Play An Active Role in Legislative Affairs
Become a Wise Consumer of Homeschooling Legislative Information:
- Learn as much as you can about our homeschooling laws in Virginia,
how laws are made or changed in our state, and how homeschooling lobbyists operate. (See
"Bringing Lawmaking to Life for Homeschoolers"; to get you started.
- Learn how to use the General Assembly's Legislative Information System database so you
can keep track of potential changes to homeschooling laws as events unfold in the General
Assembly.
- Keep up to date on homeschoolinglegislative affairs through the
VaHomeschoolers newsletter, by
subscribing to the
VaHomeschoolers Announce E-mail list, joining online
e-mail discussion groups, and other resources, including
national homeschooling magazines.
- Research legislative alerts from homeschooling organizations before calling your
legislator or passing the alert on to others, if time and situation permit.
Educate Your Local Legislators about Homeschooling:
- Get to know your local legislators, preferably before you have a concern. Schedule a
visit to their offices, or talk with them during an open community forum. Many
homeschoolers have found that a friendly, non-confrontational approach is most effective
for talking with legislators.
- Invite legislators to a homeschooling gathering where they can meet and observe a
variety of diverse homeschoolers in action.
- Introduce your legislators to your well-behaved, bright, articulate homeschooled children.
- Impress your legislators with your working knowledge of homeschooling, homeschooling
legislative issues, and the General Assembly.
- Share with your legislator articles that portray homeschooling in a positive light.
- Show your legislators how diverse and multi-faceted Virginia's homeschooling community
truly is.
Educate Other Homeschoolers About Legislative Affairs:
- Share what you've learned through personal conversations, support group meetings,
conferences, workshops, online discussion groups or websites, newsletter articles, etc.
Become a Volunteer for VaHomeschoolers:
- VaHomeschoolers needs volunteers to monitor legislation in the General Assembly, to
answer questions from new and move-in homeschoolers, and to help with our spring
conference, our bimonthly VaHomeschoolers newsletter, and many other projects and
services. All these efforts directly or indirectly assist our legislative efforts. For
more information about volunteer opportunities with VaHomeschoolers, please e-mail
Volunteer@VaHomeschoolers.org.
