,
(615) 741-6852
rep.leslie.winningham@legislature.state.tn.us.
*Vice-Chair Tommie Brown
(615) 741-4374
rep.tommie.brown@legislature.state.tn.us.
*Secretary Joe Towns, Jr.
(615) 741-2189
rep.joe.towns@legislature.state.tn.us.
Harry Brooks
(615) 741-6879
rep.harry.brooks@legislature.state.tn.us.
*Jim Coley
(615) 741-8201
rep.jim.coley@legislature.state.tn.us.
Barbara Cooper
(615) 741-4295
rep.barbara.cooper@legislature.state.tn.us.
If your last name begins with letters J-R, please call these members:
Dolores Gresham
(615) 741-6890
rep.dolores.gresham@legislature.state.tn.us.
Beth Harwell
(615) 741-0709
rep.beth.harwell@legislature.state.tn.us.
John Hood
(615) 741-7849
rep.john.hood@legislature.state.tn.us.
Phillip Johnson
(615) 741-7477
rep.phillip.johnson@legislature.state.tn.us.
Ulysses Jones, Jr.
(615) 741-4575
rep.ulysses.jones@legislature.state.tn.us.
*Ron Lollar
(615) 741-7084
rep.ron.lollar@legislature.state.tn.us.
If your last name begins with letters S-Z, please call these members:
Mark Maddox
(615) 741-7847
rep.mark.maddox@legislature.state.tn.us.
Michael McDonald
(615) 741-1980
rep.michael.mcdonald@legislature.state.tn.us.
Gerald McCormick
(615) 741-2548
rep.gerald.mccormick@legislature.state.tn.us.
Richard Montgomery
(615) 741-5981
rep.richard.montgomery@legislature.state.tn.us.
Larry Turner
(615) 741-6954
rep.larry.turner@legislature.state.tn.us.
*John Mark Windle--Chair of the Subcommittee
(615) 741-1260
rep.john.windle@legislature.state.tn.us.
To find the name and contact information for your state
representative, use HSLDA's Legislative Toolbox at
http://capwiz.com/hslda/dbq/officials .
(2) Please forward this email to other homeschooling families who are
not members of HSLDA and ask them to contact Representative Hardaway
and a member of the House Education Committee as well.
To view a copy of the bill, go to
http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/bill ... HB2795.pdf .
If you have any questions or concerns about that this bill would do,
please do not hesitate to contact us for additional information.
Sincerely,
Dewitt T. Black, III
HSLDA Senior Counsel
Tennerseans!
Moderators: Pastor Gary, The J2 Mod Squad
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Ilovebigcats
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Tennerseans!
Hey yall! Help us homeschoolers out! Anyone is TN read this and send a message saying you oppose!!!!!!
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Pastor Gary
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Homeschool testing
Not sure I agree with you, if I read the bill right.
In Hawaii, our homeschool laws were written by a Christian Legislator who homeschooled his daughters, and he made sure that homeschoolers were required to take the State standardized SAT tests during 4th, 8th and 10th grades as an accountability/measuring method.
We had our kids take the SAT's every year just to make it not such a big deal, and get them used to the testing process.
Since my wife has operated a ministry to homeschoolers for more than a decade, I can tell you there are people who are GREAT at homeschooling, and people who need some state oversight.
In Hawaii, our homeschool laws were written by a Christian Legislator who homeschooled his daughters, and he made sure that homeschoolers were required to take the State standardized SAT tests during 4th, 8th and 10th grades as an accountability/measuring method.
We had our kids take the SAT's every year just to make it not such a big deal, and get them used to the testing process.
Since my wife has operated a ministry to homeschoolers for more than a decade, I can tell you there are people who are GREAT at homeschooling, and people who need some state oversight.
"God is excited to show you mercy. He rises to give you His compassion." (Isaiah 30:18)
"For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." (Psalm 5:12)
"For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." (Psalm 5:12)
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Ilovebigcats
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Pastor Gary
- Kahu Gary, Benevolent Dictator
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well
Ilovebigcats wrote:From what I understand.. it would lock us and all private schools into public school curriculum.
Well, that would be a problem for me. As long as the kids can pass standardized tests, how they get to that point seems immaterial.
"God is excited to show you mercy. He rises to give you His compassion." (Isaiah 30:18)
"For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." (Psalm 5:12)
"For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." (Psalm 5:12)
-
Ilovebigcats
- ---=== J2 ===---
- Posts: 5044
- Joined: January 30th, 2003, 6:58 am
- Location: USA,Tennessee
Re: well
Pastor Gary wrote:Ilovebigcats wrote:From what I understand.. it would lock us and all private schools into public school curriculum.
Well, that would be a problem for me. As long as the kids can pass standardized tests, how they get to that point seems immaterial.
