S.B. 291

Wednesday evening, we received an urgent request by HSLDA to participate in an emergency rally in Jefferson City, to recognize some potentially harmful language that had JUST been discovered in S.B. 291, a major education bill. This rally was to communicate to our elected officials our notice of, and concern over the language, and our desire that it be amended or the bill to fail...a tremendous crowd of home schoolers descended on the capitol yesterday, and this message was relayed loud and clear. Below is a summary of what took place with S.B. 291:

What happened...the senate introduced and approved bill 291, a major public education bill. Three days ago, it reached the house floor and was voted down. Session ends today, so in an attempt to pass ONE major education bill this session, the bill went back to committee to be re-written (in a hurry). They revised it, but in the course of the revision there was new wording that was vague, and potentially dangerous to home-schoolers.

In a clause that dealt with encouraging students to stay in school, the compulsory attendance law was going to be changed "This act also changes the requirement for compulsory attendance age for school districts, except for the St. Louis City School District. Current law defines the compulsory attendance age as sixteen. This act changes that to successful completion of sixteen credits toward high school graduation." Where this presented a problem, is that there was no legal definition for a home school credit. This left the potential of defining this "credit" to the state, leaving the possibility that students remain caught under compulsory attendance laws well past the age of 16.

Once they caught this language, several representatives got together to WRITE an amendment that would clarify the vague wording. What this did was DEFINE what a credit is for home schoolers, instead of leaving this power open to being in the hands of the state. In the state of Missouri, compulsory education attendance is reached by achieving a set number of credits. As the MO law stands, home schoolers have required minimum hours but compulsory attendance is not based on credits. The bill was passed, with the wording that requires "sixteen credits towards high school graduation." The amendment that was written and passed is what retains our freedom. In the amendment, the representatives (and our FHE home school lobbyist with the help of an attorney who is a former elected official and a home school dad) established a definition that says that for home schoolers, a credit equals 100 hours. "HA 2 - FOR HOME SCHOOLS, A COMPLETED CREDIT TOWARDS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION WILL BE DEFINED AS ONE HUNDRED HOURS OR MORE OF INSTRUCTION IN A COURSE. HOME SCHOOL EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT AND RECORDS WILL BE SUBJECT TO REVIEW ONLY BY THE LOCAL PROSECUTING ATTORNEY." For a home schooler to be exempt from the compulsory attendance law, they must reach 1600 hours. In addition, some extra language was added to clarify that legal permission to examine home school records is granted solely to the home schooler's local presecuting attorney. The local officials can no longer require a show of records to prove home schooling is taking place. They have never HAD this right, but frequently claim it. With the new wording, it is clearly against the law for such action to take place.

Yesterday ended up being a good day for Missouri homeschoolers, because not only did we get some good legislation passed, we also sent a strong reminder to the Missouri State Government that we are serious about our freedoms, we will mobilize, and we can do all of this with almost no warning.

As one of the homeschool lobbyists said, "You've made my job easier for the next ten years."