Some of you may not know that Discovery Education offers a program each year to earn FREE Six Flags tickets for students in K-6 who have six hours of recreational reading. In order to apply go to Discovery Education Read to Succeed and sign up! The deadline is March 1st, 2012 so don’t delay if you want to get in this summer.
I received this note in an email from our FHE (Families for Home Education) rep:
“It is that time of year again when school districts around the state give it another try for getting home educators to register with the school.
If you receive a letter from your district asking for information about your homeschool:
DO NOT RESPOND;
DO NOT GIVE THE NAMES AND AGES OF YOUR CHILDREN
This attempt to get you to ”make a declaration of enrollment” may be misleading and craftily worded to make you think it is obligatory. Not so.
This sort of letter starts circulating every year around February — that’s when the districts are putting together the paperwork for next year’s funding from the state. The district would like to include homeschoolers with “enrollment” numbers when they submit the paperwork because, by some formula or other, it will increase their funding. Also, the state administrative staff for public schools are pressuring the districts to get homeschoolers to register.
It is all about money.
If you read the law carefully, the word “may” was stategically inserted when the statute was written so that parents have the option to register, but it is not mandatory. FHE and HSLDA strongly recommend that you do not do so! The state should not be permitted to have oversight over home educating families.
In First Things First (pg. 28) this topic of ”School District Information Requested” is addressed. “The primary thing you need to know as a home educator (in Missouri) is that you don’t have to tell the school district ANYTHING.” “… the districts have no legal mandate or authority to ‘know the status of every child in their district’.”
A few years ago, Scott Woodruff, legal attorney for HSLDA, wrote a letter to Missouri home educators reassuring us that, in fact, registration is voluntary. ”…you are under no obligation to file a declaration of enrollment”. (from Scott Woodruff, HSLDA Senior Counsel)
However, once you volunteer to register, it is possible that you will have to continue to do so in successive years to avoid harassment.
By refusing to register, you are not only protecting your own rights to run your homeschool without state school oversight, but you are also standing firm for the rights of all home educators.
Please inform FHE and/or HSLDA if your district is sending out these letters. It helps homeschool leaders keep track of trouble spots in the state.”
From the HSLDA e-lert service…
You Can Help!
The Home School Foundation supports homeschool families in need. Whether it’s a widow or a family suffering after a natural disaster, HSF is there to help. You can give directly, or through our Clicks For Homeschooling program; online merchants contribute to HSF when you shop!
Start shopping here to contribute to HSF at no cost to you! Urgent Calls Needed to Stop Obama’s Attack on Educational Freedom
New Federal Mandate?
Youtube
Watch the president threaten education freedom in last night’s State of the Union speech >>
Dear HSLDA Members and Friends,
“So tonight, I am proposing that every state—every state—requires that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn 18.”
—President Barack Obama
last night’s State of the Union speech.
I was shocked when I heard that. Under our U.S. Constitution, education matters are left to the states. Our Founders wanted decisions about education and a host of other matters left to the states and local government so that these important decisions that affect every family could easily be influenced by the real decision makers: parents and the family.
Parents—not the federal government and certainly not the president—are the ones who should decide how children are educated and when they’re ready to graduate from high school.
But last night, President Obama made it clear that he thinks the federal government should be in the business of telling states how long children should stay in school.
Since we were founded in 1983, HSLDA has fought attempts by state legislatures to increase the ages of compulsory attendance in school. We do this because parents—not education bureaucrats—are best equipped to decide how long their children should stay in school.
Now, thanks to President Obama and his willing allies in Congress, we’re going to have to fight this in Congress, too. We need to make sure that the White House, and their allies in Congress hear our message loud and strong: leave education decisions to parents.
Call Now!
Right now, please call the White House and your members of Congress, and give them this message:
“Last night, President Obama called for the government to mandate that all children stay in school until they graduate or turn age 18. This is not the federal government’s responsibility. Leave education decisions to parents, not federal bureaucrats. Tell President Obama to withdraw his compulsory attendance mandate immediately.”
a.. The White House: 202-456-1414, or send an online message.
b.. Your U.S. representative and two U.S. senators: 202-224-3121 (Capitol Switchboard) or use HSLDA’s Legislative Toolbox to find their names and contact info.
There appears to be no limit to this president’s desire for power. Car companies, banks, doctors, and now schools and the family. But this time he’s gone way too far, and homeschoolers and freedom-loving Americans need to make sure that he hears our message.
Thank you for standing with us for freedom.