I agree. I have no problem with standard testing.
I don't see where it would lock you into the state curriculum at all. The state curriculum follows textbooks by the major distributors. If you are using a decent homeschooling curruculum, the same material will be covered. Plus, it's not that hard to get study guides for the tests to see if you are covering all of the material.
I am for homeschool students taking the same tests to show they are learning what the parents say they are teaching. We have had several students go to a home school program, come back, only to have it admitted to us that they were receiving passing grades from parents/non-parent instructors without doing the work. Their transcripts show passing grades (from home schooling) but they can't handle the work in the next class level. And by county policy, they are not allowed to take the same class once they passed the class.
I am for homeschool students taking the same tests to show they are learning what the parents say they are teaching. We have had several students go to a home school program, come back, only to have it admitted to us that they were receiving passing grades from parents/non-parent instructors without doing the work. Their transcripts show passing grades (from home schooling) but they can't handle the work in the next class level. And by county policy, they are not allowed to take the same class once they passed the class.
"Students are encouraged to mingle with the midgets." - Mr. Jones' 1st Block Class
MrDanger wrote:I don't see where it would lock you into the state curriculum at all. The state curriculum follows textbooks by the major distributors. If you are using a decent homeschooling curruculum, the same material will be covered. Plus, it's not that hard to get study guides for the tests to see if you are covering all of the material.
I am for homeschool students taking the same tests to show they are learning what the parents say they are teaching. We have had several students go to a home school program, come back, only to have it admitted to us that they were receiving passing grades from parents/non-parent instructors without doing the work. Their transcripts show passing grades (from home schooling) but they can't handle the work in the next class level. And by county policy, they are not allowed to take the same class once they passed the class.
I completely agree. They need to be held accountable for the grades they are getting.
wendy k
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Pastor Bill
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There are really two groups of homeschool students, those with loving parents who are putting alot of work into doing it right, and those whose parents don't put the work into it, and just let things go but pass them anyway.
The second group does exist, and gives a bad name to homeschoolers everywhere. Standardized testing is not a bad thing, because those that are doing it right have nothing to fear (actually they will probably blow the public school kids out of the water with their scores), and the ones who are falling through the cracks due to failing parents will be recognized and something will have to be changed.
The only concern would be if they try to dictate too much of the curriculum. Many would have a problem with Evolution, because Christian homeschoolers may not be covering that, while Public Schools do.
The second group does exist, and gives a bad name to homeschoolers everywhere. Standardized testing is not a bad thing, because those that are doing it right have nothing to fear (actually they will probably blow the public school kids out of the water with their scores), and the ones who are falling through the cracks due to failing parents will be recognized and something will have to be changed.
The only concern would be if they try to dictate too much of the curriculum. Many would have a problem with Evolution, because Christian homeschoolers may not be covering that, while Public Schools do.
"Why would God allow Hitler his chapter in history? Why would God send a whale to swallow Jonah or turn a woman into a pillar of salt? Surely there were other ways. But I'll leave the particular methods of God to God."
-Spoken by David Abraham, Showdown by Ted Dekker
-Spoken by David Abraham, Showdown by Ted Dekker
As a former homeschooler in TN and NC, I am surprised there wasn't something like this before now.
In NC, homeschoolers are required to take standardized tests at the same grade levels it is required in public school, but those tests can be selected from either the state test or other general standardized tests such as the Stanford or CAT. This gives the homeschool parent the flexibility to choose either the tests based on the state curriculum or one based on a general base of expected knowledge for the grade level.
We didn't homeschool in TN long enough to learn about the testing requirements when we moved to TN, so I am not sure of the current testing requirements.
If I am reading this bill correctly, it will require TN homeschoolers to take ONLY the state test based on the state approved curriculum with no flexibility to choose alternative tests which may be a bit broader in nature. While I feel this bill goes too far, I do agree with testing to ensure the students are being taught appropriately. I had no issues sitting my son for the Stanford as I knew his mother and I were giving him at least the base information if not more in his studies.
If a parent is afraid of a general standardized test, they need to look at their curriculum and evaluate their methods of teaching. That is a whole other discussion however
I do NOT support this bill in its current form and will make the calls to the state legislature to see if other standardized testing can be added to the bill as a substitute.
In NC, homeschoolers are required to take standardized tests at the same grade levels it is required in public school, but those tests can be selected from either the state test or other general standardized tests such as the Stanford or CAT. This gives the homeschool parent the flexibility to choose either the tests based on the state curriculum or one based on a general base of expected knowledge for the grade level.
We didn't homeschool in TN long enough to learn about the testing requirements when we moved to TN, so I am not sure of the current testing requirements.
