Travel Resources - Home Educators Association of Virginia

Homeschool Law Changes go into effectThe most significant changes in the homeschool statute sincethe law was first passed went into effect July 1! Parents with a highschool diploma are no longer required to be under the additionaloversight of option (iv). They do not have to choose between includingstate SOLs in their curriculum under option (iv) and usingan approved correspondence course under option (iii). They havemore freedom to direct their child’s education by complying withoption (i).Delegate Rob Bell (R-Charlottesville) and Senator Phil Puckett(D-Tazewell) each championed separate bills through theHouse and Senate. Both legislators did an outstanding job representingthe interests of homeschoolers. HEAV lobbyist MartinBrown worked closely with the legislators and garnered bipartisansupport for this important change.HEAV representative Yvonne Bunn, HSLDA Virginia attorneyScott Woodruff, and Parrish Mort and Scott Price of theOrganization of Virginia Homeschoolers, met with the VirginiaDepartment of Education this summer to discuss implementationof the new homeschool laws. Anne Wescott, Michelle Vucci, andCharles Finley represented the VDOE.High School diploma verificationProof of having a high school diploma for option (i) may includea copy of any one of the following: a high school diploma,a high school transcript, an associate’s degree, a baccalaureate degree,a master’s degree, or another higher degree. A GED is notconsidered a high school diploma. A photocopy of the diploma ordegree should be attached to the Notice of Intent and submittedto the division superintendent by August 15.Option (iv)The change in option (iv) from “and” to “or” now allows aparent to use either the SOLs for language arts and mathematicsOR to “provide evidence that the parent is able to provide an adequateeducation for the child.” It was agreed that the descriptivestatement already in the DOE handbook should be the criteria. Itstates, “To assess the parent’s ability to provide an adequate education,the division superintendent should determine whether thedocument itself exhibits a mastery of the language by the writer;whether it includes plans for instructional activities; and whether itpresents a reasonable scope and sequence of content that shows abroad overview of what the parent plans to teach the child duringthe school year.”TestingOption (i) testing requires a composite score on or above the4th stanine (23 percentile) on ANY nationally normed standardizedachievement test. HSLDA’s Scott Woodruff presented severaldetailed suggestions for option (ii) testing strategies. Althoughno decision was made, DOE representatives agreed to submit thesuggestions to the superintendent for discussion.psat/apPublic schools must now notify homeschoolers of upcomingPSAT and SATs, and allow homeschoolers to take PSAT and APtests at their schools. Homeschoolers may not be charged morethan public school students for the tests.Most students take the PSAT during their junior year in highschool. The PSAT is a standardized test that provides firsthandpractice for the SAT Reasoning Test. It also gives students anopportunity to enter National Merit Scholarship Corporation(NMSC) scholarship programs.The PSAT will be administered Wednesday, October 18, andSaturday, October 21, 2006. If your student would like to take thetest this fall, contact your local high school as soon as possible toregister for the test. Online registration is NOT available. The testmay also be available at some private schools.The PSAT covers critical reading skills, math reasoning skills,and writing skills. It doesn’t require students to recall specific factsfrom classes. The most common reasons for taking the PSAT/NMSQT are to receive feedback on skills necessary for collegework, to see how the student’s performance on an admissions testcompare with other college applicants, to enter the National MeritScholarship Corporation scholarship competition (grade 11), tobecome familiar with the kinds of questions and directions the studentwill encounter on the SAT, and to receive information fromcolleges if you check “yes” to Student Search Service.AP (Advanced Placement) tests are administered in May ofeach year at public high schools and some private schools. Arrangementsshould be made with a school no later than March 1.College credit may be awarded based on AP test results.For more information on the PSAT and AP tests, go to http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html.Sat RegistrationTo register for the SAT or use the official practice tests andquestions, go to the SAT site at www.collegeboard.com. You canalso search for a college, look for scholarships, and find testingdates throughout the year.Use the number 970000 to register as a homeschool. By usingthis official number, scores will be sent directly to your homeaddress instead of being sent to the local school and averaged withpublic school scores.September 12, 2006, is the registration deadline for the nextSAT test administered on October 14. You may register online.Issues discussionEach organization also discussed ways to resolve some policyproblems with various school districts. Some homeschoolers have8 l The Virginia Home Educator