Sincerely,
Michael P. Farris, JD, LLM
Chairman, HSLDA
This email was received via our homeschool group:
“I am an economic education specialist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. We produce a variety of history, economics, and personal finance education online learning modules that might be a nice resource for home school parents. All of our resources are free to use.”
Our online courses: http://www.stlouisfed.org/education_resources/online_learning.cfm
Our economic concept podcast series: http://www.stlouisfed.org/education_resources/podcasts.cfm
Liber8 Economic Information Newsletter – Classroom Edition:http://www.stlouisfed.org/education_resources/liber8_classroom_edition.cfm
Personal Finance Flashcards: http://www.stlouisfed.org/education_resources/personal_finance_quiz.cfm
Great Depression website and education resources: http://www.stlouisfed.org/greatdepression/default.html
Thanks
I recently received a link to this resource via my homeschool group. If you have been looking for a class on the Constitution then check out this website. Classes are approx. 40 minutes in length and registration for the course is free. They do accept donations to help their efforts in reaching more participants.
http://constitution.hillsdale.edu/
Class begins February 20, 2012!
A fellow homeschool parent shared this educational resource that I thought you might find valuable as well.
“LearnZillion makes life easier by putting high quality instruction and assessment items at your fingertips. Use LearnZillion to get practical teaching resources, to create playlists for your class, to track homework effortlessly, and to give your students the right lesson at the right time.”
www.aophomeschooling.com
Check out our curriculum options
Select an icon below to learn more about our Christian homeschool curriculum.
Monarch™
Switched-On Schoolhouse®
LIFEPAC®
Horizons
Weaver
For the remainder of October, AES is offering a 15% discount on the DT Trainer (DTT) and Activity Trainer (AT). This is a great opportunity to bring your licenses up-to-date or purchase additional products!
School Districts and Institutions
Activity Trainer
- AT Standard Institutional Bundle Reg. $349 (Save $52.35) – Sale Price = $296.65
- AT Single Student Bundle Reg. $149 (Save $22.35) – Sale Price = $126.65
***Call 803-233-0541 or Email Sales@dttrainer.com for volume quotes***
DT Trainer
- DTT Standard Institutional Bundle Reg. $349 (Save $52.35) – Sale Price = $296.65
- DTT Single Student Bundle Reg. $149 (Save $22.35) – Sale Price = $126.65
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Power Pack (DT Trainer and Activity Trainer)
Already 20% discount for buying DTT & AT together save another 15% for a total discount of 32%
- PP Standard Institutional Bundle Reg. $558 (Save $83.70) – Sale Price = $474.30
- PP Single Student Bundle Reg. $238 (Save $35.70) – Sale Price = $202.30
***Call 803-233-0541 or Email Sales@dttrainer.com for volume quotes***
Continuation Bundles
If your updates and support agreement has expired, order another year and save 15%
- DTT/AT SIB Continuation Bundle Reg. $99 (Save $14.85) – Sale Price = $84.15
***Call 803-233-0541 or Email Sales@dttrainer.com for volume quotes***
Home Customers
Activity Trainer
- AT Standard Home Bundle Reg. $149 (Save $22.35) – Sale Price = $126.65
DT Trainer
- DTT Standard Home Bundle Reg. $149 (Save $22.35) – Sale Price = $126.65
Power Pack (DT Trainer and Activity Trainer)
Already 20% discount for buying DTT & AT together save another 15% for a total discount of 32%
- PP Standard Home Bundle Reg. $238 (Save $35.70) – Sale Price = $202.30
Continuation Bundles
If your updates and support has expired, order another year and save 15%
- DTT/AT Home Continuation Bundle Reg. $74 (Save $11.10) – Sale Price = $62.90
General Information
- All bundles are for a single computer
- Not valid in combination with other discounts or offers
- Take advantage of this discount by:
- PO: Take 15% off on POs faxed to: 803-545-4058
- Call and ask for discount
- Order through our web site www.dttrainer.com using coupon code AES15
- Offer expires Monday 10/31/2011
For more information on the DT Trainer or the Activity Trainer, or to get free trials, visit our web site at:www.dttrainer.com We are also doing free webinar overviews online about the DT Trainer and the Activity Trainer. You can periodically check our schedule: Web Based Training.
If you have a child interested in pursuing art hobbies or careers. Here is a link that we received recently for Art instruction, this website offers classes on:
Drawing
Painting
Digital Art
Art Fundamentals
Art Videos
Go to: The Virtual Instructor