If I am reading this bill correctly, it will require TN homeschoolers to take ONLY the state test based on the state approved curriculum with no flexibility to choose alternative tests which may be a bit broader in nature. While I feel this bill goes too far, I do agree with testing to ensure the students are being taught appropriately. I had no issues sitting my son for the Stanford as I knew his mother and I were giving him at least the base information if not more in his studies.
If a parent is afraid of a general standardized test, they need to look at their curriculum and evaluate their methods of teaching. That is a whole other discussion however
I do NOT support this bill in its current form and will make the calls to the state legislature to see if other standardized testing can be added to the bill as a substitute.
In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second hand, and without examination.
- Mark Twain
He can compress the most words into the smallest ideas of any man I ever met.
- Abraham Lincoln
- Mark Twain
He can compress the most words into the smallest ideas of any man I ever met.
- Abraham Lincoln
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RamboPreacher
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my thoughts as well.AndyG wrote:As a former homeschooler in TN and NC, I am surprised there wasn't something like this before now. ...
if you wnat a state-approved diploma, they should be able to require tests. just reading the article above, i do not see a requisite of locked in curriculum.
The first thing I thought of was that second group of parents that Pastor Bill mentioned, and this being an excuse or justification to get their kids a HS diploma with no accountability.
Thanks, Brent "RamboPreacher" Hoefling
Side note:
We have a private Christian school in Tampa Bay that teaches Evolution and I agree with it.
Now, let me explain.
It is only taught in the upper high school classes.
They teach (expose) the THEORY of evolution and then they teach the truth of Creation. They do this with the students understanding that evolution is what they will run up against in college and when they do, they will be prepared for it.
This way, when they reach college, it is not taught as something "new" to them, but they've already been exposed to it and can handle it instead of being fooled by it.
I think it's wise for homeschoolers to be taught the same way as well so that they are already prepared for what they will be up against in college.
I disagree with anything other than the standardized testing for homeschoolers, BTW.
We have a private Christian school in Tampa Bay that teaches Evolution and I agree with it.
Now, let me explain.
It is only taught in the upper high school classes.
They teach (expose) the THEORY of evolution and then they teach the truth of Creation. They do this with the students understanding that evolution is what they will run up against in college and when they do, they will be prepared for it.
This way, when they reach college, it is not taught as something "new" to them, but they've already been exposed to it and can handle it instead of being fooled by it.
I think it's wise for homeschoolers to be taught the same way as well so that they are already prepared for what they will be up against in college.
I disagree with anything other than the standardized testing for homeschoolers, BTW.
There never was a horse that couldn't be rode and there never was a cowboy that couldn't be throwed.
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Pastor Bill
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Shellie wrote:Side note:
We have a private Christian school in Tampa Bay that teaches Evolution and I agree with it.
Now, let me explain.
It is only taught in the upper high school classes.
They teach (expose) the THEORY of evolution and then they teach the truth of Creation. They do this with the students understanding that evolution is what they will run up against in college and when they do, they will be prepared for it.
This way, when they reach college, it is not taught as something "new" to them, but they've already been exposed to it and can handle it instead of being fooled by it.
I think it's wise for homeschoolers to be taught the same way as well so that they are already prepared for what they will be up against in college.
I disagree with anything other than the standardized testing for homeschoolers, BTW.
Glad to hear that Shellie, I always thought this is the way it should be done, we don't currently home school, but if we did, this is what we would do as well. I don't think there is an wisdom in keeping kids ignorant of issues, instead teach them truth, and give them what they need to succeed in that truth.
"Why would God allow Hitler his chapter in history? Why would God send a whale to swallow Jonah or turn a woman into a pillar of salt? Surely there were other ways. But I'll leave the particular methods of God to God."
-Spoken by David Abraham, Showdown by Ted Dekker
-Spoken by David Abraham, Showdown by Ted Dekker
We started covering Evolution with our son as early as 3rd grade. We were prepared for every response except for the one we got from him.
We touched on it lightly for third grade and looked at us an laughed. He said "Who in their right mind would believe that?" We were also working on teaching him tact and some level of tolerance for opposing views so we told him that while he didn't believe it, he would encounter people who did and simply telling them they were wrong wouldn't do anything to help change their mind. He accepted that and we covered the basics and moved on.
In fourth grade, we decided to go a bit deeper with it in his science/biology discussions. This time he listened quietly as I explained the theory of Natural Selection, which I agree with by the way, and even held his tongue as we covered where people had taken Darwin's original theories. I carefully couched my words and he asked a few questions and then we moved on. He passed his test on the subject with little difficulty and was able to orally explain the Theory of Evolution as well asn the idea of Natural selection.
