CHEWV

Category: Legislative

  • Misleading News Targets WV Homeschooling

    by John Carey, CHEWV’s Legislative Liaison

    A recent WVNews article by Kailee Gallahan claims that “homeschooling cuts over $2 million from Harrison School systems funding.”  In the article, Harrison County public school officials accuse homeschoolers of costing the county millions. The article also asserts that most of those homeschooling in Harrison County –  if not throughout the state – are using homeschooling as an excuse to avoid truancy prosecution.  County officials lament the fact that parents are not required to submit an application to homeschool but are allowed to simply notify the county of their intentions.  In their own words, “We cannot intervene, we cannot prevent, and we cannot deny.”

    Public officials do not make such bold statements simply for the purpose of informing the public.  Their purpose is to misinform the public and influence legislators to support their positions, granting them the power to do what they want, the way they want. In this case, the officials want the law changed so they can stop the growth of homeschooling in Harrison County.  They want the power to decide who can and cannot homeschool. They complain that “The law allows [parents] to homeschool at any point in time if they wish.  It’s not an application process, it’s a notification process.” 

    So should you care about any of this if you don’t live in Harrison County?  Absolutely! The changes in homeschooling which Harrison County officials seek would inevitably affect families throughout the entire state.

    What county officials do NOT consider is that their plan to increase public school funding by forcing homeschoolers to attend public school violates the parents’ inherent religious and parental rights. Below is a string of US Court decisions based on the Bill of Rights, all demonstrating that parents have the right to direct the education of their children.

    Meyer v. Nebraska, (1923)

    “The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees the right of the individual … to establish a home and bring up children, to worship God according to his own conscience.”

    Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925)

    “The child is not the mere creature of the state; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right and the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.”

    Wisconsin v. Yoder  (1972): 

    “The history and culture of Western civilization reflect a strong tradition of parental concern for the nurture and upbringing of their children.  This primary role of the parents in the upbringing of their children is now established beyond debate as an enduring tradition.”

    Santosky v. Kramer (1982):
    The Court noted that “freedom of personal choice in matters of family life is a fundamental liberty interest protected by the Fourteenth Amendment.”

    It is odd to think that a public-school official would view my child as a source of income – as if my child’s higher purpose in life is to enable the state to achieve its financial goals.  As one county official put it, “The more students, the more funding, the more teachers,” and also “With the 582 students [homeschooled students] enrolled in the public school system, not only would the school system be able to fund more teachers in the county, but also add a myriad of additional school programs and offerings.”

    West Virginia Delegate Terry Waxman wrote an editorial responding to the Harrison County statements.  Her welcome response is a must-read.

    “Children have one shot at childhood and their K-12 education.  If a parent feels that their child is not receiving the best education possible, it is the duty of the parent to do what is in the best interest of their child.  For increasing numbers of people in West Virginia, that choice is homeschooling.”

    Delegate Terry Waxman

    Bridgeport

    Yes, it is our duty, before God, to do what is in the best interest of our children.  It is the duty of the state to protect our right to do so.  We can thank God for the protections that are contained in our founding documents – documents which respect the God-given rights of the people and therefore limit the government.

    We must never forget nor forfeit our precious heritage as citizens of the United States of America, but guard it with all vigor and vigilance:

        …We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness…

    — The Declaration of Independence

    Let’s stand with those who stand with us at the state capitol.  Let’s also gain a deeper understanding of the tools “the Creator” has given us to protect our freedoms as they are expressed in the Declaration of Independence, clearly defined in the Bill of Rights, and established by our U.S. Constitution.

    The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time.

    –Thomas Jefferson

    Note:  Mike Donnally Esq., with HSLDA, has thoroughly responded to the statements of Harrison County public officials. I encourage you to read Mike’s article and arm yourself with the facts.  Knowing the facts is vital if we are to defend our freedoms before the legislators go back into session in January.

  • Are People the Problem?

    Are People the Problem?

    by John Carey, CHEWV Legislative Liaison

    The battle to pass the Education Reform Bill was passionately fought on both sides. While the side that supported more freedom and greater options for parents, children, and local communities won a victory, the side that opposed these changes has not given up, adamant that they will have their say come the 2020 election.

