The Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers
VaHomeschoolers.org
Your Resource. Your Voice. Your Association.
The Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers
VaHomeschoolers.org
Your Resource. Your Voice. Your Association.
by Celeste Land, The Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers, Government Affairs
For the first time in many years, The Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers is asking members to call on behalf of a homeschooling bill. As a rule, VaHomeschoolers only asks members to call after other appropriate and available means have been exhausted. This is one of those times.
On Monday, February 18, HB 1183 (Lingamfelter, R-Woodbridge) was debated by the Public Education Subcommittee of Senate Education and Health. HB 1183 clarifies testing and evaluation options for homeschooling families. VaHomeschoolers supports HB 1183, although the bill has been significantly amended and weakened by the House of Delegates.
The Senate education subcommittee members did not receive the correct version of HB 1183, leading to much confusion about what the bill would and would not do. The bill then failed to receive a recommendation from the committee, after a motion to report did not receive a second. Unlike on the House side, where this would mean death to the bill, HB 1183 can and will be heard before the full Senate Education and Health Committee on Thursday. We need constituent calls to keep this bill alive. Its fate remains uncertain at this time.
Currently, there are two options for providing end-of-year proof of progress under the home instruction statute: an objective measure (standardized testing) or a subjective measure (an "evaluation or assessment"). In its current substitute version, HB 1183 defines what forms of evaluations are valid for submission under the second option. It does not change the subjective nature of this option, but simply requires superintendents to receive these forms of evaluations for review, while leaving the power with the superintendent to determine the adequacy of the submission.
HB 1183 simply clarifies existing law, guaranteeing that superintendents accept evaluations other than testing. By spelling out the various evaluation options for home instructed students, HB 1183 will minimize misunderstandings and save parents and school administrators both time and money currently being spent on this problem.
If you are a constituent of a member of the Senate Education and Health Committee, your phone calls and e-mails can be influential in deciding the fate of HB 1183. Please do not call if you are not a constituent; this annoys legislators and can be detrimental to the bill.
Constituents, call or email your Senator and ask them to support HB1183. You may wish to explain that the bill clarifies existing statute and does not diminish oversight or superintendent power (as described above). When writing by email, the Senators request that you please include full name, address, and phone number.
If you don't know who your state Senator is, contact your local voter registrar office for information or visit the General Assembly's Who's My Legislator page.
Members of the Senate Education and Health Committee are as follows:
Senator Edward Houck (Chairman; District 17 - Culpeper County; Fredericksburg City (Part);
Louisa County; Madison County; Orange County; Spotsylvania County (Part)
Phone: (804) 698-7517, Fax: (804) 698-7651, Email
Senator Richard Saslaw (District 35 - Alexandria City (Part); Fairfax County (Part)
Phone: (804) 698-7535, Fax: (804) 698-7651, Email
Senator Louise Lucas (District 18 - Brunswick County (Part); Chesapeake City (Part); Emporia City;
Franklin City (Part); Greensville County; Isle of Wight County (Part); Lunenburg County (Part); Nottoway
County; Portsmouth City (Part); Southampton County (Part); Suffolk City (Part); Sussex County)
Phone: (804) 698-7518,Fax: (804) 698-7651, Email
Senator Janet Howell (District 32 - Fairfax County (Part)
Phone: (804) 698-7532, Fax: (804) 698-7651, Email
Senator Frederick Quayle (District 13 - Chesapeake City (Part); Franklin City (Part); Hopewell
City (Part); Isle of Wight County (Part); Portsmouth City (Part); Prince George County (Part);
Southampton County (Part); Suffolk City (Part); Surry County)
Phone: (804) 698-7513, Fax: (804) 698-7651, Email
Senator Stephen Martin (District 11 - Chesterfield County (Part); Colonial Heights City
Phone: (804) 698-7511, Fax: (804) 698-7651, Email
Senator Stephen Newman (District 23 - Amherst County (Part); Bedford City; Bedford County;
Campbell County (Part); Lynchburg City)
Phone: (804) 698-7523, Fax: (804) 698-7651, Email
Senator John Edwards (District 21 - Craig County; Giles County; Montgomery County (Part);
Pulaski County (Part); Roanoke City; Roanoke County (Part)
Phone: (804) 698-7521, Fax: (804) 698-7651, Email
Senator Frank Ruff, Jr. (District 15 - Amherst County (Part); Appomattox County; Brunswick
County (Part); Buckingham County (Part); Charlotte County; Cumberland County (Part); Fluvanna
County; Halifax County; Lunenburg County (Part); Mecklenburg County; Prince Edward County)
Phone: (804) 698-7515, Fax: (804) 698-7651, Email
Senator Mary Margaret Whipple (District 31 - Arlington County (Part); Fairfax County (Part);
Falls Church City)
Phone: (804) 698-7531, Fax: (804) 698-7651, Email
Senator Harry Blevins (District 14 - Chesapeake City (Part); Virginia Beach City (Part)
Phone: (804) 698-7514, Fax: (804) 698-7651, Email
Senator Mamie Locke (District 2 - Hampton City (Part); Newport News City (Part); Portsmouth City
(Part); Suffolk City (Part)
Phone: (804) 698-7502, Fax: (804) 698-7651, Email
Senator George Barker (District 39 - Fairfax County (Part); Prince William County (Part)
Phone: (804) 698-7539, Fax: (804) 698-7651, Email
Senator Ralph Northam (District 6 - Accomack County (All); Mathews County (All); Norfolk City
(Part); Northampton County (All); Virginia Beach City (Part)
Phone: (804) 698-7506, Fax: (804) 698-7651, Email
Senator J. C. Miller (District 1 - Hampton City (Part); Newport News City (Part); Poquoson City;
York County (Part)
Phone: (804) 698-7501, Fax: (804) 698-7651, Email
The General Assembly's Constituent Viewpoint office provides a toll-free, intrastate telephone message center (during session) to take calls from citizens of the Commonwealth wishing to express an opinion on legislation. Callers will be asked to provide their name, address, and the issue on which they are expressing their opinion. The message will be transmitted to the constituent's appropriate legislators. If a caller seeks additional information concerning legislation or wishes to speak directly with a legislator, the operator will provide the telephone number. The hours of operation are from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The number for the toll-free opinion line is (800) 889-0229. Callers in the Richmond area may dial (804) 698-1990.
Read the full text of the amended version of HB 1183.
To learn more about HB 1183 and its possible impact on homeschooling families, read our previous VaHomeschoolers Legislative Reports.