Later that same year He was looking at a picture of the working of a human eye and I saw him smirk. He was doing some reading his mother, his primary instructor, had given as an assignment. I asked him what was so funny and he said " Dad, how can anyone look at something that is as complicated as we are and still believe we all happened by accident? I think Evolution was made up by people who just didn't want to believe God was there and were trying to find a way to knock him out of their lives." Shocked and not prepared for such a profound statement from a fourth grader, I agreed quickly and went and wrote down what he said. He said similar things after that but never quite the same thing again.
He was put back into public school for fifth grade as we wanted him to be able to play high school and middle school sports but knew adding him back in the mix at those ages would be harder. We expected a fight when they covered evolution and dinosaurs in his science classes, but we were pleased to find out his teacher tried to cover both evolution and creation in a "creatve" way. She got away with it because the school was in the Chattanooga system.
Sixth and Seventh here in Memphis is a bit different, but he has kept his cool AND held his ground.
His seventh grade science teacher told me he listens and does not complain when they cover the topic, but he does preface many of his answers with , "The theory of evolution, if you believe in such, is..."
I think high school is going to be VERY interesting
We touched on it lightly for third grade and looked at us an laughed. He said "Who in their right mind would believe that?" We were also working on teaching him tact and some level of tolerance for opposing views so we told him that while he didn't believe it, he would encounter people who did and simply telling them they were wrong wouldn't do anything to help change their mind. He accepted that and we covered the basics and moved on.
In fourth grade, we decided to go a bit deeper with it in his science/biology discussions. This time he listened quietly as I explained the theory of Natural Selection, which I agree with by the way, and even held his tongue as we covered where people had taken Darwin's original theories. I carefully couched my words and he asked a few questions and then we moved on. He passed his test on the subject with little difficulty and was able to orally explain the Theory of Evolution as well asn the idea of Natural selection.
Later that same year He was looking at a picture of the working of a human eye and I saw him smirk. He was doing some reading his mother, his primary instructor, had given as an assignment. I asked him what was so funny and he said " Dad, how can anyone look at something that is as complicated as we are and still believe we all happened by accident? I think Evolution was made up by people who just didn't want to believe God was there and were trying to find a way to knock him out of their lives." Shocked and not prepared for such a profound statement from a fourth grader, I agreed quickly and went and wrote down what he said. He said similar things after that but never quite the same thing again.
He was put back into public school for fifth grade as we wanted him to be able to play high school and middle school sports but knew adding him back in the mix at those ages would be harder. We expected a fight when they covered evolution and dinosaurs in his science classes, but we were pleased to find out his teacher tried to cover both evolution and creation in a "creatve" way. She got away with it because the school was in the Chattanooga system.
Sixth and Seventh here in Memphis is a bit different, but he has kept his cool AND held his ground.
His seventh grade science teacher told me he listens and does not complain when they cover the topic, but he does preface many of his answers with , "The theory of evolution, if you believe in such, is..."
I think high school is going to be VERY interesting
In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second hand, and without examination.
- Mark Twain
He can compress the most words into the smallest ideas of any man I ever met.
- Abraham Lincoln
- Mark Twain
He can compress the most words into the smallest ideas of any man I ever met.
- Abraham Lincoln
I wish Ohio would propose and pass a similiar Bill. My kids have friends who are homeschooled that can't read or write at all. I hate to think what will become of them when they "graduate" and try to make it in the real world!
"No, I am just telling you what the Word says" -Vestal Goodman
Oneway Ministries
Oneway Ministries
AndyG,
A friend of mine's daughter was in high school when she came to me with what she felt was a problem. She had a test coming up where she would have to explain the origin of the world in essay form. The substance of the essay was supposed to be taken from her text book. She was kind of a backward, sensitive girl and was really upset that she had to write this, but she took her grades seriously. She asked for my advice so that she didn't violate her conscience.
I told her to write, "The textbook will tell you that..(insert info here)........, but the Bible says that it happened this way..(insert what really happened here).......................
I told her that it could not be marked wrong as she was giving the textbook answer, yet getting the true answer down as well.
Her teacher, who believed in evolution, marked the answer as correct.
A friend of mine's daughter was in high school when she came to me with what she felt was a problem. She had a test coming up where she would have to explain the origin of the world in essay form. The substance of the essay was supposed to be taken from her text book. She was kind of a backward, sensitive girl and was really upset that she had to write this, but she took her grades seriously. She asked for my advice so that she didn't violate her conscience.
I told her to write, "The textbook will tell you that..(insert info here)........, but the Bible says that it happened this way..(insert what really happened here).......................
I told her that it could not be marked wrong as she was giving the textbook answer, yet getting the true answer down as well.
Her teacher, who believed in evolution, marked the answer as correct.
There never was a horse that couldn't be rode and there never was a cowboy that couldn't be throwed.
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