    The education bill’s advocates and detractors see the world quite differently. Advocates feel the parents are the solution; the detractors, on the other hand, see parents as the problem. Two opposing worldviews result in two different legal outcomes. Ultimately the question becomes: do we have more faith in people or in institutions?

    Throughout the battle to pass the Education Omnibus Bill, home educators’ only request was for the homeschool exemption to be left standing without any changes. Our main concern was that the government-funded ESA program would be combined with the homeschool exemption, making it appear that homeschooling was government-funded, which would invariably lead to increased regulation. In the end, the Senate chose to keep ESAs separate; later, the House chose not to advance the ESA legislation. But while homeschoolers’ concerns were addressed in this particular bill, I believe the underlying worldviews of the two sides will greatly affect us in the future.

    The battle for the Education Reform Bill, which included provisions for charter schools and ESAs, went on for so long because legislators would not give up the fight. They were passionate about giving more educational control to parents, teachers, and local communities; they had heard from their constituents many times over the years and chose to respond to their cries for help. One point made in committee early in 2018 was that the state-approved curriculum prevented a parent from being able to help their child with their math homework. Clearly the system – by design – excluded parents from helping their child.  Legislators came to believe that if they did not act, nothing would change.

    So why do legislators believe that parents having more control is a good thing? Over the last three decades, it has become evident that increased parental control over education brings positive results. Just look at homeschooling. Even when a parent lacks an advanced degree and is not certified in any of the subjects they teach, their children excel both academically and socially and become lifelong learners1.  

    Day by day, homeschooling proves that there are ways to improve educational outcomes.

    So what is the response from those who want to maintain the status quo in education? Their main claim over the last 18 months has been that the problem is not the current system. Instead, pointing to the opiate crisis and dysfunctional families as the cause for low test scores, they place the blame on the children who attend public school – and their parents. Such reasoning is rooted in pessimism and implies that those who seek to change the system are uninformed and misguided.

    Low views of individuals or groups is nothing new in America and has been used many times over the years to change the law and threaten basic civil rights. For example, Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, is quoted:

    “Authorities tell us that 75% of the school children are defective. This means that no less than fifteen million schoolchildren, out of 22,000,000 in the United States, are physically or mentally below par… We prefer the policy of immediate sterilization, of making sure that parenthood is absolutely prohibited to the feeble-minded2.”

    This is a shocking example of what happens when you stop looking at people as people and start looking at them as problems.  Laws do not change for the better; restrictions increase; freedoms melt away. Eugenics was a sick legal practice in America that took away the rights of thousands of people. Courts, including the US Supreme Court, decided in favor of forced sterilization. Legislators did too. West Virginia did not repeal Article 16, referred to as the “sterilization of mental defectives” provision, until 2013, and evidence suggests that sterilization of the “defectives” was allowed until at least 2011.

    As long as there are those in power who view people as the problem, we can expect laws enacted that seek to limit freedom. For example, why are there so many bills introduced that seem to limit parental rights and control children?  After asking this question, Heritage Communications of West Virginia (HCWV) took a look at the Youth Incarceration rate in West Virginia. We were shocked to discover that while 47 states have reduced the number of kids removed from their homes, West Virginia’s youth incarceration has risen dramatically3, mainly because of truancy violations4.

    This is what happens when people are seen as the problem. If you do not trust people, then you take away their freedoms.  Fortunately, we have a document that supports our view that people should be valued and their rights protected. Let’s better understand that document and get very good at explaining it to our representatives. At the same time, we need to thank legislators who stand up for our freedoms; each of us needs to see them as part of the solution.

    In 2000, when homeschoolers went to Charleston to change the law so that all our members could homeschool past 8th grade, we were not asking for favors. We were asking that the legislature give back what they had taken away: the freedom to homeschool our own children as God directs.  The legislators of 2000 expanded our freedom.

    Unfortunately, the message that demeans parents and children has grown in West Virginia since then. It is only a matter of time before more laws are introduced, based on this view, that limit our freedom. If not today, detractors will try again after the election if more people are elected who think like them. 

    The time comes when we all must ask: what kind of world do we want to pass on to our children and grandchildren? One that respects and values them and expands their freedom? Or one that lacks faith in them and believes they need to be controlled? For their sake, what message are we going to allow to stand? How about this one:

    We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.  

