HEAC: Meeting - Tuesday, Feb 7, 1995

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Home Education Advisory Council
Meeting - Tuesday, Feb 7, 1995
Department of Education
Room 15

3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Minutes

Those in attendance: Elaine Rapp (chair), George D'Orazio, Mike Faiella, Joseph Rega, Dennis Wyman, Paul Krohne, Karen Tardif [sic], Don Jones, Jackie Teague, Gerald Bourgeois and Judy Pence.

Discussion Notes:

Welcome Judy Pence from the NH Association of School Principals.

Welcome to visitor Neil Nevans from the NH Technical Institute in Concord. We asked him to discuss how his organization is working with home schoolers. There are now many home schoolers in the program, all courses are open and there is no age limit. The program is well received and is working very well.

We should make the associations aware of this opportunity which hopefully will spread throughout the NH higher education system including UNH.
Brochures are available.

The minutes of the last meeting were accepted without change.

Newspaper articles were handed out regarding the Keene home schooling proposed policy controversy.

When will the home schooling statistics be available - Jackie reports data is in the process of being entered.

The survey results should be in by next month (many back already) and it was decided to set up a subcommittee to analyze them.

Mike discussed a visit by Representative Gorman to his town to discuss the bill on tax credits.

It appears this bill would put the local school board in a position of control over a home school program if money is accepted.
The bill is prefaced with 8 pages of "gender neutral" language affecting other pieces of legislation ??
Mike was concerned it may have a negative effect on the general public when a small group tries to get its money.
He felt this approach should apply to everyone who does not use public education, not just homeschoolers.

Welcome visitor Doris Hohensee, a home schooler.

Welcome State Board Chairman Ovide Lamontagne. Mr. Lamontagne came to the meeting to become more familiar with home schooling in NH, to try to better understand how the home education law works and where it may be limiting or frustrating to parents who are trying to operate a home schooling program within it.

We had an extended discussion of the history of the home school law and the compromises it represents. Also discussed were basic citizen's rights and some of the reasons public education in its present state is not a viable option in the view of some parents.
The NH Supreme Court recently ruled the state is responsible for assuring students receive an adequate education.

The next meeting will be held at the Department of Education in Room 15 at 3:00 pm on Tuesday, March 7, 1995.

Document source: New Hampshire Department of Education, hardcopy.