The House Education Committee (HEC) will meet this Thursday, November 19, at 10:00 a.m. in LOB 207, to hear reports from the five committees that have been assiduously studying home education in New Hampshire, after which there will be a special meeting of the HEAC to discuss the recent rule revisions
We encourage you to attend this executive session of the HEC, if your schedule allows. Your presence will show the legislators that homeschoolers are concerned about the effort by some to impose unnecessary and harmful regulation on New Hampshire home educators.
The chair and vice-chair of HEAC met with the commissioner of education this week. They obtained a commitment from the commissioner to submit comment to the State Board of Education requesting that revised changes to the rules be submitted, reflecting changes from the meeting this week, and restoring much of what HEAC had originally proposed. The commissioner is reported to have been complimentary of homeschoolers in New Hampshire, and has expressed surprise that so much effort is being spent on homeschooling when public schools are in need of such a great deal of attention. Details concerning these changes will be covered at the special HEAC meeting on Thursday and then confirmed by the commissioner for re-submittal to the State Board of Education on December 9.
At the state board public hearing on December 9, the normal procedure is to allow 30 minutes of public testimony. The deadline for the submission of written comment on the rules is December 23. HSLDA encourages our members to submit written comment to the board with the simple request that the HEAC approved rules be reviewed and approved. The Home Education Advisory Council invested long hours to make sure that the rules align closely with the law and its recent changes. The board should approve these rules which appropriately reflect the needed changes in light of recent legislative changes to RSA 193A.
You may submit written comments regarding the rules to:
Mary Mayo
New Hampshire Department of Education
101 Pleasant Street
Concord NH 03301
Information from Home School Legal Defense Association