    1 https://new.chewv.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Study_Brochure5.pdf
    2 The Pivot of Civilization Margaret Sanger (Planned Parenthood founder), Brentano’s Press, NY, 1922, p. 263
    3 https://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/juvenile-incarceration-rates.png
    4 https://jjie.org/2015/04/08/west-virginia-eases-strict-truancy-law/

    1. https://new.chewv.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Study_Brochure5.pdf [↩]
    2. The Pivot of Civilization Margaret Sanger (Planned Parenthood founder), Brentano’s Press, NY, 1922, p. 263 [↩]
    3. https://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/juvenile-incarceration-rates.png [↩]
    4. https://jjie.org/2015/04/08/west-virginia-eases-strict-truancy-law/ [↩]

  • The Special Session Has Begun

    by John Carey, CHEWV’s Legislative Liaison

    As soon as the West Virginia Legislature adjourned at midnight on the last day of the 60-day regular session, the legislature was called into a special session to discuss what the Governor has called “Education Betterment.” Immediately afterwards, the legislature recessed and returned to their districts to get input from their constituents.

    At this time, it is unclear when legislators will reconvene to report the results of the public forums that are being held around the state. Some say at the end of April; others, during the interim in June.  In any case, it must be before the start of the fiscal year, which begins on July 1st.

    When I met with legislators on the last day of the regular session, they expressed their desire to hear from not just public-school parents and students, but from private school and homeschool families as well. In fact, if you want, I encourage you to coordinate with other homeschool families to set up a meeting with your legislators to discuss the issues that are important to you.  After all, these folks represent you and are available to meet throughout the year.

    Legislators are passionate about trying to do what is best for students and teachers. After many years of receiving reports of problems in public schools, they want to see a change in the system.  This is why many current legislators are encouraging Charter Schools and ESA’s: they want to give parents more control over their children’s education, and they want to see new educational approaches that better meet students’ needs. They also want to help public school teachers who want more of a say in how they teach. Legislators want to see a bottom-up approach applied to education that will facilitate success in the classroom. 

    In the last two decades, I have attended well over 200 education committee meetings at the WV State Capitol and have watched as legislators seek to improve education quality. They really do care and want to be able to look back over their years of service with satisfaction and the knowledge that they made a difference.

    At the same time, they do not always understand the needs of homeschool parents. For example, ESA’s are not a good choice for homeschool families, since government money is inevitably followed by government regulation. (Tax credits, which are not government money, would be a better fit for homeschoolers since they do not come with strings attached.)  In addition, school sports is an option some home school parents would enjoy—but not at the cost of increased regulation. Legislators also do not always understand the importance of religious liberty and parental rights to homeschool parents and often need reminded with phone calls and letters.

    When the legislature meets again before July to discuss how best to improve education, CHEWV will be there to meet with legislators and remind them of the legislative priorities that are important to homeschool families. We will remind them that we are funding our children’s education and doing, before God, what we know to be best for them and their education. By lobbying for WV homeschoolers, we will advance our freedoms and protect those families who have found an educational alternative that has proven to be successful in the Mountain State.

    If you are interested in learning more about the issues which have an impact on home education, if you have any questions, or if you are interested in helping to protect the freedom to homeschool, contact me at jcarey@heritagecwv.org.

  • The 2019 Regular Session Was Anything But Quiet

    The 2019 Regular Session Was Anything But Quiet

    The 2019 WV Legislative Session began with an effort in the Senate to improve public education by introducing Charter Schools – an effort that died in the House after teachers went on strike to protest.  In a surprising move, the Tim Tebow bill was discharged on the House floor but then died just two days later. A Home School Tax Credit Bill passed House Education but was never put on the Finance Committee agenda. Thankfully, in the end, a bill that helps homeschoolers applying for the Promise Scholarship passed both houses and now awaits Governor Justice’s signature

    Charter Schools and ESAs

    The 130-page Education Omnibus Bill, championed by senators who are passionate about improving education in West Virginia, contained provisions for creating charter schools as well as Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), among many other things. While charter schools do not have the flexibility that homeschooling provides, they have been shown to provide more local control than is available in the public school system. ESAs would have provided government funds for public school parents to send their kids to private schools if they otherwise could not afford to do so. Most Delegates did not support the Senate bill and tabled it indefinitely.

