Supporting Home School Parents

The House Education Committee held a hearing this morning on SB 337, a bill which would increase the bureaucratic burden on parents who chose to home school their children. I was already booked in Milford this morning and couldn't attend the hearing, but I submitted testimony in opposition to the bill:

Members of the House Education Committee,

I would like to record my opposition to SB 337. This bill would expand the bureaucratic requirements of parents who choose to home school their children, but would not have any impact on the actual education of these children. It has been introduced and forwarded through the Legislature at the request of school administrators. I’m sure they would appreciate home school parents having to deal with some of the unnecessary paperwork that dominates their daily grind, but I don’t see how that would improve the education of New Hampshire kids.

Please remember that our responsibility for education does not rest with a school district or a school building, but with the student. Senator Kelly, in supporting the bill, perhaps gave away her intentions when she said that “children who don’t have great parents rely on us.” Other than a basic mistrust of parents who choose to home school, supporters of SB 337 have provided no evidence for the need to pass it.

In fact, the Senate heard only anecdotal evidence from school administrators urging the adoption of SB 337. They highlighted a few examples of abuse of the right to home school by people with no intention of providing an educational environment for their children. These parents have failed to provide the curriculum plans and annual evaluations already stipulated by state law. Adding to the bureaucratic burden of parents following the rules is not likely to increase compliance from those failing to meet current standards.

Please oppose SB 337, and send it to the full House with a recommendation that it be Inexpedient to Legislate. Thank you for your time and attention.

Grant Bosse
31 Central Street, Unit E
Hillsboro, NH 03244