    ESAs versus Tax Credits

    CHEWV’s main concern with SB 451 was to ensure that the ESA portion did not negatively affect the homeschool exemption, because government money nearly always precipitates government regulation.  On the other hand, tax credits do not come with strings attached. 

    When legislators perceived that ESAs were not going to pass the House, they decided at the last minute to advance HB 3063, a bill that would provide tax credits for both private and homeschool educational expenses. While this bill passed House Education, there was not enough time for it to gain a hearing in House Finance.

    The Tim Tebow Bill

    A bill to enable homeschool and private school students to participate in public school sports was once again advanced by House delegates. After hefty debate by committee members, the bill was taken off the House Education agenda without a vote. Then in a surprise move on the House floor, when it appeared the bill was dead for the session, Delegate Ellington made a motion to Discharge the bill from the committee and place the bill on first reading. It passed First and Second Readings, but two days later, on Third Reading, the Tebow bill was tabled by the House indefinitely.

    The Bright Spot: SB 636 The Promise Scholarship Emergency Rule

    SB 636 was passed by the legislature and is on its way to the governor for his signature. When the Home School Promise Bill was passed in 2018, it created the need for a rule change in the Higher Education Policy Commission policy that governs the Promise Scholarship. This 2019 rule change, accomplished by the passage of SB 636,  reflects the intent of the 2018 legislature to allow homeschool students to receive the PROMISE without having to take the GED/TASC. 

    CHEWV thanks all our members and friends for their prayer support, involvement, and especially for the membership money that makes our lobbying efforts possible.  We would also like to thank HSLDA for the constant support they provide as we work year-round to defend and advance homeschooling freedoms at the West Virginia State Capitol.

  • Capitol Report Update 2/12/2019

    Capitol Report Update 2/12/2019

    by John Carey, CHEWV’s Legislative Liaison

    Where Things Stand on SB 451 As of This Morning

    SB451 passed out of the House Finance Committee early this morning and will be on Second Reading Wednesday. In this morning’s committee meeting, the Chair unsuccessfully attempted to add back more Charter Schools and reinstate ESAs. Three Republicans on the committee, Delegates Westfull, Storch and Anderson, did not support his plan. However, when the bill gets to Second Reading tomorrow, floor amendments are expected to be introduced to increase the number of Charter Schools and restore ESAs. 

    The Public Hearings

    The two public hearings held on Monday were populated by many public school teachers and administrators. However, some parents and other representatives came to show their support for both the ESAs and Charter Schools, some of my friends and former associates from private schools spoke in support of the ESAs, and even a few in the public school spoke in support.

    ESAs and Home Schooling

    As the bill advances and is amended, it is possible that Education Savings Accounts, or ESAs, could be placed back into SB451.  If this occurs, it is vital that the regulations governing the ESA program come under a separate section of state code from that of traditional homeschooling. Only by keeping the two systems of education separate will homeschoolers be able to maintain their freedom. If homeschoolers were to receive public money, such as ESA’s provide, then the civil government would seek ways to regulate their education. Public funding is always tied to increased government regulations. No-strings-attached Tax Credits are a superior way to support homeschooling since they are not tied to public funds. 

    Homeschool Perspective on ESAs

    Some have opposed SB 451 ESAs because they believe that public school money is being redirected to home education and that home educators want this to be part of the bill. Nothing could be further from the truth. As has been stated, traditional homeschooling parents fund their children’s education privately and do not depend on government funding. These children thrive because their parents are free to do, before God, what they know to be best for them. Curriculum, teaching methods, and religious education are not subjected to government approval. In comparison, public education has evolved into a highly regulated, top-down form of education. Homeschool parents are content to be left alone. Public funding is the last thing these parents would ever seek to receive.

    Other Parents Want More Freedom

    At the same time, it should come as no surprise that parents who do not have the time or resources to homeschool would desire public funding so that they, too, can gain the freedom to meet the individual needs of their children. Some want to use ESAs for private schooling, while others want to use the funds for what has been called Independent Study. All want to remove regulations and gain the freedom to create programs they believe to be best for their children. Clearly, homeschool parents are not the only ones who take a stand for their children! As long as there are parents and children, there will be battles like the one we are witnessing today. 

    As we stand now, homeschooling is not affected by this legislation. Let’s pray that we’re not drawn in.

  • 2019 Legislative Session Preview

    2019 Legislative Session Preview

    Getting Prepared

    by John Carey, CHEWV’s Legislative Liaison

    The 60 Day Regular Legislative Session begins on January 9th. Here are some links to keep you in the loop as the session progresses, as well as a secret weapon that only a loving parent can employ.  

    Contact Info for Legislators

    It is imperative that homeschool families know who their legislators are and how to contact them. It may come as a surprise, but experience has shown that if a Delegate is contacted by as few as ten constituents, they will reconsider their position on any issue. Since Senators cover a larger district, typically twenty-five contacts are viewed as significant.

    Use this link to access capitol phone numbers and email addresses for all thirty-four state Senators and all one hundred Delegates.  

    Legislative Updates

    Typically, two thousand pieces of legislation are introduced each regular session; CHEWV and HSLDA will be evaluating all two thousand pieces to keep you abreast of any threats to homeschooling. Legislative threats may come in the form of a direct attack on homeschooling or as an attack on religious liberty and parental rights, the two pillars that support the right to homeschool.   

    Use this link to read legislation and observe its progress.

    Seeing Through the Fog

    Legislation may sometimes be written in a way that obscures its true purpose. A key goal of CHEWV and HSLDA is to monitor and to analyze legislation to discern its purpose and effects, whether intentional or unintentional. Knowing the true purpose and potential consequences of a bill will enable you to educate your state legislator and convince them to support your position.

    Here is an example from last session:  https://www.heritagecwv.org/active-legislation/hs-parental-rights/

    The Secret Weapon

    Little breaks down barriers of communication more powerfully than a parent whose primary reason for speaking is that they love their children as their Lord commands. This is the homeschool community’s secret weapon: parents unwilling to compromise in doing what is best, right, and true when it comes to those who have been entrusted to their care.

    In my two decades of lobbying at the State Capitol as CHEWV’s representative, I have seen this secret weapon employed repeatedly by hundreds of individuals. It takes a legislator from the stages of merely hearing what we have to say to the place where they stop, take the time to listen, and finally choose to support our position.

    This secret weapon can only be exercised by those who are dependent on their God through prayer and the reading of His word. This message can only truly be heard by legislators when parents speak firmly yet respectfully to those who will listen. It is one way that those who trust God find themselves working together with Him to accomplish His purposes.

    It is one the teachers’ unions do not possess. In fact, few groups at the State Capitol besides homeschool parents wield this powerful tool to preserve freedom. So as this session progresses, use the resources provided to help you understand the issues and then to communicate with your legislators as the need arises. But most of all, keep first things first and work together with God to bring success – a success energized through prayer and rooted in our love for God and our children.

    Deuteronomy 6:4-9

    “4 Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

  • Homeschoolers to Gather at Capitol

    Homeschoolers to Gather at Capitol

    Join homeschoolers from all around the state on Thursday, January 31st, for Home School Day at the Capitol (HSDC).  Meet us first in the upper rotunda under the CHEWV banner, where we’ll gladly check you in and give you helpful information.  We’ll also show you where you can set up your display, should you wish to showcase your own homeschool endeavors. 

    Before coming, you may want to contact your legislators and set up morning meetings to introduce yourselves and leave a card and/or token gift.  (Homemade cookies are always appreciated.) 

    Round out the day by attending the late morning session, the midday rally, and a tour of either the Capitol or the governor’s mansion.  If you’ve taken these tours in previous years, historical exhibits at the WV Cultural Museum next door are open to the public, and the nearby Clay Center offers inexpensive tickets to the Avampato Discovery Museum, Caperton Planetarium and Theater, and Juliet Art Museum.

    Check out the details here and be sure to register (free)!  We look forward to seeing everyone!

  • Victory! Bills Signed!

    This week Governor Justice signed two important homeschool bills: Senate Bill 319 and Senate Bill 364.

    Promise Scholarship

    The passage of SB 319 means homeschooled students will no longer have to take the TASC in order to qualify for the Promise Scholarship!

    The effective date of this legislation is July 1, which means that students seeking Promise Scholarship funding for the fall of 2018 will have to take the TASC in order to qualify.

    The West Virginia Department of Education has told HSLDA that they are issuing waivers on a case-by-case basis for students who are under 17 to be able to take the TASC for Promise eligibility.  Next year, according to staff at the Higher Education Policy Commission, for those applying for spring eligibility only, the TASC will no longer be required.

    Driver’s License

    Thanks to the provisions of SB 364, effective May 31 parents may issue the statement for driver eligibility certificates for their homeschooled students. HSLDA will have driver eligibility forms available for our members at that time.

    You have diligently advocated for the Promise Scholarship change for several legislative sessions. Thank you for all your persistence! Together we will continue to make West Virginia a better place for homeschooling—join HSLDA today if you haven’t already!

    Montani Semper Liberi,

  • Our First Home School Day at the Capitol

    Our First Home School Day at the Capitol

    And What We Have Learned From the 2018 Legislative Session

    by Kelli Allen

    Our family participated in Home School Day at the Capitol (HSDC) for the first time this year. As rookies, we weren’t quite sure what to expect so we were grateful that CHEWV organized it so that our trip would run smoother. Legislation pertaining to homeschooling was what motivated us to make our four-hour trek to Charleston.

    It was a privilege to meet with two out of our three legislators to discuss homeschooling issues that concerned us.  They were friendly and welcoming, though one in particular was evasive when it came to discussing these issues. We also visited with another representative who has been a supporter of homeschooling, and we were able to express our gratitude.  

    What we learned from our trip is that the winds of change in Charleston are constant and quite unpredictable. Last year’s Tim Tebow bill, for example, which passed the House and Senate but was vetoed by our governor, didn’t even make it out of the House Education Committee this year. The Senate’s version remains stalled in the Senate Finance Committee as I write this, and the session is coming to a close. Disappointed? Absolutely, and probably just as much as our kids. Word was that this bill was expected to become law this year. I hear that the Senate’s version won’t likely get out of the Finance Committee since the House killed their proposal. Phone calls to the Finance Committee seem to go unnoticed. 

    Through my disappointment though, I’m reminded of a truth: “We make our own plans, but the Lord decides where we will go.” (Contemporary English Version, Proverbs 16:9).  I believe that we must do what we can to debunk myths about homeschooling, contact our legislators, vote, even run for office if that is where the Lord is leading, while at the same time realizing our plans may not be what the Lord would have for us, at least not for now.  His timing is perfect and although I don’t understand the whys and why nots, I know I can trust Him to work out His plan – which is better than mine. Does this mean that we should always quit when things don’t go as we expect? No, even though we may feel like it. I believe that we can be His instruments for change as we diligently seek to secure opportunities for homeschooling families, rid discrimination, and loosen the restrictions so we may “train up our children in the way they should go” with less red tape.

    I would be amiss, however, if I didn’t mention the other opportunities that this day afforded: our kids paged during the House session, participated in the showcase at the Rotunda, toured the Governor’s Mansion, and met the wonderful folks from CHEWV who organized the day for us. Getting involved in the political process has been an eye-opening experience, but overall I can say it has been a good one. We are learning, first-hand, by engagement. I’m reminded of all the proactive homeschoolers who have been in that Capitol fighting for our freedoms for many years before I came along, and I’m sure their path wasn’t an easy one. We are the beneficiaries of their diligent efforts. It is easy for me to take that for granted. It’s given me a different perspective about how we have the liberties that we do today—through their endless efforts, battle after battle, until the sweet victory was won. 

    As a homeschooling parent, it’s easy to just be caught up in the daily demands of our schedules.  But I would highly encourage everyone to attend next year’s Home School Day at the Capitol.  I had never been to our capitol before this visit; it was a unique opportunity that I was happy to share with our kids. We all came away with a better understanding, albeit to a small degree, of how things operate in Charleston. Your presence at HSDC would speak volumes. 

    But if you can’t make the trip, there is always the phone or e-mail. It only takes minutes to contact our legislators to let them know our concerns.  Helen Keller is quoted as saying, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” With the Lord’s help, I believe this to be true.

    Kelli grew up in Romney, WV and graduated from the local high school where she was quite involved in sports and various clubs. She had never even heard of homeschooling until marrying her husband Walt – who had always wanted to homeschool his kids. So now they are in their 10th year of homeschooling four kiddos, and what a learning adventure it has been for all! Kelli says that the Lord is using homeschooling to teach her humility, patience, discipline, flexibility, and great literature – among many other things! She thanks the Lord for this opportunity to spend time with her kids and prays they will grow to love, honor, and serve Him with their lives.

  • SB 319: A Little More Background…

    SB 319: A Little More Background…

    …A Little More To Do

    by Edie Carey, wife of CHEWV’s Legislative Liaison, John Carey, and active homeschool mom

    SB 319, the Senate bill that removes the GED requirement for homeschool applicants, was in the Senate Finance Committee this past Monday and Tuesday.

    Clearly, homeschooling was under attack during the committee’s deliberations, and for a while Senator Palumbo led the charge. Senator Palumbo’s concern — that removing the GED requirement is “dumbing down“ education — has no basis in fact.  If you can pass the ACT and show you are ready for college, certainly you can get a passing score on the GED.  We appreciate Senator Palumbo’s willingness to hear the truth and change his position.  

    Yet there have been additional challenges of which you need to be aware.  Last week when the Senate Education Committee considered the removal of the GED testing requirement, Vice Chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission Matt Turner implied that a homeschool diploma and transcript are subpar.  Turner stated if the GED testing requirement was removed, “What we’ll do is monitor the cohorts. If this changes and this becomes a problem, we can come back and report it (to the legislature) and say, ‘We need to make some adjustments again. . . You could start to see the erosion of the merit level of the Promise.”

    Senators and state education bureaucrats, regretfully, are not aware of an empirical fact:  both nationally and in the state of West Virginia, the data is in on the performance of home–educated students as it relates to the ACT and the SAT.  Homeschool graduates in West Virginia score higher, on average, than public students on the ACT and SAT.  Statistically, this has proven true year after year.  In 2016, homeschool graduates enrolled as freshmen in WV four-year and two-year colleges scored, on average, 23.8 (70th percentile ranking) on the ACT.  The average score of WV public school graduates enrolled as freshmen in the same colleges was 21.5 (59th percentile ranking).  

    Enrolled as freshmen in 2 & 4-year WV colleges:

    Homeschool Graduates

    Public School Graduates

    2016 ACT Score

    23.8

    21.5

    2016 ACT Percentile Rank

    70

    59

    Click here to read the NHERI study on the ACT nationally. Likewise, homeschoolers excel on the SAT as demonstrated in this study.

    Homeschooling father and CHEWV member Senator Karnes confronted these arguments in Committee, providing support for the passage of SB 319 and its advancement to Senate Finance this week.  Others helped advance the bill once in the Finance Committee; read my husband’s report from earlier today here.

    Yet the job is not done.

    Again, we remind all of our members and friends that more calls are needed.  Even better, show up in person!  The bill is now on the floor of the Senate.  Its Second Reading, the amendment stage, is on Thursday.

    • Action needed:  Contact your senator early (they go into Session at 11:00 a.m.) and ask him/her to please support SB319 as it came out of Senate Finance.
    • Those of you with senators on the Finance Committee, take the time to thank them for their unanimous support of the amendment to drop the GED requirement!

    Then it’s up for final passage on Friday.  If approved, it goes to the House Education Committee.

    My husband, John, spends hours at the Capitol as part of his service to CHEWV homeschoolers – like our own family!  I can testify to the fact that he is genuinely encouraged when CHEWV families all across the state participate with their support.  Thank you for continued prayers and ready action on SB 319 as it moves through the legislative process!

    One Last Request:  A thank–you to the Finance Committee senators who finally passed SB 319 and sent it to the Senate floor would be a great idea.  Acknowledging their pro-homeschool choices is highly effective.  Remember, legislators typically receive more complaints than compliments.  Put yourself in their place and take a few moments to be a blessing!